Looking for child care, but...?

Question

I am 8 months pregnant with my second child. When she is born, I plan on going back to work. My husband just got hired into a new shop. We were planning on having him be the stay at home parent, so our children won't have to be with someone we don't know and trust. The problem is, we could use both incomes. I don't like the idea of hiring a stranger to take care of my kids, and family just doesn't have the time (they have jobs, too). My question is, what are my options? I just don't trust people, I guess. Any input?

My son will be turning 2 years old about a month after she is born. I don't want to hire a nanny; that would involve having yet another person living with us, not to mention the outrageous costs.

Answer 1

Really evaluate how much money you'd be bringing in if you went back to work. Once you pay for work clothes, convenience foods for work or thrown together dinners, gas to and from work and childcare costs, would it still be worth it for you to work? Or would most of your income go to covering the extras incurred by working?

Answer 2

I am a stay at home grandmother and I keep 4 of my grandchildren. I quit work when the first grandchild was 7 months old, 9 years ago but that isn't always an option for people.

I would start researching day care providers now. Ask friends or people you go to church with if they know someone that they trust. You may be able to find a stay at home mom that will want to make a few extra dollars to watch your children.

There are also day care providers out there that have web cams so you can check on your children when ever you want from where ever you are.

Leaving your children is a very scary thing to do and I understand you apprehension.
Maybe you and your husband can work opposite shifts so that way you have both incomes and yet one of you are always with the children. That's what me and my husband did when ours were young. I also hired a neighborhood teenager that I trusted to come in the afternoons to help me out so I could get a little rest before I had to go to work.

I don't know if any of these options will work for you but I hope it will give you some ideas.

Answer 3

Depending on ho much you are making, childcare for 2 kids would likely take most of one income anyway. That's why I chose to stay home. When my son was 18 months old I found a housecleaning job where I could take him with me and I make $15 an hour. You could try to start your own licensed daycare, if you have a house with a fenced yard, and your house is baby/child-proof. I also had a nanny job and was able to take my son with me so he was exposed to other children.

Answer 4

I have a nanny that looks after my baby. I would never look back on this decision. She looked after my first one as well. You have to find somebody while you are on leave, train her and gain trust for her. For babies this is the best option so they do not catch all those horrible colds they can pick up in the day cares. My baby is very healthy and is never sick. At this age you also don't have to worry about socialising baby because they are too small to even understand.

Answer 5

that's a tuff decision. i have kept children for 25+ years in my home and the last 10 years went to their house and kept the kids. I guess you just have to find a way to trust someone. ask for references and talk to the people that has used this person before. that's how I got the job going to their house and i loved it and now even though i don't keep the kids anymore because they are in school, we still keep in touch and visit about once a year.

Answer 6

you need tyo stay at home with yor newborn for the first 6 months!