Getting Rid of Child Care Anxiety
If you are pregnant, just gave birth, or planning on going back to work soon, this is one is for you! Don’t let anxiety take over when you start thinking about who will be taking care of your child. Instead, take time to prepare so when the days comes you know exactly what to expect.
How to prepare
You- Take some time to think about what you think will work for you and your child. Think about your work hours, distance, location, child to teacher ratio, benefits, etc. Think about the things that would make you comfortable the most while you are at work away from your child.
Options- There are so many different options when it comes to childcare. Below are a few for you to consider:
Babysitter (short-term)
Nanny (a nanny is a more permanent position)
Au Pair (a person that wants to experience another culture and learn a new language by living in a foreign country with a family. In exchange for a private room and some pocket money, the Au Pair takes care of tasks related to childcare and easy household chores.)
Day-care center (provides supervision and care of infants and young children during the daytime)
Home day-care (in someone else’s home)
Nanny share (sharing nanny with a friend who also has a child.)
Relatives (grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc.)
Research- After you figure out which childcare option is the best for you and your child you must do all the research you possibly can. The more research you do, the calmer you will feel. If you are looking into day-care centers you should schedule some time to tour the facility, read reviews, ask around with friends, family, neighborhood, etc. If you are looking into babysitters, nannies, or au pairs, make sure you run background checks, always ask for references AND reach out to them (a safe and reliable site for this is Care.com.)
Transition- Highly recommend giving yourself and your babe a transition period. Most moms like taking the last two weeks of maternity leave to do this. Start with a meet and great, and then one hour on the first day, then increase by one hour each day until you and your child get through a full day.
Things to remember
Day-cares- Tour, tour tour! Cannot say this enough times! If you have settled on a day-care please make sure you set some time to meet and great the caretakers/teachers/directors. Stop by more than once at different times during the day each time - drop-off, afternoon, and pick-up, so you can see what the environment is like at different times.
Features and Benefits- No matter what type of childcare you have settled on, be clear on what your expectations. How would you like for them to keep you updated. Do you want updates after every meal, nap, and diaper change? Would you like pictures and videos? Some day-cares have live feed and apps that update you by sending pictures and messages, so make sure you always ask.
Waitlist- If you have settled on any type of day-care, make sure you ask if there is a waitlist if advance and if there sign, sign up for it right away. The last thing you want is to be left with no childcare right before you go back to work. Then you will have to scramble and end up with something you are happy/comfortable with.
Babysitters, Nannies, and Au Pairs- Search for any of these using a reliable and safe website. Do not trust word of mouth recommendations. Always follow your gut and don’t ever forget to: run background checks, driving records, and always call all references.
State Websites- Some states offer public information on day-care inspection records, violations, current status, and allow you to compare child care centers across the city so don’t forget to check that too.
