There is a little doubt that a great percentage of working parent’s wages goes toward child care facilities. Parents need someone to take care of their children while they are working but sometimes wonder how they can ever afford to pay out such high fees. The differences in charges vary from city to city, but no matter where the family is located, it sometimes causes doubt as to whether or not the second parent is simply working to pay for childcare. There are many things that can affect the cost, so before you begin looking, you need to be aware of the basics.
Child care facilities differ across the country. In more urban areas the costs will be higher but you can expect more from the preschool. The higher income areas will have private schools that reflect this level of affluence. Some are well worth every penny, as they provide services above and beyond those typically found in small towns where the wage level is low.
Infants are charged a higher fee than toddlers. The reason being infants require more care and more staff to oversee than older children. Child care centers must pay close attention to the staff-to-infant ratio to ensure that the infants are receiving the highest possible care they can give. Changing diapers and feeding bottles is much more time consuming than working with a potty trained toddler who can feed him or her self.
Other factors that can change pricing between the differing child care facilities is how many services are being offered. A babysitter in your home will usually not provide the extended hours most working parents require. If you have hours that extend from the typical 9-5 work day or have a long commute, you will need a daycare center that has extended hours of pick-up and drop-off. Also, the more added benefits, such as providing meals and snacks will affect the price of too. Many centers now offer activities based on the child’s age such as computers, foreign language and even martial arts or gymnastics. Many centers allow the parent to elect these options for an additional fee but some are building them into the curriculum and daily activity list.
Before you begin searching through the available child care facilities in your neighborhood, first ask yourself what you want in return for your money. Do you want advanced education and extras such as dance classes or computer instruction? Each of those extras in the classroom equate to extra money you will have to pay out of your wallet. If you cannot afford those, there are still quality childcare centers that can take care of your child and provide a safe haven for him or her to play and learn.