When you are looking at daycares, whether it is new for you or you are thinking to change, one thing to consider is location. In our area many people commute from the suburbs in to the city for work. When this happens, a working parent will need to decide whether they should look for daycare close to home or close to work.
When we first had our child in daycare, we had a friend watch her and it was close to home. It seemed easy enough until we needed to take her to a doctor appointment. After using 4 different daycares, we have had 2 close to home and 2 close to work. Looking back, my husband and I realize that both ways have definite pros and cons. Before you choose a new daycare, ask yourself these questions?
Where are the daycares that you view as qualified located?
Check out daycares in both areas. Are there options that you would feel comfortable enrolling your children at? If not, then stop reading now because you already have your answer.
Can you afford the daycares near your home and near your work? Are they similar in price?
For us, we live in the suburbs and there is a significant price difference in qualified daycares. Right now we are choosing a daycare close to home and saving $500 per month. Even though it is not as convenient for me, the savings definitely outweigh any inconveniences based on location.
Where are your doctor appointments?
These can take up time in your day and can affect when you need to leave work or the appointment to make it to daycare.
Where are your child’s doctor appointments?
This is very important, not as much for well child appointments but for sick appointments. We had our children’s doctor close to my work and former daycare so that I could get the kids there quickly without missing much work. But now the doctor is near my work and the daycare is near our home which is 30 miles away and I end up driving in circles.
Does either your husband or you travel for work? Will the location affect the times that one or both of you are traveling?
The biggest drawback to having the daycare closer to my work was when I traveled. It was not convenient for my husband to get the kids while I was out of town and ultimately became a problem. He works 20 miles from our house in the opposite direction that it ends up being a huge inconvenience.
Close to home or close to work? We have done both and each of them have their pros and cons. We are currently using a daycare that is close to our home and it is working for us for the time being. We do have issues when it snows and I panic because I can’t get to them fast enough or when they are sick. But overall, it is working until at least my oldest starts kindergarten and then we will need to start looking again.
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