Your familly is constantly evolving and childcare solutions that worked for you last year may not work again this year. Each child's unique care needs evolve as they do. This truth is made fresh to us again this year as our twin daughters reach two years old and our son begins to push 5 years old.
Last year we incorporated some summer day camps into our son's summer care solutions. Next year we will look at Montessori for the twins. It is a constantly evolving process that in many cases requires multiple child care solutions. Nannies, summer camps, occasional babysitters, and even family can be a part of this total solution - but how do you plan for this to line up the available options that will work for you?
We have compiled a list of considerations that we hope you will find helpful in identifying your unique needs - enjoy!
1. Plan out your schedule - begin by looking at your childrens' school schedules and identify the likely end of school (this can sometimes be tricky based on winter weather impacts) and the beginning of the following school year. This will establish the full scope of childcare needs for the upcoming year.
Continue the process by plotting out planned vacations, holidays, or flexibility in your own work schedules. For instance, the flexibility that running my own business offers means I take Fridays off to spend at the pool with the kids.
2. Layer in Your Family's Goals - you likely have unique plans for your childrens' development needs. We want Peter to work on phonics and try out a sport in the following year. Finding a summer camp that helps develop that in him is a good way to help achieve those development plans for him. Additionally, finding activities that BabysitEase babysitters can do with him an hour each day can help get him to where he needs to be as he prepares to enter Kindergarten in the following year.
3. Find the Right Care Solutions - Now that you have defined your scheduling and development plans you can begin to layer in the right care options. We know that we have to find other options for the week our nanny is planning a vacation and we want to be sure we get Peter out around other kids for some play at least a couple hours each day to fill the void left by his Montessori's summer break.
Be sure to call BabysitEase for these gaps or for a more permanent long-term solution. We have college kids returning home for the summer that have a free schedule and 40 hour week availability and we have regular sitters who want to pick up more time to fill in for their vacant school schedules. We can find the flexible options that can fit your schedule.
4. Secure the childcare options - placing deposits on summer camps begin in February and it is never too early to let BabysitEase know your flexible and semi-permanent childcare needs. The sooner the specific babysitter has been selected the more opportunities that exist to schedule them occasionally in advance to get your children familiar with the care provider and the more prepared babysitters and nannies are with activities that support your development plans for the summer.