Choosing a childcare facility is a highly individual process for every family. You want excellent care for your child, but there are countless other factors that impact how well a particular school or center will work for your family. Today we’ll look at a few factors your family should consider as you decide whether your child will attend childcare near home or at a location closer to your workplace.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Arrangements
Who will be dropping off your child in the mornings and picking him up in the evening? This is a major consideration as you choose where to enroll him in childcare. If you choose a location near the workplace of a parent who sometimes travels for work or works from home, the location will require someone to make a commute that may not otherwise be part of that day’s routine. Additionally, if the pick-up and drop-off routine will be shared between caregivers, childcare near home or work may greatly favor the ease and convenience of one caregiver over the other. The same goes for grandparents, babysitters, and any others who may care for the child occasionally.
Location of Community
While you may love having your child near you while you are at work, you may find that childcare near home provides connections with other families who are local to where you live. Alternatively, choosing childcare near your workplace could mean that your child befriends children who are the children of colleagues. Enrolling your child in childcare near your primary community increases the odds that her friends from her classroom will be part of her life in other ways.
Commute Complications
Long commutes are standard for families in the Atlanta area. This area is notorious for unpredictable traffic. With that in mind, if a working parent is responsible for pick-up in the evening, a childcare situation near work will limit delays caused by traffic. At the same time, if caregivers are available near home, it can benefit everyone to have a child in care near the home. This prevents a child from being stuck in traffic each day. That said, many parents enjoy the time in the car with their child. It gives them time to connect and catch up on the day during the drive home.
Other Children
If you have more than one child, you probably have a variety of schedules to consider. School-aged children change the family dynamics by adding another “headquarters” in the family life. If you have older children who are being picked up in the afternoon or evenings, be sure to factor in that location in your childcare plans.
It’s Okay If “Perfect” Doesn’t Work Out
Sometimes you find a solution to an issue that seems perfect, until you try it. Maybe you considered all of the above factors, chose a childcare center, and tried it out for a couple of months, but it’s just not working. If that’s the case, give yourself permission to change your mind. It could be that factors have changed, or perhaps things just didn’t work the way you expected. Regardless of the reasons, there is no shame in trying something different to see if it works. Be sure to prepare your child for the change, and try not to make frequent changes, which can make your child anxious. But staying in a situation that doesn’t suit your family isn’t worth your while.
Deciding on the right childcare facility for your child can feel like an overwhelming and difficult task. If you are considering whether you should enroll your child in childcare near home or near your work, remember to take these factors into account. Looking for a childcare center that is supportive of local families? Consider Legacy Academy Suwanee Dam, where our staff wants only the best for your family. Call or visit today to learn more.
