So I have a 4yo old, and I have been struggling to find childcare options. My fiancé and I make too much for us to qualify for child care assistance, but we aren’t sure we can afford daycare. We both have current jobs, but daycare in our area is expensive. I’m kinda at a loss here because my kiddo is practically begging to go to school, but he won’t make the age cut off for kindergarten this year. We just moved to a new area a few months ago, and we aren’t near any family, so having them watch him isn’t an option. I guess I’m just really looking for advice on how other Mamas have dealt with this kind of situation.
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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. What are the best childcare options? - Mamas Uncut
My husband and I had this situation too we ended working opposite shifts from each other so someone was always home still do it to this day.
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Can u enroll in pre k?? All my kids did it at 4-5 yrs old.
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I went threw this same thing too, I applied for a Scholarship for my daughter to start preschool at a catholic school, she goes full days and they have after school care. Something to think about until she can start kindergarten in a public school!
In home daycare facilities are normally cheaper. See if that’s available near where you live
My sister and her husband work seperate shifts so that theres always someone there for the kids.
Preschool through the school system…it’s free
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Maybe try and find someone that runs an in home daycare. They tend to be less expensive and are usually more flexible with their hours as well.
I’d just suck up the cost if at all possible. If they are too young for school cut off this year, they will next year, it’s only one year of fees and will make a difference to her ability to succeed socially in kindy next year.
My husband worked days, I worked nights. We did that till they were all in school.
See if your area has a head start program.
Look at getting into a pre-school.
They take from age 3 (at least in my area)
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My hubby and I are in a similar situation. We make too much to qualify for any assistance and we do not live near any family that could help us. We decided that he would quit his job and stay home with our son. He had a long commute and was not passionate about the work he was doing. We live 10 minutes from my job and I absolutely love where i work. Financially it was an adjustment at first but we still live comfortably. As for our son we do play groups and plan on doing some group activities with other kids in our community as he gets older prior to starting kinder.
Does the area offer Preschool or Head start? That could be an option. I know my area is only 2 days a week for preschool and 4 days a week for head start but that would be less days that you need daycare.
Other things in the budget have to give.
Hi! I’m a mom of 2 boys aged 5 and 2 will be 6 and 3 this year.
We have delt with this our whole lives as parents and we have struggled so much on one income. We both worked and was still struggling paying for daycare. So now we currently are trying to get jobs separate shifts so we dont need a baby sitter and can save some money.
It’s not ideal, but this this the only option we have left ourselves.
You could always start babysitting and try to be price where people are in your circumstance
I did this 30 years ago and still
Doing it
i believe a few parochial preks here were cheaper
Because of this situation and just flat not having daycare options at all I actually went to work for a daycare so I could take my son. It’s hard to navigate right now that’s for darn sure
Some churches offer low cost preschool. My son went to an amazing one 4 days a week 4 hours a day for $120 a month. They helped get him ready for kindergarten by giving him such a solid foundation. His in 4th grade now and in high ability classes.
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He should qualify for pre k but they have sign ups months before they start, preschool where I live goes to 2:00
My kids went to head start at 3 maybe see if that is a option on your area?
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I put a request on fb in my local area. I found an amazing sitter 1 road down from me that was just looking for extra money. She’s a stay at home mom with 8 kids of her own. She’s very reasonable with price and has been a godsend!
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Search for pre-k. Where I live pre-k is a full day at school just like the big kids.
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Check into VPK. It’s only a half day program here but they provided aftercare at a cheaper rate. Check for programs for vouchers in your area. I didn’t qualify for full day care assistance but I did qualify for my kids to have free VPK so in the end I was only paying for half the day
I work during the day and took a night job to pay for the daycare, I also cleaned on weekends at the daycare to pay for the nights. As you, no family and I was a single mom. Gotta do what you gotta do.
I would look into a nanny.
Have you looked into in home
Look at the churches in your area see if they have free daycare available
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Check the area for preschools. In our area some preschools are free, some have small payments. Possibly check some churches they also have daycare/preschool options.
Try pre-k, working opposite shifts, post in your on garage sale sites seeing if anyone would be willing to babysit. Maybe an at home mom could use some extra cash.
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You just pay for the expensive daycare. I live in red deer Canada and I pay 1350 a month for two kids, with school drop off for the one. Full-time for the other. One of my monthly pay cheques go straight to daycare. It’s the only option we have.
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You can see if there’s any babysitters that are first aid and CPR certified.
Check schools in the area for PreK’s. These things should have been looked at before moving to a new area 
Preschool. Look at some local places, a lot of churches here offer some type of program. Good luck momma! Childcare has been the hardest part of being a parent for me.
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Can you get him into pre school? Even if you have to pay it’s usually cheaper than daycare. I stay home for this exact reason. I would be working just to pay for daycare and my daughter and I would lose our insurance. Day care here for a 4 year old is 380 a week. She is in preschool though (free) m-f 8:45-11:15
Preschool as mentioned also called T-K for those that don’t make the kinder age requirement.
Most states offer free pre kindergarten for kids ages 3-4. It’s a half day. From there, ask the school if there is a stay at home mom that wouldn’t mind watching your child in the afternoon. I use to pay $25 for 4-5 hours a day. $125/week. Look at in home daycare options. I found a lady that did daycare out of her home. It was $75/week and I had to provide lunch. Corporate daycare is the worst $200-$450/week. My son did better with another mom or in a home setting.
My LO is 4 and is in prek at the school she will attend.
See if there are some church groups that offer a few days a week. Usually they’re called Moms day out
Look into Pre-school. Most have part time or full time options M-F. It’s about $150 or less a month depending on the program. Also if it is in your district your child will likely be with some of the same kids in kindergarten.
Send him to pre school
I work part time because childcare is so expensive I might as well stay home with my children, then work just to pay someone else to be with them.
Some places you don’t have to pay anything like state ran areas call the schools and find out
4 yr old should be in school, pre k 4
Most public schools offer VPK for at least half a day… look into your nearest school they always have options.
Do you have a head start in your area?
preschool at churches or school?? I was in similar situation when we moved out of town, I ended up just staying home with mine, I jave big trust issues when it comes to my kids lol, I know not all families can afford it and we do struggle from time to time but we are making it, I use to work at daycare/preschool so I’m cpr/first aid certified so I started watching a few kids in my home for some extra cash!
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Preschool options.
There’s also moms who need extra cash and babysit from home. Local FB groups can help you find them. There’s several moms where I live that do that. They keep up on infant/child cpr and don’t charge an arm and a leg.
Some cities have preschool programs that are affordable through parks and recreation. I know California has transitional kindergarten for those who are almost five but have a later birthday.
Most public schools have a pre k 4 class for four year olds. Idk if they can start mid year though
If you guys aren’t married yet, isn’t it true you don’t have to put his income??
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There should be a pre-school program for 4 year olds?
Try to enroll him I’m preschool or prek
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My son was 4 and he did prek
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Some public schools offer pre-k. My sister in law did that with both of her kids.
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I went through the same issue, I was fortunate enough to have my mom watch him. Preschool was almost $800 a month. I made too much money to receive any kind of assistance and public school only had TK or K programs. My son was too old for TK but too young for kinder. Its not easy. I hope you find something that works mama!
I just don’t understand why some parents do not enroll their kiddos in preschool, no it’s not required but it gets your child ready for kindergarten, socially, emotionally, & beginner/basic academics needed for kindergarten. They can be enrolled at age 3 and go till they start kindergarten. Not only that they help screen for any delays the child might have that they could actually get them help for before even getting to kindergarten. Just saying though…
Good luck, I hope you find what you need for your child…
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Put your child in school, in florida your child can start pre-k at 3
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Most school districts do prek for 3&4 year olds
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See If your area County schools has a more at four program and three year old program.
Most school districts do a free 3 & 4 year program
Ask someone from your church if they know anyone or older people that baby sit. Some want to just be wanted.
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Look at your local social services website and it will tell you everything you need to know about each and every license childcare centers and providers even tells you if they have been written up on things.
Headstart or preschool
I used the boys and girls club.
For everyone suggesting preschool… it’s not free everywhere. I would have to pay regular daycare rates if I enrolled my 4 year old into preschool. Yes there are tons of benefits… but also lots of benefits for him to stay home too. And I don’t have to pay $1,000+/month for him to go 
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Local school pre school? Parents watch or a find a home daycare that might give a little bargain if they watch many other kids but still take good care of yours? But it has to worth there while still and something you can afford. If there cheaper they’d only need to do bas8cs not like teach , but it still is child care. . And you can do kindergarten readiness like name left right tie shoes abcs 1 to 20 color shapes at home when yall are home
We did 2 days a week preschool, all day my boys got so much out of it. It was a struggle to pay for it bit definitely worth it.
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Pre K or Headstart program
Pre K 4 is offered in Florida for FREE. Need to sign up now so you can get an appointment and your child will be enrolled before school starts and you can pretty much choose where they go, like a daycare/preschool or a public school there is a lot of places that offer Pre K for 4 yr old.
Try early childhood development centers. Lottery funded head start or pre k program
When my husband was still able to work we worked opposite shifts. Never had to put my kids in daycare.