Daycare Frustrations

Like most mommies this was by far the most important thing on my to-do list once I found out we were expecting. So back in April I started the search. I knew it wouldn't be easy because I had some pretty specific things I was looking for. I wanted something in between a large daycare center and a small in-home daycare. My reasoning for this is that I wanted something more personal than a large center with a high caregiver to infant ratio and in my area they are notorious for hiring individuals that are not qualified. I also did not want a small in-home daycare where it was more like a mom sitting around babysitting a few kiddos without any type of learning program.

Then during my search my MIL told me about her friend's daughter in her 30's who is a RN at a local children's hospital who just had her second child and would be quitting her job late 2010 and opening up a daycare in her home. She would be taking 3 kids in addition to her own. She would have her finished basement converted in to a daycare and would be designing a specialized program for each child so that they are learning, developing, and interacting daily. She was also going to attend some classes to help with this. We met her and her husband and she went over the specifics of her plans. She explained that between May and August they would ironing out all the details, getting certified with the state, and of course getting the daycare set up in the basement. We both liked her, her home was very nice and clean, it was on the way for both of us to work, and to top it off she was nurse. We felt like we really hit the jackpot and had found someone we really could trust with our little girl.

We kept in touch the whole time and my husband and I had a meeting scheduled for today to go see the progress and discuss any other last details. Then she calls Sunday evening to let me know they have changed their mind and she will not be doing daycare after all. What really upsets me is that I know there is no way she would have went to all the additional cost of setting everything up until they were sure. So she has led me to believe she was a sure bet all along when she wasn't, I even asked this a few times as I understand leaving a stable nursing job is a big step, and she assured me each time. All the while she was not sure and had nothing set up! So now I am almost 31 weeks along and no daycare. She could have been honest when I asked and said she was not 100% sure so I should have a back up for now just in case.

So I have started the search, again. I am noticing that those places that I would consider and are in our original price range do not have openings for newborns at this time. I have found a few other places and we are meeting two of them next next. They both are quite a bit out of our original budget for daycare, but I am finding it hard to say someplace is too much when it will be a great environment for our baby girl and we will have peace of mind. Plus if we are going to spend that much would it just be best for us to make a few more sacrifices for the extra stuff we are used to and I just stay at home with her? So many hard decisions to make, I am hoping everything will just work itself out. Wish us luck. :)