Your Turn...

I've been spending WAY too much time mulling over whether or not to send Z to daycare once a week OR find someone to watch her once a week at our home. I need help.

Here's the deal.

As some of you may be aware, our daycare provider contacted me last week to let me know that due to health issues, she will unfortunately be closing up shop at the end of July. This would have been a huge tragedy just a few months ago when M was still attending full time. But she's since transitioned into preschool. That said it's still a bummer because Z has been going to this place one day a week for a few months now and we really, really love the owner. If you don't have kids or don't have them in daycare, take it from me: once you find someone you are completely jazzed about, you really don't want to have to start the whole process over again. These folks, in many cases, often become like a member of your extended family. Which makes moving on that much more challenging.

So last week, I reluctantly started looking for a replacement daycare for Z. But it's proving to be a bit more challenging. I only need one day a week. We can't afford more and why bother since I'm at home all the time anyway? Most places do offer part-time care...but generally speaking, the minimum number of days they'll go to is two. That said, I've been lucky enough to find a few that are willing to do one day a week. One of them sounded fabulous until I walked in the door of a beautiful home on a gorgeous Los Gatos street to be greeted by no fewer than six giant portraits of Jesus. Nothing against the J-Man but that's not how we roll at our house. The other was much more my style and came with high recommendations....but it felt a bit too large for my taste: an owner and four helpers. Overall, they serve 50 families.

Right now, the primary reason I have Z in daycare is to give myself one day a week during which I can focus on a) self-maintenance b) errands and c) giving M some solo time with me. To some degree, I’m also doing it to socialize Z and get her used to being around other kids. So for now, given her age and my jobless status, I’m not really in dire need of the perfect place. But when she hits 18 mos, I’ve got a place lined up for her (we’re on the waiting list now). And then she will transition to M’s preschool when she turns three (Today K asked why not just stick her in M's preschool when she turns two. They accept children two years and up. Frankly, much as I love M's preschool, I don't think it's necessarily the right place for kids under three to attend. Feels a bit too independent and I tend to believe children need tons of nuturing for the first three years). Between her current daycare, the potential interim daycare, this place, and M’s preschool—that’s four transitions in a relatively short period of time. Not ideal.

This is why I’m starting to toy with the idea of hiring a part-time nanny. Someone who can come once or twice a week for a few hours to care for Z in our own home. Granted, Z wouldn’t get much social stimulation. But perhaps the transition wouldn’t be as challenging for her since she’d be in her own environment. Of course, it’s not quite that simple. Here’s why:

1) Most part-time nannies charge roughly $15 per hour. I might be able to find someone who charges $12 per hour. Either way, the cost ends up being more than what I currently pay to drop Z off at daycare.
2) If, on the incredibly slim chance, I were to be offered a full-time job…I’d have to scramble to either find a daycare or nanny with full-time availability. But if I already have Z in a daycare on a part-time schedule, chances are they’d be willing to increase her hours as needed (and schedule permitting).

Did I mention this is an incredibly complicated situation? Ugh.

So my dears…I throw myself on your mercy. If you were in my shoes, what would you do?