For many parents, returning to paid work may involve overcoming one major hurdle: finding childcare. If you find yourself facing this challenge, the needs of your children, the level of flexibility you need, the costs involved, and the quality of the childcare itself are all likely swirling through your mind. These are important things to consider before choosing a place for your children as you pivot back to paid work.
In Houston, there are plenty of options for parents who are returning to paid work and need childcare. The options can feel overwhelming, but knowing what your options are, what questions to ask, and what to look for will help you make the best choice for your family with minimal stress.
Types of Childcare
In many cases, returning to the paid work means looking for full time childcare, specifically a daycare or full-time nanny. Other times, you may be working from home or have an irregular need for childcare; it may serve you best to use drop-in childcare companies. These services charge by the hour and don’t require a specific childcare schedule. One Houston resource that covers a myriad of situations is the Motherhood Center. The Motherhood Center hosts multiple services, with babysitting being one of them. You can hire a nanny through them or use their last minute babysitting services as a back-up, even if your child is sick. They also offer babysitting services on major holidays.
A couple of budget-friendly options include mother's day out programs and co-ops. There are many Mother’s day out programs across the city that offer specific days and times when you can drop your child off without long-term contracts or commitments. These are great for flexible working schedules when you just need a few hours here and there. A childcare co-op allows you to share childcare costs with other families, providing an opportunity for a low commitment of childcare hours with a smaller budget. Poe Cooperative Nursery School and Southampton Montessori are just a couple of examples of co-ops available in Houston.
Asking questions
Asking the right questions provides you with answers that allow you to make the best decision for your family when it comes to childcare. While some of the answers will be found on their website, schedule a face-to-face meeting and interview the provider. Visiting a childcare provider in person provides insight a website never will, allowing your mom instincts to play a role in the decision as well.
Here are some suggested questions to get you started:
Are you a licensed childcare provider?
What are your rates?
Do you offer part-time, flexible childcare options?
What are your policies on sick days, vacations, summer break, and holidays?
What’s the teacher to child ratio?
What is your curriculum for my child’s age group?
Do you provide snacks or other foods for children?
What’s your discipline and childcare philosophy?
How do you communicate with parents?
Is transportation to and from school provided?
Start with these questions and add your own for your particular situation. No question is a bad or silly question. When it comes to finding quality care for your children, you need to be completely comfortable they are in good hands.
What’s important in a childcare provider?
Everyone has different expectations of childcare facilities. What you’ll prefer will depend on your priorities, personalities, and other preferences. As you narrow down your choices, consider which qualities are important to you. You’ll get a feel for some of these qualities as you tour the facilities. As you tour, keep a lookout for these important aspects:
Attentiveness: How do the workers interact with you and your children, and the children they are currently caring for? Are they aware of everything that is going on? Do they dismiss the children in their care when they are speaking with you?
Safety: How does the building maintenance and playground safety equipment look?
The cleanliness and hygiene habits in the children’s rooms
Caregivers’ personalities: Do their personalities match with the types of caregivers you want with your children every day? Patience and kindness are staples to look for, but there are many personality traits that may help your child transition in the best way. Look for those when searching for the best childcare provider.
Schedule: What is the structure of their day? How tight is the structure and does it match what you wish for your children?
Creativity: Are there options for creative outlets provided for children?
Love: Do the caretakers love children?
After you’ve toured and interviewed, look at reviews online. As you comb through them, remember that others may have priorities that differ from yours but it’s a good idea to be sure to watch for trends, positive or negative. Some facilities will have plenty of reviews and others will have fewer; this isn’t always indicative of the quality of the facility, but the information is still valuable.
You can do this!
Choosing the best childcare option for your family is important for your peace of mind and once you’ve crossed the hurdle, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief knowing your transition back to paid work will be OK. If you need help with this part of the pivot, Parents Pivot is here for you. We have resources for you and you can set up a coaching session.
