Inevitably, you will need child care. Either you are returning to work, or you need to go somewhere without your child for a period of time. Even if you don’t need it now, it’s never too soon to research and plan your child care options.

If you must go back to work, some companies have on-site day care. Check the age restrictions, safety record, size, and costs, if any, and compare them to
other day care choices in your neighborhood; you may decide you prefer a different day care arrangement than the one the company offers.

Talk to other parents in your area about their day care arrangements and any other options they may know about. Interview all prospective caregivers, get references, and follow up on them. Make sure the caregivers have the same philosophy of child care as you do. Plan on making unexpected visits to evaluate your caregiver’s skills.

Don’t hesitate to change caregivers if you are not comfortable. Finding the right situation can be difficult and time-consuming, but worth the effort.