<p>I agree that you need to decide with your care provider what’s appropriate and what’s not, but I’d also note that if you were a SAHM, you’d be toting your child to your own doctor appts and errands, too. Our housekeeper / nanny used to take my kids to the nearby bank (she would do deposits the old-fashioned way, in line with a teller) and one day I walked in and I swear, all the tellers came over to me once they realized I was x&y’s mom - they were like little celebrities!</p>
<p>She also hosted a radio show in her native language on the weekends, and told anecdotes about our kids. Honestly, I think half her native community followed their exploits growing up and knew when they were going off to college. You know, when it comes to love, there’s always room for more. (I can’t believe I just said something that sappy, but it’s true.)</p>
<p>For my oldest D we had an in home provider. She was from the Carribean and 3 months in her husband back home had a heart attack and she returned to take care of him. Rather than leave us in the lurch she had her adult daughter replace her and we found her to be great with our D. </p>
<p>After a year we moved to a different area and we utilized a day care facility and found it great for both my D and later for my S. With anything the key is to find what works best for your situation. There are no 1 size fits all solutions (which those of us on CC have a hard time acknowledging sometimes).</p>
<p>It depends. I looked at some of those in-home providers. No thanks! People are confusing in-home provides with nannies in their home. These are very different things. OMG!</p>
<p>^ we had an in-home provider meaning we took our child to HER home. Our state is also very tight with in-home daycare providers with regular inspections and lots of paperwork. We actually found her through a gov’t agency that all must register with. Interviewed her and a handful of others before settling on her. She was perhaps typical - doing it for extra money when her own two were still small. But she was a great person who spent the entire day actively engaging with the kids doing art projects, small outings, etc. Never had a TV on.</p>
<p>The kids and I ran into her a few months ago and both she and the kids were very excited to see each other. She works at a local LAC as a secretary now, her kids are in college (one taking advantage of the tuition benefit her job provides).</p>
<p>I am a hospital pharmacist. My dh is a long term care consultant pharmacist = standard work week. So, I worked part time when the boys were little. NO family support, very very very little friends support. BUT…we had an onsite hospital owned daycare and I only had to pay hourly for them. Preschool age they were there one full day and one part afternoon (when I worked evening shift and dh picked them up). When they were babies, he would bring them to me to breastfeed on my dinner break before they headed home. With my set schedule, I even managed to cobble together them going to another preschool and carpooled doing this with neighbors as I was off Mon, Wed, Fri. School age, they went to school nearby and the daycare van got them two afternoons a week. I worked every other weekend and dh had them. We had a reliable teen come and be here on Saturdays with them so dh could get his chores done.
Oldest two both had chronic health problems. I look back and have no clue how I did it all…dentists, doctors, specialists, car pooling, volunteering (Wed. a.m. was my set day at the parohial school), shopping, household chores, etc. From the time my third son was born (he was a surprise!) until he was about 11 is a blur in my memory.
When yds was a junior in h.s. and driving, I went full time.
I believe corporations should absolutely offer flex time to people. I know couples where the one spouse goes in for 6 a.m. and the other goes in at 10 a.m. thereby cutting down on daycare hours for the children. Also, telecommuting…absolutely! My mds does this on Mondays and Fridays now. Some of our clinical apps specialists do this as well. No reason not to.</p>
<p>Scout, your experience is awesome. How wonderful.
Before the daycare center opened on the hospital campus, I also had a wonderful home provider. I did like my babies being in someone’s home where they were adored. She was great.</p>
<p>When I had just one child, I used family in home day care. I still have love for that daycare provider, who carried my fussy little boy on her back when needed. She had kids the same age, and they felt like siblings to each other. They started at a local 3 afternoon a week preschool together at age 3, and I helped carpool her kids on my days off. Our city had a supporting organization for family day care, which gave providers 2 hours off a week for personal time. A relief worker came in. In addition, there were toys passed from day care home to day care home. When my provider had her 3rd child, I used other providers in the same network during her maternity leave. Family day care was a great, community building enterprise. As I was home aside from working a few evenings after having twins, I did a little relief care for other providers. It was lovely, having kids in, and seeing the parents at drop off and pick up.</p>