Tag Archives: daycare

Nanny Cam for the Single Parent

Single parents have a unique responsibility in many instances of finding excellent childcare but for many, a tight budget makes it difficult to go with the top of the line. For this reason, we see the number of single parent households turning to the services of a younger babysitter or less experienced daycare provider. As you an imagine, the thought of turning your child’s care over to anyone is hard enough but when your options are limited due to financial strain, it puts tremendous stress on you. For this reason, we see a growing number of single parents using what … Continue reading →

Would You Work at Home if You Didn’t Have To?

Have you ever wondered if you would work at home if you didn’t have to? What if you won the lottery? What if your spouse got a substantial raise? What if you got a sudden inheritance? This is a question that is often raised in relation to traditional careers. It seems as if everyone who wins the lottery is asked, “will you continue working?” While the winners often say, “no”…many say that they would be “bored to tears” without a job. I often wonder about my motivation was for starting my work-at-home job. You’ll often hear women say that they … Continue reading →

Do You Have a Home Business, or Drop In Childcare Center?

“Hey, can you watch my kids for me?” “You don’t have anything else going on, right?” Have you ever felt like instead of running a home based-business, you run a drop-in childcare center? A few weeks ago, a friend called me to ask if I could watch her children. “Of course, I can”. I replied. (I really didn’t mind a bit…in fact, my kids could use the playmates for a day.) Okay, I take that back, I didn’t mind at first. When we started making arrangements, she said that she needed help for ten hours. I replied, “well, I can … Continue reading →

Should Both Spouses Work?

Many married couples today are dual income families. While more and more women opt to stay home with children while they are young, moms may head back to the wonderful world of full time employment once the youngest child starts school. Will doing so really improve your household income enough to make it worth your time? It may or may not. It depends on the hours, the salary, the benefits, tax penalties many married couples are subjected to, and work related expenses. It may also include childcare for the hours after school until you or your spouse gets home from … Continue reading →

Realistic Childcare Options for the Single Parent

Childcare and the two-parent home are tough enough but then when the home is a one-parent household, finding good childcare becomes an even greater challenge. As a parent, you are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure your child is given the best possible care. You want to be able to go to working knowing your child is being loved, fed, changed, rocked, and played with in a safe and secure environment. Unfortunately, we have all heard the horror stories pertaining to childcare and while they are rare, things do happen. Since most single parents work outside the home, … Continue reading →

Tag-Team Parenting

It used to be that the father would go to work from 9 to 5 while the mother stayed home with the children. Yet according to recent studies by Heymann and Presser “today’s families have more family members in the workforce, work longer hours, and are more likely to work outside of the traditional 9-to-5 weekday schedule.” Heather Boushey, an Economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, reports that, “less than one-in-five families with children now have a full-time homemaker/caretaker.” Yet many parents do not want to use or can’t afford daycare for their children. What is the … Continue reading →

Mothers Should Have the Choice Of Daycare Or Job Protected Leave

Researchers have found that putting an infant in long-hour daycare can have a negative long-term effect upon the child’s behavior and increase their stress level. (See my blog on this topic). Author of Motherhood: How should we care for our children?, Anne Manne says, “No-one would say to an adult, ‘Look, if you’re stressed and miserable for a year or two, don’t worry. Long-term you’ll be fine.’” Yet for many children this is essentially the position that they are being placed in. Dr. Manne asks, “Don’t we have an obligation to consider their happiness and wellbeing in the here and … Continue reading →

Is Daycare Good For My Baby?

This question is one that many working mothers must ask themselves. Yet current research shows that daycare for infants and toddlers is not as good as being with a parent or other relative. Author of Motherhood: How should we care for our children?, Anne Manne, talks about the dilemma that many women face. If she gives up her job to have a child, “she incurs an opportunity cost — her forfeited income and possible career advancement.” If she places her child in daycare and returns to work then “it’s the baby, according to a growing body of research, who incurs … Continue reading →

What Babysitters and Caregivers of Diabetic Kids Should Know

When your young child is a diabetic, it can be unnerving to leave him or her with a babysitter. So many things could go wrong. What if your son experiences insulin shock while you’re away? What if your daughter develops hyperglycemia and gets a stomachache? How will the caretaker know what to do? And how do you encapsulate what has taken you months to learn into a quick, easy lesson for a sitter? It seems impossible, which is why many parents choose to just stay home with their child. Classes for Caregivers are Provided at Your Child’s Diabetic Clinic or … Continue reading →

My Baby is Afraid of Day Care

Even the most social and outgoing of babies can get frightened or suffer from separation anxiety when their mother or father drops them off at the day care or even with the sitter. Don’t be surprised if your baby resists being left with the sitter (even one that is a relative) and that you and they know very well. It’s very normal and their fears are very real. There are lots of things you can do to help cope with this separation anxiety. You should start practicing these techniques while they are very young because they will serve you well … Continue reading →