We're expecting our first in January and have been told to get ahead of the game and start looking now.

We're on east side and would prefer anything 'central' but flexible for quality of care… and cost : )

Any tips, recommendations out there? Thanks in advance.

As someone who two kids in daycare in this town good luck. Not enough daycares and staff to meet the needs. Get on waiting lists now despite the fact that daycares use waiting lists as a revenue source with a "reservation." You are smart to get started now.

Our daycare Upbring just closed sending 65 families looking for care. They had previously closed the infant room which we were supposed to be in, so we had a nanny all summer + the 3yr old at Upbring. We had gotten on the waitlist for St George's 7 months before so we start there with both kids in August.

Currently the waitlist in the infant room is 14 at St. George's

I hate to break it to you but you are too late to have choices. You need to take whatever you can get or plan on a nanny at $23-30 per hour. I loved having the nanny, if you can afford it I recommend that for year 1. My wife had 4 months leave and I had 5 so we only had to pay a nanny for 3

Every sibling will have priority over yours, and everyone had a Covid baby. Get on every waitlist you can and just assume you will never see that fee again. Not trying to be Debbie downer but the sooner you accept the reality the sooner you can make informed choices.

That being said, avoid Life Family Learning center, several parents I know pulled kids because they felt it was unsafe

Elsass had one opening in the infant room as of yesterday. Assuming you get on multiple lists today and you are prepared to go 3-4 months (her leave + yours) without care you will probably be fine. You may also have to take (and pay for) a spot before you need it, so they don't advance down their list

Budget 1500-2000 a month for daycare 3-4K for a nanny

It is crazy. We spend $2400/month for 2 kids in daycare and we have found places that are $1700 per kid/month. Luckily our son goes to kindergarten next month so we get a pay raise.

But i feel for any parents trying to get their kids quality care without breaking the bank. How are two working parents outside the home supposed to live in this town if they can't find reasonably priced care?

Yeah infants too are more expensive it drops off to 1200 or so after a year

We are really liking Young People's Workshop (sounds very Austiny) but they are just west of MoPac off Spicewood so may be a little far. We were able to snag an open slot with only a few weeks wait. I happen to know a few will be moving up from infant so worth a shot. They may already have long wait-list.

The best name belongs to the spilled milk social club

Thanks very much everyone for the input. To clarify, we're expecting in late January, but wife will be taking 4 months off from work which puts us in the May/June timeframe for needing care.

But point taken, need to get on this ASAP. Thanks again.

aggiederelict said:

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As someone who two kids in daycare in this town good luck. Not enough daycares and staff to meet the needs. Get on waiting lists now despite the fact that daycares use waiting lists as a revenue source with a "reservation." You are smart to get started now.

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Not totally true, it is very geographically centric of a problem. In north Austin there's no waitlist for this time frame still. Source: I just took a spot for 2023

StaffingMgr said:

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We're expecting our first in January and have been told to get ahead of the game and start looking now.

We're on east side and would prefer anything 'central' but flexible for quality of care… and cost : )

Any tips, recommendations out there? Thanks in advance.

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Peace of Mind near Burnet and North Loop is run by really great folks. Not sure where you were thinking in "Central".

You should read about the requirements to get into JCC-Early Childhood Program.

It is surreal. JCC membership, waitlist fee, 9.5 month "school" with summer program separate, no meat except fish in all facilities. Wow.

First United Methodist Preschool next to the capitol takes kids from infants to pre-k. All three of our kids went there and we loved it. Drawback is that the hours are something like 8:00-3:00.

That drawback is pretty significant for working parents outside of the home who work full time.

Nothing to add. But damn child care was tough back in the 90's when we needed it. Sounds much worse and expensive now. This thread is like a horror film.

Best of luck OP. I know we had a tough time with it. Our solution was by the second just went one earner lived the poor life a few years.

Furlock Bones said:

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Send your kid to a Spanish immersion school.

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We're definitely looking into this.

Round Rock ain't north Austin, but for real if you don't want your infant to be in someones house or an overcrowded factory get on lists, pay the fee, have backup and contingency

Our son went to Growing Tree. East side near Manor Rd/35. We loved it. It's been a couple years now since he left. He was there from 6mos-5yo.

$1,000 for three full days for pre-k(3 yr old)

I have had a dedicated nanny for my son up to this point, 1 YO. As someone said above, that will set you back. To find a good nanny who actually cares, $25/hour isn't crazy. On top of that, a lot want some kind of PTO benefits now. We spent like $5K a month during this time.

Our son starts early education (aka daycare, ha) in 30 days. We got him into a really well reviewed placed near where we live. $1500/month - full time.

We were actually hoping to keep our son with a dedicated nanny till he was 2 YO but they are so flaky and we got tired of always searching for another. At 2 YO, we have him set to go to WonderWell Preschool. Can't wait for that awesome place.

5k a month for a nanny? Damn. My in laws in NYC only pay $2500/month for one there.

16 dollars an hour? Does the nanny also live there??

Y'all must have married up. We are having our first in January and my wife will be a stay at home mom. I can't imagine paying 24k a year when a 50k job only nets about 38k after taxes. Couldn't imagine my wife working a full year for 14k.

Didn't marry up

However didn't marry a 50k earner, either

I married up with a 50k earner if you know what I mean

No. The nanny market is wild in NYC.

We pay ours 25 per hour and what will amount to $5 dollar per hour bonus if she completes the contract which is up that end of the month. The first nanny we had walked away from the same deal after 2 months for 30 an hour guaranteed for a year. If she didn't teach high school I'd keep her on part time after the 1yr old starts at a new school next week. Makes life a lot easier because I travel about 30% and my wife works at Dell Childrens and can't just walk out of surgery to pick up the kid. Although school thinks she should. It just hurts the pocket.

Bumping back up. We toured 6-7 places and have it down to Wonder Years near the Triangle and Stepping Stone Hyde Park.

Those weren't mentioned here but curious if any experiences with those? Also, I'm happy to share our experiences on the others if anyone else is looking.

StaffingMgr said:

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Bumping back up. We toured 6-7 places and have it down to Wonder Years near the Triangle and Stepping Stone Hyde Park.

Those weren't mentioned here but curious if any experiences with those? Also, I'm happy to share our experiences on the others if anyone else is looking.

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Heard good things about Stepping Stones - not that specific location - but hope that helps

Same

Stepping stone is pretty large and those things are everywhere.

I advise anyone looking to check on the results of their audits and reports from the state. Those reports can be eye opening

Good to know, thank you. Could you point me in right direction re: reports? Which exactly?

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Child_Care/Search_Texas_Child_Care/ppFacilitySearchDayCare.asp

type in your zip code, and when you click on the provider it will tell you the reports

Thanks very much for this, tailgate! Found some interesting notes on a few locations we visited. Appreciate it!

Make a judgement for yourself if the findings are blatant or not. Almost every day care has some findings. It's just how bad are they