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If you’re a working parent, choosing childcare can be a bit overwhelming. You want to be sure your child has the best care possible while you remain gainfully employed. Based on your work schedule, your child’s age and readiness for early child education, you have a few choices. Here are some childcare options for working parents.

1. Staying at home with the child
   The most traditional option is staying home with the child. Some parents have the opportunity to work from home and can dedicate their time to at-home childcare. Often, it is the mother who handles the childcare while the father works, but trends are changing as the structure of the modern family changes. Many parents opt for an at-home childcare model in choosing childcare, where a member of the immediate nuclear family is the primary caregiver. You can utilize a grandparent, an older sibling or an aunt/uncle to spend one-on-one time with the child in the comfort of their own home.
2. Daycare or babysitter
   Especially for younger children, many people choose a babysitter or daycare program if they feel their child is too young for an early child education school. In this scenario, parents who have to work will send their child to a daycare facility or private babysitter where the main focus is childcare. Daycare providers will feed and change the child, make sure the child takes their nap and entertain the child while the parents are gone. Many babysitters are not teachers and do not focus much on education. This is a good option if your child is still an infant and needs attentive care or if you feel your child is not quite ready for a structured program.
3. Early child education program
   One of the best options in choosing childcare is an early child education program. Your childcare needs are met just like a traditional babysitter or daycare service, but there is a greater emphasis on learning and kindergarten readiness. Have you ever heard the phrase, “a child?s mind is like a sponge”? Children will absorb more information in their first few years of life than at any other time. Their capability to do so will only increase as they age. When choosing childcare, it is important to find programs focused on education to take advantage of this time and prepare your child for school.

If you’re wondering how to find a good daycare, you’ll need to do some research to see which local programs are the most reputable and offer the best options for your child.