Need Child Care Advice

[Sentientbydesign]

So the wife and I just moved to Irvine. She had been on maternity leave/seasonal layoff.

So we setup everything and moved and found this great condo...blah blah blah. Then I realize that we need child care for our son. Search, search, search. HOLY s***!!! $1300 is the average child development center cost out here.

Nanny? Try $1800-$2000 on the low end.

Daycare? Meh. Trying to leave this as the last resort. I'd like to get a little more 1 on 1 for our son and less sickness.

So anyways, I know that you guys and girl or two are probably the worst people to ask about this, but any ideas on where to find another family to share a nanny?

I signed up for sharenanny.com. That was a waste of time. There was 1 family within 30 miles of us. I won't go pay an agency, because I think $150 registration and $2000 commission is bogus.

I did a thorough CL search and came up blank. I've posted an ad on CL and another on a local housing forum. But I need to figure this out in the next...3-5 days.

[infinitgkid]

If you want I'll come to wherever you are and watch your kid...

All I need is a box of philly cheese steak hot pockets, chips, and a pack of assorted Gatorade and I'm good to go!

I'll even bring my xbox...

Oh! and you might have to pay for the plane ticket...

[jmcohen23]

check sittercity.com

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

You need to call the Mother-in-Law

DJ

[Tampa G35 Sedan 6MT]

angies list?

[zozoka1212]

Nate,

Here is my solution. When we came here to Canada we had nobody and I had no trust in anybody around me. Have nobody here from family.

I decided to work on night shift and my wife works on day. I do that since. So my son was always home with either me or my wife.

[370Z/28]

That is great Zozo. You are lucky that worked out for you.

I was going to suggest, I don't know what your salaries are, you or your wife staying home with the child and taking in a child to take care of. That is good in the pocket money and 2 children aren't really that much more trouble than 1.

[Sentientbydesign]

If you want I'll come to wherever you are and watch your kid...

All I need is a box of philly cheese steak hot pockets, chips, and a pack of assorted Gatorade and I'm good to go!

I'll even bring my xbox...

Oh! and you might have to pay for the plane ticket...

This could work. My son can't be pryed from any screen (TV, Monitor, Cell Phone). We were at a restaurant the other day and his neck was craned back and to the side to watch the football game

You know infant CPR and First Aid, Can pass a background check, and have tons of early childhood development experience right?

check sittercity.com

Thanks, but the problem isn't finding a nanny, it's finding another family to share the nanny with. We are too poor to pay for a nanny on our own

angies list?

Nate,

Here is my solution. When we came here to Canada we had nobody and I had no trust in anybody around me. Have nobody here from family.

I decided to work on night shift and my wife works on day. I do that since. So my son was always home with either me or my wife.

This might be an option. My wife and I would like to see each other once in a while though. Plus neither of our current jobs will allow us to work nights. I'll keep this in mind though.

That is great Zozo. You are lucky that worked out for you.

I was going to suggest, I don't know what your salaries are, you or your wife staying home with the child and taking in a child to take care of. That is good in the pocket money and 2 children aren't really that much more trouble than 1.

My wife really wants this option to work. It would mean that our son would be raised by the best person (his mom) and she has prior nanny experience so she technically could do this.

[infinitgkid]

You know infant CPR and First Aid, Can pass a background check, and have tons of early childhood development experience right?

Uhh I'm certified in all forms of Band-aid application (Kids to adults) and I donno about the other stuff, but I can dial 911 really fast!

[SVTCOBRA]

My kids were in daycare until the third when my wife's company relocated to Jacksonville FL when my wife was 8 months preg with the third. She took the severance package and stayed home with them until a few years ago when she took a part time job. I was out a good bit during the daycare years taking turns staying home with sick kids.

A lot of parents will drop off their kids in the morning knowing that they will get a call cause their kid is sick....they do this in order to get in a half day of work.

[zozoka1212]

That's another good thing with my way. I never missed a day in the last 8 years. Neither my wife. Since we work in different shift. There is somebody home always. So if the kid is sick nothing changes.

I can even drive him to school and my wife can pick him up. Not anymore since my not so little one is in grade 9 and the high schools is on the other side of the road.

I only work 4 days so it is not bad. I am home Friday till Monday afternoon. I still have some family life and never had to put my son thru daycare. I was debating the daycare before I went to night shift. I just have some trusting issues in people I don't really know.

Anybody in the family around you Nate?

[Sentientbydesign]

That's another good thing with my way. I never missed a day in the last 8 years. Neither my wife. Since we work in different shift. There is somebody home always. So if the kid is sick nothing changes.

I can even drive him to school and my wife can pick him up. Not anymore since my not so little one is in grade 9 and the high schools is on the other side of the road.

I only work 4 days so it is not bad. I am home Friday till Monday afternoon. I still have some family life and never had to put my son thru daycare. I was debating the daycare before I went to night shift. I just have some trusting issues in people I don't really know.

Sounds like a pretty ideal situation. I'd consider it if the split shift was ever an option.

Anybody in the family around you Nate?

Is it sad to say that I'd trust a trained stranger with my son before most of my family? lol

My mom and dad aren't really the grandma/grandpa type. At least not in the caring area.

My in-laws are actually very good with my son. Better than I expected, but they both work.

My sisters all work and they live like 40miles away.

Most of my wife's extended family are cuckoo for cocoa puffs. Just a prime example:

My wife's grandma told us to give our son honey to calm his stomach. Infant + honey = high risk for botulism

We're considering paying a cousin to come watch him. This might work.

[370Z/28]

Babe....don't let that make you think your Grandma is coo-coo. Things were just done different in the olden days.

They x-rayed my Mother because she was past due with my brother.

I laid both of my babies down on their tummys when they slept. Nobody knew about SIDS then. Some how....they both survived.

[Sentientbydesign]

Babe....don't let that make you think your Grandma is coo-coo. Things were just done different in the olden days.

They x-rayed my Mother because she was past due with my brother.

I laid both of my babies down on their tummys when they slept. Nobody knew about SIDS then. Some how....they both survived.

Thanks. I know some of the current "scientific evidence" is a bunch of BS, but botulism isn't one that I'd toy around with.

For instance, regarding SIDS, we used to put a folded burp cloth over my son's pacifier to keep it in his mouth while he slept. He's healthy, no SIDS.

But back the granny. She really is cuckoo. She got really over pleasant with me a year or so ago during Christmas because she heard from her sisters that my father was hot

She's in her 70s and has had a 20 something bf.

The list goes on and on...

[tollboothwilley]

Sell one of your cars and live as cheap as possible.

I'm an advocate for keeping your wife at home with the kids if possible.

If you can have someone else's kids there to be watched and create income for the wife that is great too. Or find a way for her to make some money from home.

[C-Kwik]

She's in her 70s and has had a 20 something bf.

Is she a GILF?

Its obviously after the fact, but Irvine tends to be on the expensive side of OC's housing market. Subsequently, a lot of the services in the area are proportionately pricey. Probably due to a combination of higher business property expenses (if you are looking into a day care facility) and some level of presumption that people in Irvine can afford higher rates. Especially the ones that are in higher demand (good credentials).

[seldomseen]

I paid $3,500 a month for child care....$h1t is murder!