The Menu of Child Care Options

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If you are considering child care for your children, there are several options to choose from:

• Afterschool programs

• Au pair

• Babysitter

• Babysitting co-op

• Day care center

• Family and friends

• Family day care

• Mother's day out programs

• Mother's helper

• Nanny (live-in or live-out)

• Play dates

• Siblings

• Tot drops

How Can You Find a Good Babysitter or Mother's Helper?

• Ask your friends who they use or if they know someone.

• Your public library may keep a list of teens who have taken babysitting courses.

• Contact the job office at local colleges and universities.

• Contact sorority houses at local colleges and universities.

• Contact places of worship in your community.

• Place an ad in your local newspaper or parenting magazine.

• Ask your children's teachers if they babysit.

As you can see from the list, there are many options to think about when it comes to child care. Costs vary across the country depending on where you live and whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or in a rural area. Anticipate that child care costs will be higher when you have an infant , a toddler, or more than one child. You may be familiar with some of the choices on the list, such as family babysitters or siblings watching younger siblings, but others may not be as obvious, such as tot drops, babysitting co-ops, or au pairs.

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