A major concern for parents is choosing childcare providers for their children. The first step is to decide which type of childcare arrangement you prefer. Here are some tips to get started.

Choose a nanny to be your childcare provider if you prefer that your child (or children) remain in your home while you are at work. The benefits of this arrangement are that the child does not have to compete for attention and will have one-on-one instruction as well. Play dates can be arranged with other children. In addition, some nannies will also do some light housework which will lighten your burden when you return home from work. Nannies who are certified and have passed background checks are more expensive since they have specialized training in child development and care. You may need to provide a car for the nanny to take the child to the park and on play dates. Nannies can be live-in or live-out. The disadvantage of this relationship is that there is no back-up if the nanny becomes ill or quits unless the nanny has been hired through an agency.

Choose a babysitter if the budget cannot afford a nanny yet you do not want the child in daycare. The level of childcare provided will vary with the knowledge and experience of the babysitter. Arrangements can be made for the sitter to go to your home or for you to drop off the child at the sitter's home. There may be other children of varying ages in the home. This arrangement is usually the least expensive. However, just as with the nanny, you could be stuck if the babysitter gets sick or quits. There is the additional disadvantage of a very young baby without a full set of immunizations being exposed to older children who have brought an illness home from school. It can be difficult to run a background check on a babysitter as many are simply taking in an extra child and not licensed for daycare.

Choose a traditional daycare center if you need extended hours and guaranteed daily care. A toddler will probably enjoy the playground equipment and having other children for playmates. Some states require that childcare providers have special training and a health check for TB and other communicable diseases. An advantage to this arrangement is that there will always be staff available to care for your child. There are state agencies to check the reputation of the daycare center. A disadvantage of this type of childcare provider is that some toddlers have not yet learned to express themselves verbally and can be aggressive toward other children. The quality of the facilities can also vary greatly.

Although your work schedule and budget will be determining factors in choosing a provider for your baby or toddler, realize that there are very happy and vibrant children in all of these arrangements. The key is to find a quality childcare provider who genuinely loves children.

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