Real Working Mom: In-Home Daycare

Real Working Mom: In-Home Daycare
I struggled with the decision and gathered a lot of advice from friends, and eventually placed my son in an in-home daycare at 18 months. Our need for a daycare was sort of immediate (my mother & other family had previously watched my son). I discovered the following things were important to me:
1) I wanted my son (and later my daughter) close to my office. It gives me a comfort knowing they are less than a mile away. Whether it's going to visit at lunch or appeasing my earthquake fears, having them close by just makes me feel better.
2) I wanted my provider to be a mom. There are things you don't understand until you are a mother.
3) State Certification, Licenses etc were a must for me.

I found a wonderful daycare provider. We don't agree on everything but generally speaking she's a wonderful woman who loves my kids. She has 8 kids, including my daughter who is the youngest at 10 months old. They have a pretty good structure to their day, not as much as a center I'm sure, but my son has learned SO much there. And they are happy. I wish I was as happy to go to work everyday as my babies are to see their friends at "school".

I worry about the lack of backup, especially now that our daycare provider is pregnant. While she has never missed a day, I'm sure it's going to happy eventually. I'm lucky to have local family who can help in that case.