When my sister told me a year ago that she enrolled her baby boy at her Company-sponsored daycare center for $1500/month, I thought she was insane. In fact, I think I said it out loud. You crazy? $1500? WTH?
Fast forward to today and I have a total different mentality now that I am on the hunt for a good daycare. I visited a few downtown daycare centers and absolutely loved the environment. The pick up / drop off convenience / close proximity to work is only one thing - I love the fact that the centers give the kids tons of space and a lot of personal care and attention. For infant care, the ratio is 1 adult to 3 infants. They custom-tailor the infant's day using the same routine you set forth so there is continuity. They give you a progress report everyday (how long are the naps, how much they ate, when they pooped, etc). They bring the kids out to an outdoor area to get fresh air. All the instructors are CPR-certified and the center has fire/earthquake and emergency plans for evacuation. They don't let the kids watch TV because they don't have any. Instead they read to the infants, let them develop motor skills and stimulate their senses. They have everything I look for in a perfect daycare!! So what's the cost of all this greatness? $2000/month!!! $2000 and more insanely, I am totally willing to pay this!
Yes, you're allowed to call me insane and call me crazy. But here's the catch ... even though I'm willing to shell out the dough, I am on a long wait list!! Most centers have at least a 1-year to 2 year wait. That's that craziest part. You almost have to sign up before you get pregnant!! Silly, isn't it? Given all this, I know my chances of getting into these daycare centers in the near future are NONE - Not "probably" none, not "practically" none.... absolutely NONE, period. I will have to look for a family daycare during the interim. Hopefully I'll get lucky and find someone loving to take care of my baby girl.
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