Feeling underwater with no summer childcare plans yet? Have no fear.
by Rachael McMillan
These five (or so) weeks are gonna fly by, people. Pretty soon school will be out and reliable, regular childcare will go the way of snowy days and hot cocoa at snack time. Summer arrangements need to be made—and fast.
Here is a brief run-down on the means for securing summer childcare, with pros and cons for each:
Idea 1: Summer Camp (Here’s the chambanamoms.com list of links to local summer camps.)
Some programs, such as the Creative Kids day camp through the Champaign Park District, can double as summer childcare. Also, many of the daycares/preschools around town turn into older kid-friendly “camps” in the summer. For example, Chesterbrook Academy in Champaign offers programs for children up to 12 years of age.
Pros: Moms have reported that their kids love the Champaign Park District program. The person I spoke with at Chesterbrook Academy reported that their camp is designed in such a way that kids spend a great deal of time on field trips. These options ensure that kids are well-supervised, socialized, and spend as little time glued to the screen during the summer as possible. And, they can be less expensive than hiring a nanny, depending on the number of kids you have.
Cons: They’re still kind of expensive. And, some fill fast.
Idea 2: Home Daycare
I have yet to figure out how to find a good home daycare through any other means than word-of-mouth. If you know of a good resource for locating a home daycare, please share it.
Pros: Definitely the price is a big benefit. Home daycares tend to be less expensive than institutional ones. Also, you may be more comfortable with the idea of having your child in one spot throughout the day vs. being bussed to different field trip sites. Home daycares can still provide high quality childcare with regularly scheduled activities and fun “extras.”
Cons: Imagine what it would be like to have a home full of children of varying ages with no means of taking them somewhere else, and you’re beginning to get a picture of what the cons look like.
Idea 3: Bring in a sitter/nanny
It may be easier than you think to find a really good, reliable person to watch your kids in your house. My friend Stephanie and my babysitter Alli both swear by hitting up the University of Illinois sororities for childcare. They point out that by contacting one person (either the “house mother” or one of the sisters) you will have access to all of the girls hanging around town for the summer, many of whom are looking for a regular gig.
Sitters Carly and Nicolle have had luck listing their services on sittercity.com. They also recommend using the U of I job board to locate students willing to provide childcare.
Pros: If you only need a little bit of coverage, this may be a perfect solution. Personally, I have had tremendous luck finding top-notch, reliable sitters by going through the University in one way or another. I feel as comfortable leaving my kids in the charge of these excellent young ladies as I would with a family member or close friend.
Cons: The going rate for a sitter is around $10 an hour. So, if you’re looking to fill 40 hours a week—or more—with this type of childcare, it can get costly. On the other hand, the more kids you have, the more cost-effective this solution can be. Also, think of the cons associated with a home daycare. The same things apply here. Everyone will be more or less stuck in the house until a parent can get home.
Idea 4: Swap with a friend
If you work part-time and need just a little childcare, or don’t work outside of the home but miss being able to hit the grocery stores sans kids now that school’s out (here, here!!!), consider partnering with a parent/friend who’s in the same position for a kid swap.
Pros: Free childcare with a known, trusted provider; and the kids get to have a playdate.
Cons: Extra work for you, and it can be tricky to rely on a friend so much (or to have her rely on you).
What advice do you have for those considering options for summer childcare? Please share your experiences in the comments.
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