So confused about daycare.

[Brooke]

My mom has been watching Rebekah since I went back to work. We're looking into daycare for Rebekah right now because my grandmother is terminally ill and my mother is her primary caretaker. Once grandmother comes home, as soon as next week, my mother will have to devote more time that before to her care. We will have Hospice and whatever other help we can get but mom doesn't feel that she can take care of both grandmother and Rebekah full time on a daily basis.

So, we're looking into daycare. The problem is that we don't know how often we would want Rebekah to go. My mother ususally takes Rebekah to see grandmother 2x a day, every day. Grandmother enjoys seeing Rebekah so mom doesn't want to take that away totally.

A friend of mine asked her neighbor (a licensed in-home daycare) if she had any openings for 2-year-olds and she said she does have a couple and will be doing interviews next week. So I'm going to call her tomorrow to set something up.

What are the chances that she will take Rebekah part-time, like 3 days a week? I'm willing to pay the full price, if necessary, especially if towards the end we need to take Rebekah full-time. She quoted my friend $140/week for an infant, which is VERY reasonable so I would expect that it would be a little less than that for Rebekah full time.

I'm so confused as to what to ask. This whole situation is very confusing. We don't know when, where, for how long, on any of it. I don't know what I need or want. Should I offer to pay for full time and only bring her part time but with the option of going full time if necessary? Can I do that? Is it reasonable?

[Dennis]

Brooke,

I would think that if you pay for full-time, she wouldn't care if you only bring Rebekah part-time. And from what you've said about the situation with your grandmother, it sounds like this is what you need to do, since you could have to send Rebekah full-time on short notice.

Dennis

[Nocona]

ITA with Dennis. It's a very reasonable price, as well and she'll hold your spot for full-time whether she's there or not. I think she'd love that situation!

[MizLacey]

Brooke, your solution to pay full-time and only use part-time most weeks is ideal :) That allows your provider to accept 'on call' from another family if Rebekah isn't there (but I'd like to think she'd cut you a deal if she takes another child during that timeslot though she's not obligated to) yet keeps your full-time spot available for Rebekah when you need it.

My provider always gave me a credit toward the next week if she filled our 'empty' time with another child, though I know she only credited us 1/2 the amount and charged the other mom full price. I didn't care; my slot was mine if I needed it and the provider got a bonus. I was usually surprised when the issue came up because I never expected her to do that.

It sounds like your mom is dealing with a lot right now. You'll all be in my thoughts :)

[Hilary]

Madelynn went to an in home daycare part time. I had to pay full price no matter what and she could go as much or as little as I wanted. It sounds like that is how this lady is going to be. I hope it works out for you!

[kim]

sounds like an ideal situation brooke.

i did a similar thing with my in-home dcp when tony was younger. dh worked an odd schedule so tony would only go 2 days one week, and 4 the next, etc. i still payed full price and that gave me the option to bring him whenever i needed.

[gulp!]

If we had gone the daycare route, we likely would have wound up paying for a full time slot, even though Emma wouldn't have needed to use it full time. I try to keep a set 3 day a week schedule, but often that gets moved around and I would have needed that slot to be available on short notice.

Sounds like a great situation- VERY good price! Hope it works out for you!

[Brooke]

Thanks, everyone.
I think that the full-time option is our best bet, since we don't really know what to expect.

We have our interview on Monday.

[Faye]

I had to pay FT for my daughter to attend daycare when she attended last year. :) It was only 95 a week here so that made it all the more easier.