Child Care Concern

You will have plenty of time to use your degree when your child starts school.I stayed at home with my children.I couldn't handle the nervousness about being at work and my child needing me,and I'm not there for him/her.

yes C. for now its really difficult to find a babysitter that you can trust the life of your kids,, but you dont know im a babysitter in one little girl in a german couple here in stillwater,, i love the child now,, i takcare her so much ,, the parents want me to babysit thier child again next year but im not sure if i will be coz i wanna find a full time job,, i working them right now for afternoon babysitter,,, the child so funny,,,

I, too, just had a baby 8 weeks ago. I also had recently gone back to school and received my degree not too long ago. I decided to quit my job as a social worker (I was there a year) to stay at home with the baby. At first I thought it would be like I was "wasting" my degree that I worked so hard to get, but I will eventually go to work again, after she (or the last baby) goes to school. Plus I am glad that I received the education and the experience. Part of my decision to stay at home involved fear of day cares and nanny care. At this young age, your baby can't tell you if they are being mistreated. It's completely different with older kids, they could (although they don't always speak up) tell you if a day care worker is acting inappropriately or is "mean" to them, etc. I saw that nanny on the news last night too and the images have haunted me ever since!! I was horrified. If you do decide on a day care or nanny, invest in a hidden "nanny-cam". Also, while researching day cares in Tulsa online before I made the choice to stay home, I found one, Backpack Adventures Club (or something like that)on 15th Street and I remember the website read that they have continuous video monitoring so parents can log on the computer and watch what is going on at the day care. I thought that was good. I too have student loans to repay, but for me, it is worth it to stay home right now, even though it means money will be a little tight. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Are you looking for an additional baby to help with income? We are having our first in Nov and looking for childcare starting in Jan. We live in NW OKC, let me know! We are new to the area and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! We are Christians in search of a Christian based organization or home.

Dear C.,

I have been an Early Childhood Educator for 21 years. I started when my youngest child (now 23) turned 2 1/2 and a friend asked me to sub at a local preschool. It got me & my daughter around others and worked out great.

Of course I was always at the same school with her, but was off nights, weekends & summers. I am now an Owner/Director of my own Preschool and have the joy of having my grandson there.

You really need to get the feedback from your county DHHS Licensing Specialists, and also talk to other parents. My only advertisement is work of mouth and I stay at capacity.

Some parents prefer a nanny in their home, but I prefer the safety of checks and balances of other people around and a center with a proven track record.

just a thought stay at home with baby and use your degree in the evening when your husband is home so you get your degree and your childcare

C.,
Take a deep breath girl! I completely understand your concern. I was holding my 5 week old son Ethan when I watched FOX news last night. One good thing, that was North Carolina (where we moved from) and did the mom check her references? My 3 year old was in child care from 12 weeks (in NC) and is wonderful, fun and well adjusted. The key is to vet the references out throughly, if in your home then Nanny Cam. I prefer "school" where they are watched with other children and other caregivers. Remember, the mom felt that something was wrong and followed her instincts by installing a camera. The story is probably not over and there may still be charges filed by the DA and CPS. Visit with your friends and other mothers you run into (work, shopping) and see where they take their children and what they recommend. Best of luck!

I think every parent has to decide what is right for them and what they are willing to sacrifice. I, myself was unable to leave my daughter. I chose not to work in spite of the money situation it put us. I basically sacrificed my credit history to be home with her, which isn't the worst thing in the world. In my opinion I can never get back those young years or take back something someone might do to her. And she's a more promising investment than money. Money isn't important enough for me. As of now, I'm home with her during the day and work a couple of hours a night (cleaning) while the husband gets her to bed.
However, I do have friends who had to go back to work and I know how heart breaking it was for them. Eventually, they settled into their routines and it works for them. They have been lucky in having others care for their children, but yes, there is always risk in trusting another with your children's care, although the risk is probably not as bad as the news would have it. Still, I don't envy their situations even though they were technically better off then we were, we didn't have any obligations like a large mortgage payment or car payment that required me to work. I put my student loan on income contingent and my payments were $0 until just recently. You can also get forbearance for anywhere from a month to a year if you need it. Good luck, I hope you figure out a situation that's happy and healthy for your family.

First of all congrats on the new baby. I think you are having the same fears that all moms have. I have two children and was not able to even think about staying home with them. The best thing you can do is search and search for that right person for you to take care of your child. It might be a nanny or another form of child care. I wish all these bad people walked around with a sign on so we knew not to trust them but they dont. The thing is to always remember you are in control. Just like that mother who caught the nanny. She took it on herself to set up cameras. You two can do the same. There is also some child care places that have them cameras also that you can check during the day on your child. But always remember there is some caring people out there that will take great care of your kids. Go with your gut if you dont like a place or a person you dont have to choose them. I wish we could protect our kids from everything in life but sadly we cant. The having to let go of that really stinks too. Good luck with what you choose to do. If we all watched the news everynight and feared every situation we seen we would all never leave our homes and most of the time not feel safe there either.

C.,

I had to put my son in daycare at 6 months. I was terrified. But thank the lord that I found my son a great lady to care for him. It took me several months to find her but when I did I just knew she was the right fit. She had great referense and I checked with the local DHS on her record. She keeps my son (2 1/2) and 4 other kids that are 2 also. She potty trains and cooks each meal. Non of the frozen stuff. I was still a lil worried at first but she told me that I can just drop by anytime. And I did. The house was always clean and the kids happy. So the best for us was in home with some one I trust. She treats them all like her own. Check with your local DHS and check into the person/centers record. Ask the other parents even of past childern. Hope this helps. Good luck, will take some time but well worth it if you have that passion to work somewhere you love!

You might want to check into an inhome, DHS licensed daycare. We have our son in one at absolutely love it. They are smaller and more personal than your average facility but are also required to follow all the DHS rules.