ChambanaMoms.com » Childcare

Best-Kept Secret: Good Beginnings Playgroup

Amy L. Hatch — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:23:45 +0000

by Amy L. Hatch

Having an energetic toddler at home — one who is just a little bit too young for traditional preschool programs — can be a drag for both mom and child.

Some kids need more social interaction. Maybe they want to do crafts, and that’s not your bag. Or maybe you long for some grown-up interaction for yourself.

Not a fan of play-dough at home? You need the Good Beginnings Playgroup! Credit: guy schmidt, Flickr

You need the Good Beginnings Playgroup, one of Chambana’s best-kept secrets.

The playgroup is run by the Cooperative Nursery School in Urbana, of which my daughter is a proud alumna. We started her at the Good Beginnings Playgroup shortly before she turned 2 years old, which was the threshold age for entering a more formal nursery-school program at the school.

It was, in a word, a lifesaver.

My child got the social interaction she needed — she was an only child then — and so did I. That’s because unlike other programs, parents stay with their child for the sessions, and it was a win-win for us both.

The group meets one morning a week at the Cooperative Nursery School in Urbana, for a morning of play, music, arts and crafts, and circle time. This is a great way to introduce your kid to the structure of preschool without the pressure.

The program is open to kids ages 0-5, and a parent can, of course, have more than one child in each session. The fee for each session is fairly minimal (the 2010 Fall Session fee was $30), and it is also moderated by a teacher or an adult who is familiar with guiding preschool activities for kids.

The program is especially great if you’re new in town, because it gives you — and your child — a way to meet some new friends.

For more information, check out the Cooperative Nursery School website.

How Much To Pay The Babysitter

Amy L. Hatch — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:00:28 +0000

by Amy L. Hatch

Finding a babysitter and actually scheduling him or her for that rare date night is an exercise akin to the invasion of Normandy. And then, as if that wasn’t hard enough, you have to decide how much to pay them.

Some of you tip, and some of you pay more for more mature babysitters. Photo by Amy L. Hatch

Rates for babysitters vary wildly from region to region: For instance, according to Sittercity.com’s babysitter rates calculator, the going rate in New York City is $14 an hour for a babysitter between the ages of 18 and 21 who will watch two kids between the ages of 2 and 4.

While the Sittercity.com calculator is a pretty cool little widget, we went one step further and asked real Chambana moms what they fork over for a night out, in an informal Facebook poll.

While the rates varied from the low end ($5 an hour) to the high ($15 an hour), most of you told us that you pay your babysitters $10 an hour to take care of your kids, especially those sitters who were college-age or older. That doesn’t mean that all sitters merit that hefty sum, however.

“Honestly, it depends on which sitter we hire,” wrote reader Heather Ball. “We have one that we adore and we pay her $10 an hour (we have two children). And the others we pay $7 an hour, with a $5 tip.”

But $10 is Ball’s upper limit when it comes to paying for in-home, occasional childcare.

“I once had someone tell me she charged $15 an hour!” she added. “I asked her if she was Mary Poppins!”

However, when it comes to more than just the odd night out, some of our readers are willing to pay a little bit more. We had several moms tell us that they pay between $13 and $15 an hour, because, as Karen Hatch points out: “Why low-ball the cost of care for the most important people in your life? You get what you pay for.”

Hourly rates seem to be the norm for a-la-carte childcare or after-school care, but some of you will set a flat rate for a more regular schedule. Reader Dorothy Ann David tells us that she pays her “summer nanny” $250 per week, plus expenses. That makes a lot of sense if you’re trying to set a specific child-care budget.

Tipping was also a surprise — lots of you do it, especially those who pay under $10 an hour. We also found that some of you will pay less for a sitter who isn’t quite as mature. High school or junior high students in Chambana seem to be getting between $5 and $8, according to our informal poll.

That $10 is going a long way for a lot of you — your babysitters also tidy up, feed the kids and do some light housework. In fact, Dana G. Williams knows she’s getting a good deal, based on the quality of babysitter she’s been able to find.

“Our babysitters have vaired from a favorite pre-school teacher to a speech therapist to a fertility specialist to a special-education master’s degree student to an elementary school teacher,” Williams says. “Somehow, I always feel like I’m under-paying them.”

Looking for a sitter? Check out our guide to finding the right one.

Child Care Resource Service Matches Families With Child Care Options

Laura Weisskopf Bleill — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:30:09 +0000

by Rachael McMillan

Whether you are a parent in need of excellent childcare or a person wishing to provide it, the University of Illinois Child Care Resource Service has the information you need. Its aims to match families with the best, most appropriate care settings as well as to raise the quality of area child care options.

CCRS Director of Operations Brenda Eastham breaks down the services it provides into these four areas:

helping income-eligible families to receive assistance with their child care costs

assisting families looking for child care – CCRS maintains a database of just under 1,000 providers covering six counties: Champaign, Douglas, Iroquois, Macon, Piatt, and Vermilion

providing training and technical assistance to child care providers

helping child care providers improve the quality of their programs through initiatives provided by a quality coordinator, an infant/toddler specialist, a nurse consultant, and a mental health consultant.
Child Care Resource List is a great resource for Champaign-Urbana families looking for daycare. Photo by just jennifer on Flickr.

Parents who would like a list of child care providers can contact CCRS at 333-3252 or 1-800-325-5516 (fees depend upon income). A short phone intake session, which helps the service narrow down a list of providers to the most appropriate candidates (based on which type of setting the parents are looking for), is the first step in the process. The tailored lists CCRS mails to families include information about whether the providers are licensed, what certifications they hold, and—when applicable—their “star rating” based on additional criteria.

It should be stressed, however, that CCRS does NOT recommend caregivers. The lists it provides are more or less a “just the facts” kind of thing. Besides checking credentials, Eastham recommends that parents ask a potential care provider (the person or center) for personal references and recommendations, and follows these up with phone calls.

Child care providers, take note: according to Eastham, some of CCRS’s lesser-known services include financial assistance for training opportunities and awarding mini-grants to those looking to improve the quality of their programs.

Another unique CCRS service is the Quality Counts Van Program. This is a small mobile library which, in addition to lending books to child care centers, is driven by a specialist who leads reading activities with the children.

If none of the above applies to you, the CCRS can still be a good resource. Its website gives tips for determining whether or not your child is old/mature enough to be left alone safely and a host of general information about children’s health and safety, among other things.

Child Care Resource Service is located at 314 Bevier Hall, 905 S. Goodwin, Urbana. Its summer office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Fridays. During the school year, hours change to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. every weekday except Tuesday, when hours are 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Welcome to chambanamoms.com, Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana

From The Editors — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:00:27 +0000

Photo courtesy of Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana

If you’re looking for preschool or child care options in the Champaign-Urbana area, consider adding new chambanamoms.com sponsor Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana to your list of possibilities.

Founded in 1962 as an outgrowth of a parent study group, the school has its roots in the home of Dr. Ben Williams and his wife, and has been in its current location in Savoy since 1984. In 1994, the school added a 2,000-square-foot all-purpose room, and today it houses seven preschool classes, a kindergarten class, and an extended day Montessori program and wrap-around child care.

Just what is Montessori? It is an educational method developed Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, and it stresses the development of a child’s own initiative and natural abilities, especially through practical play.

Rather than a teacher, classes at Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana are overseen by a “directress,” who prepares the environment for learning and guides the children without dominating them. She also helps to foster independence in the students.Montessori classrooms and materials are designed to provide a wide variety of learning experiences for the developmental needs of each child.

Classes at Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana are offered for children ages 3-5. For more information, visit the school’s website.

Welcome to chambanamoms.com, Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana!

No Summer Childcare Yet? No Problem!

From The Editors — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:42:31 +0000

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.

Resource Fair Helps Define Options for Summer

Laura Weisskopf Bleill — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:40:17 +0000

Find things for your children to do this summer at the Summer Resource Extravagaza on April 8. (Photo by Tony Crider on flickr)

By Laura Weisskopf Bleill

Summer is around the corner, and many local parents are scrambling to find summer camps, daycare, and other ways to keep active children busy, happy and safe this summer. (Of course you have looked at our camp list, no?)

If that describes your family, then you might want to head out to Thursday night’s Summer Enrichment Extravaganza. This free, community-wide resource fair will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Urbana Middle School Cafetorium.

Representatives from more than 25 programs will have be on hand to meet families and discuss the merits of their various summer options. From preschoolers to teenagers, there will be something for everyone.

The Fair is sponsored by I-Parents, a collaborative effort spearheaded by the University of Illinois and includes local schools, parent-teacher organizations and community groups. I-Parents “seeks to improve the lives of area children through collaboration of time and resources in the support and education of parents and families.

This is the second year for the Summer Enrichment Extravaganza, which was started because of a concern that there “seemed to be diminishing resources” for parents who needed summer childcare. Last year’s event was well-attended, said organizer Anne Robertson, but parents complained it was too late. So this year, the organizers moved up the date several weeks.

“People were really pleased to get the information and to talk to people who were running the programs,” said Robertson, who is one of the primary organizers of I-Parents and the director of the Office of School-University Research-Relations in the Bureau of Educational Research at the University of Illinois College of Education.

If parents aren’t able to find something that works for them, Robertson said, I-Parents wants to know.

“That’s another area that I-Parents wants to work on, is where are the gaps,” Robertson said.

The following is a list of campus and community organizations that will be represented at the resource fair:

4-H Illini Summer Academies
4-H International Youth Exchange Program
4-H Spin Clubs, UI Extension Champaign County
Boy Scouts
Camp New Hope
Campus Recreation
Champaign County YMCA
Champaign Park District
Champaign Public Library, Douglas Branch
Champaign Rock ‘n Roll Camp
Child Care Resource Service
Class Act
College for Kids, Parkland
College of Engineering Summer Camps
Community Center for the Arts
Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club
Fighting Illini Camps and Clinics
Girl Scouts
Illinois Summer Youth Music
Indian Acres Swim Club
Amara Yoga & Arts
Kinesiology Sports Fitness Program
LaPetite Academy
Mo’ Betta Music Summer Camps
Orpheum Children’s Science Museum
The Reading Group
Savoy Recreation Center
UI Art Education Program
Urbana Free Library
Urbana Park District

Need A Babysitter? Win a Six-Month Sittercity.com Membership!

Amy L. Hatch — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:34:18 +0000

By Amy L. Hatch

Do you know how many babysitters we went through over the summer?

Three. Three! In less than two months! People, we were burning through sitters like a hot knife through butter. This one couldn’t change a diaper. That one had a scheduling conflict. The other one was always late.

Whatever, it sucked.

I was at my wit’s end by the time September rolled around and I washed back up on the shores of Chambana after three weeks at the ocean. It was time to get down to brass tacks and find someone — someone reliable and competent — to watch Henry while I worked.

Enter Sittercity.com.

*cue the choir of angels*

Sittercity.com is an online service that allows you to search for caregivers by location, and I found an ample supply of young women to chose from when I punched in my Urbana zip code — and here’s the thing, not all of them are students, meaning that you won’t lose them during breaks or summers.

The best part is that Sittercity.com offers a profile for each person in it’s database, so you can look at their availability, schedule and even a photograph before you ever contact them.

Those who are looking for a sitter, a nanny or even a dog walker, senior-care provider or tutor can access the site’s network in two ways — either through an individual membership or as an employee benefit through their employer.

But here’s the best part — Sittercity wants moms in Chambana to have access to their great network of caregivers, especially as the holidays approach. So they gave you an early gift — one free six-month membership to their site!

The monetary value is nothing to shake a stick at — normally it would cost you $60. But just think about the value of a great babysitter for a minute. To enter, leave a comment here telling us about your best — or worst — babysitter ever by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7. We’ll choose a winner at random.

Congrats to Lisa of Champaign — she’s our winner!

Bonus? ALL chambanamoms.com readers get a 15 percent discount on a membership by entering the code AVE15.

Run, don’t walk, to check out Sittercity.com. New Year’s Eve is right around the corner, yo.

Full disclosure: I have been a customer of Sittercity.com. They did not pay chambanamoms.com to review their site, and but they did provide us with one six-month membership valued at $59.94 for a lucky reader.

Book Your New Year’s Babysitter Now

Amy L. Hatch — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:58:43 +0000

Be prepared to pay more for a sitter on New Year's Eve. Credit: sxc.hu

By Amy L. Hatch

Thinking you might want to go out for New Year’s Eve and celebrate the end of the decade? Book your babysitter now, Chambana moms.

We all know how tough it is to find a reliable sitter, but holidays like New Year’s and Valentine’s Day are harder to book than your average Saturday date night. Sittercity recommends that anyone looking to cut a rug on Dec. 31 find a caregiver, like, now.

According to Sittercity’s blog, a poll administered by that company several years ago found that 77 percent of parents had yet to book their sitters two weeks before the holiday. Bad idea! Don’t be that person who calls every teenager in town on Dec. 30.

Because young men and women also like to celebrate, be aware that you should pay a wee bit more than average for a good New Year’s Eve sitter. If you plan to be out just a few hours and come home after your celebration, an hourly rate is still fine. However, tack an extra $5 or $10 onto your usual hourly rate.The national average for hourly babysitting is $13; here in Chambana expect to pay a normal rate of between $10 and $15 an hour, plus “holiday” pay.

Some couples like to party all night long, and some sitters are willing to stay with your kids overnight. In that case, you’ll want to calculate the sitter’s hourly rate — plus the extra for the holiday — from when she arrives to midnight. Then add on an overnight “flat rate” of between $40 and $100.

I don’t know about you, but I recommend paying on the higher end for an overnight stay. I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving someone in charge of my household for 18 hours and only paying them $40 to do so.

So you know when to book and how much to pay. Now where do you find this elusive creature? Check out our tips for finding babysitters in Chambana.

Party on!

O Babysitter, Wherefore Art Thou?

Amy Hatch — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:46:36 +0000

Finding a great babysitter isn't easy, but knowing where to look is the first step. Credit: sxc.hu

By Amy L. Hatch

I was gainfully employed by a Large Multinational Corporation when my daughter was born, and my initial plan was to work from home three days a week after her birth.

I found a sitter after several disastrous interviews and try-outs. One girl made my daughter cry every time she looked at her. Another started at her blankly, while my girl just started back. Finally, Elizabeth came into our lives.

She came into the house and immediately asked if she could hold Emmie. Then she asked me, when the baby started to fuss, if she’d discovered her thumb yet. Elizabeth stuck her finger in Emmie’s open mouth and smiled as my girl clamped down and began to suck.

Leaving Elizabeth behind was hard.

Since then, we’ve had a series of babysitters, some great and some really, really awful. We’re settled in with a lovely angel of a girl now, and my hope is that she never, ever leaves.

Like, ever.

Along the way I learned some valuable lessons about hiring sitters, be it for a regular schedule of childcare or just for occasional date nights or doctor’s appointments. I’m here to tell you, moms, it is possible to find a great sitter right here in Chambana.

Where Do I Start?
OK, you need a sitter. So where do you look? Start with the UIUC job board. Anyone can create an employer account, and this is a great source of eager co-eds who love kids and need to work.

We also suggest Craigslist. Yes, Craigslist. One of the best babysitters I ever had came from Craigslist (Bethany, I’m looking at you). Parkland College is a good place to look, as well.

There are also national Web sites, like Sittercity.com and Care.com, both of which allow you to sort through potential candidates by location. You can see their photo, experience and the number of references they have before you ever contact them. However, these sites are not free, so be prepared to pay for a membership.

Crafting Your Ad

Moms, be clear. Want your sitter to empty the dishwasher while Junior naps? Looking for someone who will read to your baby and play with her, too? Be upfront with your expectations, including the all-important schedule, when you craft your ad.

Take it from me, being honest and forthcoming from the get-go will prevent headaches later.

The All-Important Interview

So you have a few candidates. Have them over to your home for an interview, and be sure that your child is home and awake when the potential sitter arrives.

Ask the basics: experience, references, safety training. But you might also want to ask if the sitter has experience bathing kids, preparing meals—and for the love of Pete, ask her/him if he/she can change a diaper.

Seriously. Take it from me.

Don’t forget to ask about rates. The national average is $13, but I’ve found most babysitters will accept $10 an hour as a reasonable fee.

Sittercity.com has a super list of interview questions, as well, and it is in your best interest to prepare yourself in advance of the interview.

Trial Run

If you’re still nervous or if this is your Very First Babysitter Ever, you may want to consider a trial run. Ask your candidate to come over and spend time with your child(ren) while you are in the home. Stay out of their hair, but stay close enough so you can observe how he/she interacts with your kids.

Don’t Be Discouraged

If one sitter doesn’t work out, don’t be afraid to start again. Chemistry is a funny thing, and sometimes it takes a couple tries to find The Right One.

Now excuse me while I go and hug my babysitter.