Childcare near My Job or near My Home?

I think near your home. You never know when some unforeseen circumstance might require that your husband drop off or pick up from daycare. Also, if you are ever home sick from work you can still take your son to daycare so that you can rest. The only thing that might make me consider going with someplace close to work is if the cost of care is significantly less or if the quality of care is significantly better near work.

I know a lot of people have mentioned that it would be nice to be close to work if he gets sick but if he's not feeling well would you rather him spend 45 minutes or an hour stuck in the car or resting comfortably at daycare until you can arrive? I understand as a mom you want to be there for him if he's sick, but getting stuck in a car probably is not what he would want when he's feeling bad. Also, if he gets a stomach bug and is vomiting I think a shorter drive from daycare to home would be best! :-)

Good Luck,
K.

My two cents... Near your house. Think of it this way:

1.) The time otherwise spent in the car going to the farther facility could be time spent learning, socializing or eating breakfast or snack (at a table/chair instead of in the car).
2.) You can't pay attention to him in the car or attend to his needs. When you're driving, your priority has to be driving. If he was at school during that time, someone is there to respond to him.
3.) Less risk of him being involved in a traffic accident.
4.) There may be a few times that your husband may need to take or pick up and the farther facility will not accommodate that possibility.
5.) The children your son goes to school with will be able to attend his playdates and birthday parties (and vise versa) than children that live across town. This will also make it easier for him to already know kids in the community when he starts kindergarden.
6.) Easy to drop him off at school on a day that you take off from work... Should you ever decide to take a day for that facial you've promised yourself...!
7.) Much easier to run back home and get something that you forgot if home is nearby... Like this morning when I forgot to give my daughter her allergy medicine before we left...

near your job if you have to drive that way anyways(if it's not more driving time) you'll get to see him sooner after work, you can visit him during your lunch breaks, and if he gets sick or needs something it's easier to drop it off.

My son goes to daycare near my job so I can have some one on one time with him on the way home and also, I can drop in to see him during my lunch hour since he's right down the road.

Its hard to find good childcare so you might not have a choice. My son had been on a waiting list for over 6 months before a spot opened up.

I suggest finding a daycare near your job - that way you can run out and get there quickly if you need to or if you get held up at work or if you just want to run over and say hi. Plus you won't be so anxious if you get stuck in traffic.

I have been fortunate that I don't work far from home, so the daycare I use is both close to home and work. But I will say that having it close to home is a blessing. My husband is able to take our daughter to school on days I have to be at work early and also when I am sick.

I think it should also depend on the type of job you would have. Will you truly be able to leave work and go spend time with your son at the daycare. For me to do, I have to have special permission to leave and be gone that long (even with the daycare only 5-10 minutes away). If your child is sick, will you be able to leave work at a moments notice and go or would you have a friend/relative pick him up until you get there? I know that might sound bad, but I work at a school - I can't just walk out (unless it was a truly serious situation). I would like to have her comfortable at school or picked up quickly by a friend/relative until I can get there. For that to happen, I need have her near our home.

Are you the type of person that will need that unwind time after work to go back into mommy mode? If so, you might need that longer time by yourself in the car to "change gears."

I will say that when I did have my daughter in a daycare near work, I worked longer. I knew what time I had to pick her up and soon it becomes a habit to stay later and later. When she was farther away from work, I knew I had to leave by a certain time and so I left work earlier.

I would not compromise my child for the sake of convenience, but if you can find a good facility in a location that is best for you (either near home or work) than that is the best place for you.

Good luck!

Hi O.,

Just a thought- since you love staying at home with your son- and you really do not want to give it up- have you thought about babysitting in your home to make extra money? I work from home- but if something happened and I couldn't do what I do anymore- that would be the route I would think of before returning to the corporate world. And daycare is so expensive these days- between gas and daycare it could eat up your paycheck.

JMO

God Bless!

O.

I had no choice I had to work outside of the home so my mom and mother-in-law watched my son until he was 3 then I decided to put him in daycare. I work about 20 miles from my house. It's not far but still far enough. I looked into the options and decided that putting him in childcare close to home was better because he will most likely be attending a center that picks up at the school he will be going to and will start developing relationships with the kiddos he will be going to school with. Also when he does start school you won't have to move him to a different center so he can be picked up for afterschool care.

Hope this helps.

You might also want to check the rates at both if money is an issue. Child care rates are very different depending on what area of town you live/work in.

J.

My daycare is near my home because I work an hour away and work 24-48 hours at a time. So my husband will be picking her up on those days. But if you have a normal schedule I would choose one near my work so that if he got sick or something you wouldn't have a long drive.

You should first think of your son and yourself. Find a great daycare that works for you and your son, look for a reliable, honest and loving environment for your baby. You will be more at ease if you know your son is being taken care of, and therefore be more productive.
Take place into consideration after...licensure, staffing, ability, and loving nourishing environment.
Good Luck, and remember that you have given your son two wonderful years and there will be many more to come. Sometimes working is a part of taking care of our families.