Please Help!! I Cant Find Childcare!! Any Suggestions??

I've been there. I hate looking for childcare! But, I've been lucky once I finally found the right caretakers.

I'd suggest checking out Craigslist for nanny shares. These are a little more expensive than daycare centers, but for small babies are a great option as another mom has vetted that this nanny is okay. (If you are new to the concept, nanny share usually means a nanny watches your child and another child at either your house or that of the other child.) - To gauge, we pay ~$10 per hour for our daughter's nanny care and have paid as little as $8 an hour in the past (in a nanny share) in Berkeley. I've heard that nannies are a little less expensive in Concord (~$12-$14/hr for 2 kids, so $6-7/per kid..) but cannot verify.

I found my son's daycare on Craigslist as well, but I did a ton of footwork - calling and visiting - before I found a woman who was in the business for the right reasons and who I felt comfortable with.

So, just to reassure you, I have had my children (4 and almost 2) with nannies (only in shares) and at home daycares because I didn't like the more sterile feeling of the more formal daycare centers. All CA daycare providers have to have taken cpr and child development classes, so you don't need to worry about that aspect, but you will need to validate that you agree with the way they will raise your child and their care style.

Hang in there. You will find a great solution. I wish I could be more helpful with resources, but I'm not sure my other favorites - Berkeley Parent's network and Bananas - are helpful to your area.

Is your baby just 4 mons. old? I am a provider in Danville, a little too far for you. How many days/hours a week do you need? I accept Drop-In care with a two hour minimum. I usually take them at 10 mons. old and part time at 12 mons. old. Let me know if I can help you in any other way. Best of luck!

Hi M. -

There is a daycare/preschool called The Child Day School. I'm not sure if they take infants, but there are a few locations in the east bay. I took my son there for a few months while we were looking for a nanny.

I used a nanny referral agency and found a great nanny...she's young, but is amazing with our son and very reliable. She had excellent references and the agency does a full background check. Before using the agency I looked into nanny shares - where you share a nanny with another family and take your son to their house or vice versa. You could go on Craigs List and look up nanny share in the east bay - there were a few other families looking for similar situations.

I am pregnant now and due in February, so since we will have two kids I knew a nanny would be the better choice - I didn't want to have to take them to two different daycare places.

Good luck - there are actually a ton of child care providers out there...it just takes some time looking.

A.

Hi M.
I have taken my kids to a home daycare in Walnut Creek. Her name is Natalia and her phone number is ###-###-####. She is the sweetest lady that has been great with my son when he was little and not used to being away from mom. I don't know if she has any openings but she is worth going and meeting. Good luck, with 3 kids of my own I know how hard it is to find good care. Tell her P. referred you.