Choosing the Best Childcare

Navigation: Main page

 Print this page Comment article

Author: Beth Howland

Article source: http://www.articledeshboard.com/. Used with author's permission.

Choosing the right childcare situation for your child is one of the hardest decisions that many parents make. Your choice of the right setting depends on your preferences and your child's needs.

Here is a look at some pros and cons of the various options:

Child Care Centers. These are places that usually take all age children including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. They must follow certain health and safety standards, as well as requirement for staffing and educational programs. These programs are often fun similar to "school" where groups of same age children remain grouped and engaged in activities together. The pros are that your children will have many other kids to play with and tons of activities. The major cons are lack of individual attention and activities that cater to your child's own needs.

Family Child Care. This type of care is provided in a caregiver's own home. While many of these sitters accept children of all ages, some providers care for only one specific age group. Some are very relaxed, nurturing, and homelike while others function in a more structured, educational setting like larger childcare centers. The advantages are more individual attention while still having children to play with. The disadvantages are lack of control over your child's activities and lack of flexible scheduling options.

In-home Care. More and more parents are hiring a caring adult to watch children in their own homes. The benefits of this type of care include: better one-on-one attention, greater control of your child's daily activities and more flexibility for a parent's schedule. The only disadvantage is that the parent has to take the responsibility of finding and screening the caregiver, running background checks and conducting interviews to find the right fit. There are services available online through Sittercity, Nannies4Hire, and 4Sitters that make the process easier.

Some parents may choose one option with their first child and then switch to another as more children are added to the mix. Only you know the best options for you and your family.

Beth Howland is a reviewer of parenting products like Sittercity. If you need help finding the right sitter for your family, visit www.SittercityReview.com for more information.