In-Home Vs Centers

[MommyofThree]

Hi I am going back to work and have three children and would like to know how to chose a daycare. I am thinking a center only because you hear alot more bad things at in-home ones. Not all in homes are bad but this is my childrens first time so really need imput on both sides. I f you sent you child to both which one did you like more and why. I graduate soon and will have a job very shortly and my baby is one and he has yet a voice to speek up if he is being hurt. thanks

[dEHmom]

Hi I am going back to work and have three children and would like to know how to chose a daycare. I am thinking a center only because you hear alot more bad things at in-home ones. Not all in homes are bad but this is my childrens first time so really need imput on both sides. I f you sent you child to both which one did you like more and why. I graduate soon and will have a job very shortly and my baby is one and he has yet a voice to speek up if he is being hurt. thanks

Sounds to me like you're expecting the worst.

Alot of us on this site are day homes. Not all of us but lots of us are. And I disagree with what you've stated about more bad things at in home daycares.

You need to do what you feel is right. And he will be talking soon enough. You can always tell if your child's attitude changes, if he becomes withdrawn or angry. Sometimes it's just a reaction from the adjustment.

Do your research, trust the person you are handing your child over to, and if you walk away worried somethign might be wrong, then something is wrong.

[momatheart]

Personally I feel a young one is better off in a home daycare.
I feel that a home daycare will NOT tolerate bad behavior and will let those children go. Which protects your child really. In a center as children get older the class size goes up as well and behaviors are not always the best and from my experiece are tolerated longer and those children don't get termed as fast as they do in a home daycare.

A home daycare to me just seems to have more comforts of home around them and I feel can add to an easier transition. NOt so hard looking. Eg there is furniture, there is usually a mom caring for your child. And lets face it once you are a mom you care differently for children. You understand that MOMMY love that one has for their child. In a center you have a higher chance of having someone care for your child who doesn't have or has not had children yet. Not that they are bad providers just different.

Centers also have more people coming in touring or popping in unannouced.
Unless they have a coded locked door enterance.

I feel once a child is 4 or just before Kindergarten a full time preschool daycare could be wonderful for them. There are also WONDERFUL daycare homes that offer a preschool curiculum along with their care and you may want to consider one of those so you don't have to pull your child out of a daycare once you find one.

[Unregistered]

home daycare

I'll start off by saying I never had my son in a large daycare center--home daycare from the start.

We looked at several daycares---commercial and home before deciding on a small home care for him. I was quite appalled at the conditions of some of the commercial centers..but some of the homes appalled me, too.

I like the smaller atmosphere--he gets tons of attention.

My advice--judge the atmoshpere, not whether it is commercial or home--you'll find the right one!

[gbcc]

I completely agree with Momatheart!

With a home daycare your child will always know who the provider is. At a center they may change daily or twice a day. There is high turnover due to low pay and politics involved. Also, I feel the children at centers are treated as a number or a money sign. A Home daycare, if you pick the right one, will become your child's home away from home. They become part of your family. At least mine do. Both parents and provider are able to achieve a more personal trusting bond.

Of my daycare chidren now I have 6 out of 8 children that came to me from a center. Some of the reasons were

- high staff turnover
- Large amount of people involved
- No control over picking next provider in a center
- they don't want the infant in an assembly line of swings all day
- Like personal touches
- Prefer home like environment so it's like they are at home
- Prices
- Better quality of food provided at home (not cafeteria like but more homecooked)

I'm sure I could think of more but these are the most popular reasons I come accross.

I think more important than preference is being a responsible parent and doing your research on the provider or center. Ask questions, tour, call references, review violations etc.

[momatheart]

OH and by the way I work in a daycare center.

(I have thought about doing my own daycare out of my home. I go back and forth with it. But that is another topic all together )

[QualiTcare]

i sent my children to a center because i didn't know anyone with a home daycare and didn't trust a stranger to be alone with them. i thought a center was better because there were so many employees and no closed doors (they had the half door/gates to separate the rooms) and there was a director and an assistant around at all times.

if i could do it over again - i would have tried a little harder to find a home daycare that was operated by a friend of a friend or someone i could get a lot of references on.

nothing in particular happened that was "bad" in the center - it's just a totally different environment with a lot more kids and less flexibility. i think they would have had better experiences in a home setting.

good luck.

[momatheart]

When my son was little I put him in a center and we moved a few months later and I put him into a home daycare I felt so much better with a home daycare and he was in 1st grade then. He is now 22 and he still remembers hating that center. people were cold there too. Not friendly and warm like the one I work in.

The center I work in is great and we are warm fun people and we are full and have a waiting list. HOwever, the mom in me says go with homedaycare especially with a young one. Older kids may need a center just because we all know how SA can be. Centers usually can accomadate for high energy wild SA kids.

[nannyde]

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/childCare.pdf

If you have the time... this is an AMAZING read. This will answer a lot of your questions.

I think this is one of the best pieces of child care literature I have read in my 31 years. It's a bit outdated but it's a good structural look at the difference between home and center in the areas of intentional and accidental injury to children in care.

[squareone]

I agree with previous posters. I am a dayhome provider and all but 1 one of my daycare kids were switching from a center. I've heard all of the reasons on gbcc's list plus:

-wanted siblings to be able to interact with each other rather than be in separate classrooms all day.
-too expensive
-overcrowding (operating at maximum capacity)

Another thing to consider in home daycares is that you will be dealing directly with the owner. No absent directors to worry about.

I wouldn't say a home daycare is better than a center. Depending on your individual childcare needs, each has it's own benefits and drawbacks. During your search for care you will find that there are vast differences in the quality of services that daycares (homes and centers) offer. Also, don't rule out nannies. Since you have 3 children, that might work out better for you financially and your children will get personalized care in the comfort of their own home.

I think that you should start by asking trusted friends and coworkers for recommendations and go from there. Good luck in your search.

[Meeko]

I run a home day care and have worked at a large center. There are pro's and cons at both. At a center, your child may get close to his/her teacher only to find out that come Monday morning they have someone new. Centers have a "school" feeling while a home-based day care is just that...more like home. Centers can often offer bigger and better field trips due to large vans, group rates etc. while a home day care can give your child a lap to sit on at story time and a better feeling of "belonging". It really depends on what you are looking for. Visit lots of places and ask endless questions!

[Cat Herder]

I get about 15 calls a month begging me to take their kids from big centers.

I can't, I have a loooong waiting list.

Quieter, more thoughtful children get run over and wailed on in large group settings around here...

[kendallina]

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/resea.../childCare.pdf

If you have the time... this is an AMAZING read. This will answer a lot of your questions.

I think this is one of the best pieces of child care literature I have read in my 31 years. It's a bit outdated but it's a good structural look at the difference between home and center in the areas of intentional and accidental injury to children in care.

Wow- that is very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

[daycare]

Smaller group at in home, larger group at centers
More one on one attention with low ratios, centers have larger group of kids to adult ratio

Less germs child is exposed to, in large centers your child has a higher chance of getting sick more often meaning that you will have to miss more work.

Most home providers offer a flexible schedule . centers usually operate one way and have a set schedule that pertains to all. They will not go out of their way to suit your needs.

Will get to mingle with mixed ages and stay in the same room as siblings, Centers your child will be in a room with the same age group and will not have the chance to build relationships and memories with their siblings.

The same person will always be with your child, no worries that the teacher will quit and a new one will have to replace her or him. Centers often employee people who need a pay check, not people who care to stay for the children. High turn over at centers

Better chance of the child building close friendships with peers and adults
Some providers are open on holidays, centers will close on all national holidays

In home cost are less than a center, as they have less overhead.

Multi-age groups offer children opportunities to develop and practice social skills.

There is a wider range of behavior and performance that is likely to be accepted and tolerated by the adults as well as by the children themselves.

There is often less competitive and more cooperative or helpful behaviors.

In-home care offers an at home setting and often a more comfortable and secure setting for young children.

By design, mixed-age group care is geared more to the needs of individuals. Children in such groups have greater freedom to develop at their own rate.

Older children learn to adapt their language and social skills to relate with younger children, often learning patience, compassion and problem solving skills.

Younger children are challenged by older children and often engage in more complex activities then when they play with same age peers.

Children are in a much smaller group than compared to groups in preschools. This offers the children more one on one time with the teacher and your child is also exposed to less germs, when in a smaller group.

[gbcc]

Daycare, great examples and comparissons you listed there!