Childcare Options

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#1 and #2 have both been in daycare since they were 12 weeks old.  We really love their daycare.  All of it, except the cost.  We pay our daycare more than we pay our mortgage company.  It’s a lot.  (And, sidebar, if I may.  We just got an email telling us that costs are going up for the girls because of “cost of living increase.”  Yeah, um, I think I need to email them about our current economy!)

In fact, when I was pregnant with #2 and we were going back and forth, we seriously considered getting an au pair (a live in nanny).  We discussed places like Cultural Care with friends and really sat down and had a talk.  The biggest reason it wasn’t a go for us?  Our house is just a little too small for one more adult to live in.  Otherwise, it would have been a go. 

At $340 a week, it is cheaper than our daycare by at least $100 per week.  And, if we were to have more kids, it would be the same price, regardless of how many kids we have. 

Also, your kids get more one on one time with an adult.  They build a relationship withimage them.  Check out my friend, Sierra’s au pair, with baby Jane.  Jane gets quite excited to see Nicole after her absence.  How awesome would it be for your kids to have that relationship.

They are with you for a year, too.  Sort of like the time a teacher would be with you child, and about the time our kids are in each class at their daycare.  But, there is an option to extend for another year if both parties agree!

From talking with friends, I know there are limits; like the au pairs don’t do things for the adults.  They also have to have an established schedule (45 hours of flexible childcare per week) with time off and holidays/ vacations.  Just like any other employee, there are things they are and are not allowed to do.

If we had a bigger house with an extra room, we would definitely consider an au pair.  Not only for the direct child care, but also to expose our children to another culture, languages and customs.

Right now, Cultural Care is offering anybody that uses the promotion code PCCYR2010 to submit their application by June 30th a waived application fee.  They are also offering a $500 discount on their program fees if you mention the code in the ad here on my site.  If you are considering an au pair, now is the time to get serious.  They have au pairs ready to arrive at your house as early as July 3rd.

Cultural Care sponsored me to write this post.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious

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15 Comments

  1. Isn't it sad that the FIRST discussion Sean and I had when even thinking about a second child was if we could afford the daycare! I wish we had room for an au pair as well but unfortunately we don't. Thank goodness Maggie's daycare is great (expensive yes but great).

  2. My best friend growing up was 1 of 4 kids and her parents divorced when she was really young, so their mom hired au pairs to live with them and take care of them. They all really liked their au pair's and kept in touch after they left! I think it's a really cool, unique child care option!

  3. I know the girls are voluntarily becoming au pairs but the weekly stipend of $195.75 does not seem like a lot to me for a person caring for your children for 45 hours a week. That's just my opinion.

  4. I definitely considered this when our daycare said they were raising their rates last year, which would have cost us around $1400/month, and my kids would only be there 6 hours a day. If I had the extra room, I would have done it.

    It sounds like they're not making much, but since they're living in your house, they have free room and board, and there's plenty of extra hours for those serious-about-money, to get a part time job for the extras. Around here $195/week is a pretty good job if you don't have any other expenses.

  5. I forgot to add, we wound up switching our kids to a different daycare, and even though it cost us just a little more, the amazing teachers there are so great, my kids LOVE them, and I know the teachers love the kids too, so it makes me feel better that it's easy for them to go there. Plus they are teaching them sooooo much. Wish I would have switched them sooner.

  6. You need to move by me. I will pay $400 a MONTH for Kendall next year! I can't imagine paying that a week! I for sure wouldn't work! Yikes!

  7. A friend of mine became an au pair, she moved to Switzerland for a year to live with the family and loved it so much that she ended up staying there permanently.

  8. Honestly, this is why I CAN'T work. 3 kids in daycare full-time = more than I would make as a teacher.

  9. Child care is such a difficult decision! We had a hard time deciding and then we were blessed with the opportunity for me to stay home with the girls.

  10. That would be really neat to do. But being a SAHM kinda keeps things limited, ya know?

  11. As it turns out, group daycare's been a good fit for us, but I desperately wanted an au pair at the outset. However, I couldn't figure out how to make the hours work. I work 40 hours/week, am required to take an hour for lunch (rarely do, but whatever) and then have to drive each way. That's more than 45 hours.

  12. (Btw, I paid nearly $1700/month for the first year, with two in the infant class.)

  13. I could see how that would be a great solution for two working parents.

  14. I think so many people go through this. We are going through this right now. I am a nanny but they cut my hours and pay big time with no notice. Now I nee a job but no job will pay me enough to put my girls in daycare. It is just sooo expensive.

    I hope you can figure something out. That company sounds great. Are you guys thinking about having another.

  15. We pay $125 a week for Chandler to go to a Christian preschool & attend extended care. I am so glad that I only had one year where I paid daycare for two kids.

    When I was in college, I was a nanny for a family. The mom was going to college too and we scheduled our classes so the kids were either with me or her. I usually went to class in the morning and she went in the afternoon. A few times she took a night class so I would just stay there until Dad got home from work. It worked out fabulously. They paid me $150 a week no matter how many hours I worked–sometimes I stayed for the entire evening so they could have a date. Those boys were like my own kids. They ended up being in my wedding and we still keep in touch. I wish I could work something out like that with one of our local college students. Chandler's preschool is over @ 11:30 each day….I am tempted to see if there is a girl who wants to pick her up, take her home, feed her lunch, etc. I get off at 3:45 pm. Preschool is only $125 a month. That could work…hmmmmm….I might need to work on that!!

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