Starting a Workplace Daycare
If you can't find childcare that meets your needs, why not pool resources and start your own? Mary is in search of advice from others that have been successful in working with their co-workers in creating a workplace-based daycare. She writes:
My husband and I are both teachers struggling with the issue of childcare. Is the amount paid worth being away from our two beautiful children? Are we able to find a quality daycare that would meet up to the standards of two idealistic teachers? What happens when the children are in separate schools? How do we get them to two places when we have to be at work by 7:15 am? In our hopes to solve some of these dilemmas, we are working with a committee of teachers from my husband's school district to try and open a district daycare. We are wondering if any others out there have a similar experience. Does anyone have a workplace daycare they are involved with, or has anyone started a workplace daycare? Tell us about your experiences.
I would also like to hear about this. My husband and I are both teachers as well. It's very hard to find someplace that can take your child by 7:30 or before, goes to the end of the workday, and doesn't cost an unaffordable amount (especially to those on teacher's salaries). The difficulty with this makes it hard to go for it and have another child as your biological clock just ticks away...
Posted by: SuzanneLynn | November 21, 2007 at 08:50 PM
I'm all ears, too. My dream is to have workspace for creative freelancers with childcare in the same building. I know a communcations agency in Vancouver did this a few years back but it was merely moms hiring a nanny and doing a share in an empty space in their building. It wasn't officially sponsored by the company and ended when the moms had different needs. There is a book for working moms written by a woman who creates corporate daycares. She may be a good resource. I'll see if I can dig up that book.
Posted by: thisKat | November 21, 2007 at 09:54 PM
I'm a teacher too and it's hard to have them there sooo early...my guy would love to sleep until 7:30, but I have to be in Beaverton by 7 ish and I take him to daycare first. We're in NE Portland, so we're in the car around 6:30! Cost is no fun, but at least you can take it pre-tax. We're thinking of trying for another one next year sometime and I'm not sure we can swing $1200 to $1500 a month for childcare, but we can't really afford for me to not have income. I've thought about tutoring instead, but I'm not sure I'm the business owner type...and I really do love my job. I love that there are discrete goals to meet each day, I love the independence, I love teenagers, and most of all I love to learn and teach. I don't love grading papers, getting paid a fairly low amount, and fighting the red tape!
Posted by: Meg | November 21, 2007 at 10:46 PM
Another teacher here loving this idea! What district are you in, area of the city? My husband and I work in the same school and there are two other couples with infants/toddlers in our same school. Several of us have children under three. My boss has tossed the idea of starting one around, but as a vocational experience for students in our school, which I'm not very enthusiastic about. I want high quality day care.
Posted by: joie | November 22, 2007 at 10:59 PM