The impossible scenario we never planned for?

October 19, 2016 6:03 PM

Well, we better come up with a plan. I accepted a job offer at a company I'm really excited to work for in a position I'll excel in and be very happy doing. I've been a sahm for almost a year and out of work for a year and a half. We don't have childcare lined up and I don't know how I'll do transitioning back to work.

Going back to work is my choice and something I've wanted to do for the last several months. Now that I'm going back I'm having feels about not spending everyday with my lovey baby. Working outside the home is 100% the right choice for me as a person so how do I make it less difficult on myself?

We have been generally planning that I'll go back to work sometime hopefully soon but we never worked out the specifics because when was a huge unknown.

As finding a job took ages, the person who was tentatively interested in nannying for us in June has since gotten a job she doesn't want to leave. What's the best way to find childcare with such short notice? I'm starting Nov 1st. We live in Ballard and are okay with either a live-out nanny or daycare but finding options seems difficult. I've posted a position on urbansitter.com. I looked on childcare.org/family-services/ but all the daycares listed are full. I haven't called any of the family child care centers listed yet (I prefer to contact places online before calling and most don't have websites).

If it helps, we are looking at Ballard and Queen Anne for out of the home childcare and aren't too restricted by the cost of childcare.

posted by toomanycurls to Human Relations (7 answers total)

I case it's not clear: Seattle
posted by humboldt32 at 6:12 PM on October 19, 2016

My experience with finding child care centers is that most don't have websites. I wound up just kind of keeping my eyes open while driving around and jotting down names to look up phone numbers later, then calling them. I also prefer to research online out the wazoo before picking up a phone, but daycare centers just don't roll like that. At least, not where I live (not Seattle).

If you want to find a sitter to lock in while you look for a more permanent placement, try care.com. I haven't personally hired anyone off that site, but I almost did a couple times when I wasn't sure if a daycare option would present itself by the time I needed it. And my parents have hired house and petsitters off of it and never had a problem.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:28 PM on October 19, 2016 [1 favorite]

Are you connected to any moms' groups that you can ask? This is probably stating the obvious, but other parents are a great resource for childcare, maybe the best. Your pediatrician's office should have a list of certified daycares. In my state, the state maintains a list of certified, licensed daycares that is available online, perhaps WA or Seattle has that? Also, local FB groups can be a good resource, especially if you have any that are parent-focused. Do you have any friends who are sahm who might be willing to take your kiddo (for pay) while you find a permanent solution? Around here, several of the colleges/universities have childcare programs, some of which are mainly for staff/faculty but do take community kids, and some of which are used for training programs for students in the child development and education programs. So it might be worth looking at your local schools.

We hired a nanny using care.com and it took a fair amount of time (interviews, reference checks, etc etc) but it wasn't hard and I would recommend that site. In a rush, I might go with a nanny agency. In any case, check references! No matter what kind of daycare or nanny you go with!

My kid is now in daycare, and I feel like I am aware of a lot more good options that I heard about word-of-mouth than I found online when I was desperately searching, which is frustrating! So I think plugging into your parent networks is a good bet.

Congratulations!
posted by john_snow at 6:47 AM on October 20, 2016 [2 favorites]

In my city, I'm on a local family-oriented listserv in which child care info is frequently circulated. If your area has the equivalent, I bet asking around will uncover it pretty quickly.
posted by the_blizz at 6:52 AM on October 20, 2016

Seconding mom's group. I'd join any facebook mom's groups in your relative area and start inquiring (if it's adjacent someone might point you to a closed one that is more relevant).

I see a lot of posts around this topic and everyone's always eager to pass along information. And they often have a general idea how availability is across ages (e.g., my current daycare is great but I know they have some room for Pre-K but the older infant slots have a waitlist).
posted by typecloud at 7:20 AM on October 20, 2016

Response by poster: Thanks all! We found both a daycare that has room and is great and a nanny we love. If anyone has tips or resources for the "mom going back to work emotional roller coaster" part, I would be very thankful.
posted by toomanycurls at 3:39 PM on October 20, 2016

Re your other question, emotional rollercoaster etc: yes, it's hard. It seems literally impossible right up until the moment that you actually do it. It's quite possible you'll cry at the drop off, at least once. And then...you just do it. The baby gets used to daycare and starts to enjoy it and "learn" cool things there that seem baffling, like drinking from a cup or whatever. It's quite sweet how they learn from the other kids as much as the adults. You get used to it too, and seeing them at the end of the work day is a joy that never gets old. If it's a great job and you've found good care for the baby, you will come out the other side. That's all I got but I hope it helps.
posted by 8k at 3:05 AM on October 23, 2016 [1 favorite]