In DC there is a shortage of daycare/preschool facilities. Mothers search frantically for a spot for their little ones and pay upwards of $200 to be placed on wait lists 1-2 years before they actually need them. This child business is a racket...they have us by the balls...well, I don't have any of those but you get the point! They know we are going to pay...it's the basic principal of supply vs. demand.
Today, I was at my local CVS and passed one of the preschools (Takoma Children's School) I really like and thought I would stop by to hear what their advice was to me with my pending adoption. It was pretty simple: "get on the list, we have a wait list of over 100 parents and we even have mothers trying to conceive now that are on the list for two years from now." Wow...I think I'll fill out my application soon to make sure I get my daughter a spot! The daycare center is only five minutes from my home. It's very diverse and I have always been impressed with the way the children interact. Of course it is DC and nothing is inexpensive here but what do you do? The school costs $936/$1198/$1242 for 3/4/5 full days respectively. How much does preschool cost in your neck of the woods? Whew...Thinking of all of the expenses reminds me of how I felt when I singed the papers for my house...SCARED!!!!!!!
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Gulp. I've been avoiding researching a daycare, which is stupid as the waiting lists are long here in Calgary too. I hope you get into a great spot.
OMG, this post scares the crap out of me!!!
I had no idea that you might have to get on wait lists THAT far in advance. I guess I better get off my arse and find out what the good schools are around here. Yikes.
My friend's 3 year old is in preschool 3x a week, and it's $1,200... but that's the SF Bay Area, which is crazy expensive...
Hmmm... never heard or seen this school and it's in my neighborhood. Shows how oblivious i am to preschools. It looks really great, though not cheap. Dang!!
Laura, you've seen the school. It is right across the street from CVS in DT Takoma Park. You know that playground on the corner.
Everyone...I guess this is just the beginning...the fun NEVER ends does it! LOL
Those prices look about right for preschools. I got on the waitlist for Bright Horizons at the NOAA facility near the SS metro in March 2006. We still havent' gotten a spot. Their wait is at least 18 months for any child under two.
Yikes! In Cleveland, the daycare where I registered my daughter, it's $135/week. It also includes lunch and a snack. My brother in Long Beach, CA pays 150/week and it includes two meals. I'm surprised how expensive Cleveland is compared to Long Beach. I can't get over how much you'll have to pay.
Fortunately I didn't have to be waitlisted. Best of luck!!
I live in a MUCH less populated area in the Midwest, and I was on a daycare waiting list for a year for my son--I'd signed up about six months before we even knew about him.
Here, the preschools are the easy ones to get into; baby daycare is the worst because the required child/adult ratio is so much better.
And, for me, $100/week for preschool (5 full days).
OK you Midwest people...we don't like you anymore! LOL $100-$150 a week?!!!!!!!!!! sighhhhhhhhhhhh Well, I'm from Cleveland so...never mind...I still like you, I've lived that life! LOL
I am not sure where you are in the DC area, but if you are anywhere near Fairfax, VA the GMU CDC is a great place for children. They take children from 2 to 5 years old. My daughter was there from Summer 2003 to Fall 2006 and she absolutely loved it. I think we paid around $800 a month for full-time daycare/preschool.
When she began kindergarten in Fall 2006 she was ahead of the majority of her peers.
I would have put our children we are adopting from Ethiopia in the CDC also, but we have relocated to the Atlanta area.
GMU CDC link:
http://www.gmu.edu/service/ccc/about.htm
If you are anywhere near the Fairfax area, you may want to look into the GMU CDC. My daughter attended full-time daycare/preschool there from Summer 2003 to Fall 2006. It is a great program that accepts 2 to 5-year-olds. My daughter absolutely loved it and did not want to leave at the end of the day. I would have loved to put our children that we are adopting from Ethiopia in the program as well, but we have relocated to the Atlanta area.
GMU CDC link:
http://www.gmu.edu/service/ccc/about.htm
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