Rates for daycare in my area: Cost of Care – Child Care Aware MN

I No Longer Pay for Daycare, but My Childcare Costs Are Still Soaring. Here’s Why

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by Maurie Backman |
Published on Oct. 26, 2022

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Childcare is one of my greatest expenses — and it keeps rising.

Key points

• I thought that by now, I’d be spending a lot less on childcare compared to when my kids were younger.
• If anything, I’m now spending more.
• I pay for summer camp for my kids, costing me a few thousand per child.

When my oldest child was born, I made the decision to return to full-time work even though I knew I’d be losing a huge chunk of my paycheck to his daycare facility. At a cost of over $300 a week, paying for daycare constituted a big blow to my family’s finances, but thankfully, I was earning a high enough income to justify that expense.

When I had twin daughters three years after my son, I went freelance and began working from home. In doing so, I was able to swap my son’s daycare for a preschool that was a lot less expensive. And given that it would’ve cost me over $50,000 a year to put all of my kids in full-time daycare, it was a necessary career pivot.

But even though I dumped daycare once my son turned 3, I still spent a ton of money on a combination of preschool and babysitters. And then when my daughters got to preschool, my bills effectively doubled (by then, my son had started kindergarten, which was free).

Back then, I told myself I just needed to get through that rough patch, and that the burden of childcare would ease up once the kids got a little older. Only it didn’t ease up — it got worse.

I’m still spending a fortune

At this point, all of my children are school-aged and therefore don’t need daycare during the week. But I’m still spending a lot of money on childcare for one big reason — the summertime gap.

In my neck of the woods, it’s difficult to find a full-day summer camp for under $3,000 a child. And the camps that “only” cost $3,000 usually require you to drive your kids back and forth (sometimes 30 minutes or more each way) and don’t provide amenities like meals or a place to swim. As such, most of what I’d call the reasonable camps in my area for full-time working parents have a price tag upward of $4,000 per child.

Plus, the older your kids get, the more activities they get to do at camp. That’s a cost that’s passed on to parents, resulting in ultra-high bills. As such, the amount of money I now spend on summer camp, which serves as childcare for me for two months, exceeds the amount I used to spend on preschool in a given year (to be fair, part of the reason is that I never had all of my children in preschool at the same time, whereas I have them all in camp at the same time).

Another reason my childcare costs are up? It’s gotten more expensive to hire a babysitter. Years back, I could get away with paying $10 to $12 an hour, but these days, $15 an hour seems to be the absolute bare minimum where I live.

Now to be clear, I’m all about paying sitters a fair wage for their work. But still, it’s gotten to the point where my husband and I hardly ever go out on our own because the costs are so astronomical.

Things may not get better anytime soon

At this point, I’m resigned to the idea of having to spend a lot of money on childcare. And I know those costs will take away from other things, like my ability to improve my home, travel, or add to my savings.

But at the end of the day, I now know to budget accordingly for childcare expenses so they don’t come as a shock. And that way, the cost of summer camp and babysitting ultimately doesn’t have to impact my long-term financial goals.

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About the Author

Maurie Backman writes about current events affecting small businesses for The Ascent and The Motley Fool.

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How Much Does Daycare in Denham Springs Cost?

Price is always a factor in choosing a daycare. But it shouldn’t be the only one. Read this post to learn the cost of childcare in Denham Springs and surrounding areas.

Okay, you realize that sweet baby needs someone to watch them while you are at work!

Maybe your family plans to watch them fall through, or you are a super planner and want to figure out all the costs before becoming a parent.

Let’s start by looking at your popular options for childcare and how much you can expect to pay for daycare in Denham Springs.

What are my Childcare options?

Staying At Home

Parents who work from home or choose not to work and stay at home need to weigh the pros and cons of this decision.

At first, it seems the easiest option, right?

Staying home can be a fantastic time with your little ones when they only have so many little years.  Although you won’t have to help them overcome separation anxiety, it does make for long days and no income or retirement benefits.

Hiring a Nanny

Although they offer no specifics specifically for Denham Springs, Livingston Parish, or Louisiana, NannyLane. com puts the average salary of a nanny at $19.14 per hour, making it the priciest option for childcare.

But it’s nice to have someone caring for your children at your home, right?

One downfall of relying on a nanny for childcare is that it’s generally one person in charge of the care.  What happens when that one person needs sick days or vacation days?

Daycares

Whether in-home or at a child care center, most traditional daycares in Denham Springs typically are open from 6 am-6 pm, with some child care facilities having earlier or later times.

Typically, daycare is most cost-effective if you need full-time care. 

Parent’s Day Out (PDO)

Parent’s Day Out offers parents time during the day for childcare and usually costs less.

• Most of these are based in the community, sometimes in local churches.
• Usually, they are limited on days and hours; you should check if they are teaching a curriculum, as some do not.

Daycare or Parent’s Day Out (PDO)?

We already know the importance of kids being able to play with other kids.   Having other children around helps them learn vital social lessons at a young age.

Don’t be scared about sending your child to daycare.  Those horror stories you hear about are so scarce. 

While they will miss you, they will have a group of teachers, staff, and other children to learn and grow with.

When you start looking at daycare centers, it can be overwhelming. 

There are all different types:

•  large daycare centers
• small daycares
• in a person’s home
• Mother’s/Parent’s Day Out in a church.

They each come at different price points and offer unique things.

Start by figuring out what your top priorities are.

• Maybe you want something close to home or work.
• Do you want somewhere that has a religious aspect?
• How many days a week and how many hours do you need care?
• Are you hoping to prepare your child for kindergarten or simple care and play?
• How much does money factor into your childcare decision?

If you are looking for the most affordable daycare, Parent’s Day Out is the most economical.

For only one child, daycare is so much less expensive than nannies that you may send your child to one immediately.

Consider the Average Cost

The average cost of full-time care in a daycare center for babies and toddlers is over $900 a month.  That’s just the average cost!

Depending on your location and the center you choose, prices could exceed $1,500 a month per child for full-time care.

Yes, you read that correctly!

According to the recent cost of care surveys, childcare has become less affordable for families.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, most American households struggle to find affordable childcare.

The pandemic has put even more stress on parents looking for options.  Not to mention, some centers have had to close, have not reopened yet, or are forced to lower the number of children they can enroll.

For years, the cost of childcare has been rising faster than wages. A weak and uncertain economy may be pushing parents to the breaking point https://t. co/iXL0PBXEkc

— TIME (@TIME) October 19, 2020

Of course, costs vary wildly based on where you live and the daycare’s features.

Factors like the cost of living in your area and living in a city or rural area can make a significant price difference.

Things cost more in cities.

The age of your child can change the cost as well.

Across the board, infant care (under one-year-old) has increased rates compared to older children.

They need more time, care, and hands-on attention, which makes parents pay more.

Child ratios are usually set by each state and are a significant factor in the number of children allowed in each classroom.

Other expenses to think about than just the monthly price, registration (usually yearly), supply fees, laundry, and diaper fees.

Don’t forget the food cost; some centers provide snacks and lunches while others require you to bring them.

How do I save money but still get the care my child needs?

Evaluating your child’s needs can be the best way to narrow down the best place for you and your child.

Think outside the box.  

Does your local church offer a program, or is there a local parent’s group that offers shared babysitters?

Do you need all daycare?

Look for centers that aren’t full-time.

Maybe one of the parents can adjust the times you are at work, sending your child to daycare for a few hours per day.

Some daycares – but not all – will charge you per hour instead of per day or have a half-day rate.

Ask if there is a Military discount or multiple-child discount available. 

Some centers offer discounts if you pay in full or half a year.

Daycares usually offer lunch, snacks, and breakfast, which means they need to charge more to include this.

Some in-home daycares or parents’ day out programs have you provide lunch and could be better on cost.

Most daycares are not places you can easily cancel.  

You have to pre-pay each week, and if your family takes a vacation or sick days and doesn’t go to daycare, you still need to pay for the missed days.

Most places have a 2-week notice if you plan to take your child elsewhere.

Some daycares are drop-in type places.  

These will charge you per hour instead of per day or have a half-day rate.  These can be much more affordable if you are only looking for occasional care, but there usually is no guarantee of teachers’ consistency.

Whichever option you choose, remember that choosing a childcare option is personal.  

Each option has positives and negatives, and it is primarily about what you and your child need.

Ask questions, and go with your gut feeling.

Money is a significant factor in choosing child care, but don’t let it be the only one! 

If you’re in Denham Springs, Louisiana, or the Baton Rouge Metro area, feel free to check out our program and see if The Way Church PDO and Preschool is the right fit for your family.

Kindergarten in Korea

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July 12, 2016

Almost as soon as we moved, we sent our children to kindergarten. Before moving to Korea, my daughter already went to kindergarten in Russia and for her it was not something new, she quickly adapts to everything and is very sociable, it was more difficult for my son at first. They were given away together so that at least being with my sister in the same garden somehow softened his adaptation there. The main problem for us was the language, since we went to the Korean kindergarten, and the children did not speak it at all they only spoke, they only understood, even though dad spoke Korean with them. Nevertheless, the main language we had at the time of the move was Russian. Now they already speak Korean almost fluently and absolutely understand everything.

In Korea, just like we do, there are private and public preschool institutions. Here, too, there is a queue for kindergartens, so almost everyone immediately after the birth of a child puts a child on this waiting list. Of course, we did not put children in any queue and only upon arrival we went to study kindergartens in our area. And fortunately we were lucky, there were places, so we immediately sent two to a state kindergarten, just a couple of minutes walk from our house. I want to note that there are several kindergartens in almost every district at once , plus they are still private. We somehow initially didn’t even think about a private kindergarten, in them the payment is usually higher and they are most often located at the apartment, and yet the teachers in public gardens are more qualified. Although private gardens are also required to strictly observe all government programs. In general, there is usually more trust in government. Since our children of different ages go to different groups of course, usually in each group from 8-15 people. In Korea, children are taken to kindergartens they have been crying since birth. Of course, I didn’t observe monthly children, but there are 7-8 monthly children. This is all because the decree is only up to 3 months, and if a woman needs to go to work and there is no one to leave the child with, then they have to give the babies in the gardens. Reception of children starts at 8 am and it is advisable to bring them before 10 am, they usually close after 19hours. But many parents pick up their children mainly at 16-17 hours. If, for example, you are late, then you can stay until 21-00, but this is an extreme case. Here, they treat the work of parents with understanding and go to a meeting in such situations. On Saturday, the garden is open until lunch, who needs to bring children on this day. Every week we are given a schedule for the week, with a daily menu and topics for their classes. Meals in the garden are 3 times a day, we have lunch boxes that were given to us with backpacks – this is their personal dishes, the children bring it home, we wash it ourselves and carry it back.

Classes for each group are held according to age. Children start learning English from 2-3 years old, everyone must have physical education, developmental classes and music. A small additional payment is taken for these classes. all preschool institutions are paid, but the state compensates 50 percent. Depending on the age group of the child, the cost for the garden varies from about $ 100-500 per month. Due to compensation, it turns out that a child under 3 years old goes for free, and then you pay about 50 percent of this cost, but only if you are a Korean citizen, unfortunately this does not apply to non-residents of the country. Yuchiwon is a preparatory kindergarten, where there is a big emphasis on learning and preparing for school. My daughter went to such a kindergarten since March of this year, why since March? In Korea, the school year begins at this time. Each yuchiwon arranges a lottery for about six months and parents literally go through it or not go to one or another kindergarten. If you are unlucky, then go where there are places left. every day, they no longer have daytime sleep, and at first it was difficult for my daughter to get used to it, everything is like an adult. All classes are held before lunch – these are literacy lessons, English, music, physical education and a choice of one additional lesson, drawing or ballet (ballet is very popular in Korea). In addition to classes, children often go on various excursions, have picnics in parks. that children are introduced to nature and visually taught everything. For example, they go to a farm where they pick strawberries themselves or on the territory of a kindergarten, the son himself planted seedlings with tomatoes. Each kindergarten has its own bus that picks up and brings your child to your home at a certain time. My daughter rides on such a bus, since her garden is far away, but if we do not have time to take or pick up, we can do it ourselves. Only we ourselves or the person who entered into the contract with the kindergarten can pick up the child, there are coded doors on the kindergarten doors to prevent children from escaping or in case someone wants to enter uninvited.

Every two months we are provided with a detailed report on the lessons. In the folder with files, the teacher puts everything that the child has done during this period, evaluates how well he coped with the tasks. Individual parent meetings are also held regularly, where the teacher talks about the child, his success or problems. In addition, video surveillance cameras are installed in the gardens, where you can track online what is happening now on the site, there is a blog page on social networks where photos are posted almost daily with a report on how the day went. That is, parents are very careful about everyone is informed.

Even in Korea, it is not customary to give gifts to a teacher, here all children are treated equally with love without any gifts. My children really like their kindergartens, they always go there with joy! This is the most important indicator for me as a mother. And I see the real result of what they are taught, and this cannot please!

How to get a place in kindergarten?

Starting May 1, recruitment of groups in kindergartens begins in Novosibirsk. The recruitment of preschool educational institutions takes place as planned, when the number of their graduates is equal to the number of children entering kindergartens for the first time.

At the end of May, more than 16,000 places will become vacant in kindergartens in Novosibirsk. This time is the time for graduations in preschool institutions. The recruitment of groups takes place annually from May 1 to August 31. Therefore, in May, parents whose children are three years old and who are on the waiting list for a place in a kindergarten should definitely ask if the time has come to get a ticket.

Parents can find out information about the progress of the queue by personally contacting the place of enrollment on the queue upon presentation of a passport and birth certificate of the child, or in their personal account on the public services portal.

Specialists note that according to the regulations for the admission of children to preschool educational institutions, the issued voucher is valid for 10 days and within this period it must be submitted to the kindergarten.

To enroll children in a compensatory, combined or health-improving group, parents (legal representatives) must pass the territorial psychological, medical and pedagogical commission (PMPC). The conclusion with the recommendations of the PMPK must be submitted to the education department of the administration of the district in which the child is on the waiting list for kindergarten, or to the head of the educational institution.

Babies are put on the waiting list from birth. To do this, you need to submit an application to the education department of the district administration (at the place of residence), through the My Documents MFC, or through your personal account on the public services portal.

Children are admitted to the kindergarten in accordance with the charter of the educational organization. Groups are formed according to the age principle, namely:

– the first junior group – for children aged 1.5 to 3 years or from 2 to 3 years;

– the second junior group – for children from 3 to 4 years old;

– middle group – for children from 4 to 5 years old;

– senior group – for children from 5 to 6 years old;

– preparatory group – for children from 6 to 7 years old.