Infant child care is an extremely important subject that many people and parents talk about. Becoming a parent is a matter of taking care of your child’s need from infancy to adulthood, and ensuring that your child gets the best possible care in terms of comfort, safety, nutrition and support.
The cost of child care for infants is quite high since a specialized person is something most parents would want. Mothers increasingly have to leave their babies at very young ages to get back into the work force. Since taking care of very young children is not something all day care centers are equipped to do, those that do, have people who are trained for the task. These places would also need to fulfill very specific requirements to meet the needs of the young ones. Here are a few necessary investments that new parents would need to make to ensure their baby is comfortable inside the house and out.
Nursery
One of the main costs that new parents incur including that of setting up a nursery. Starting from furniture like the crib, storage and changing table to other pieces of comfort for the mother and father like the day bed and rocker, as well as other soft furnishings like curtains and rugs, there are a number of costs that only grow over the years. Yet, this initial cost of installing a nursery is one that takes a priority for all parents since everyone wants to choose the best and safest pieces. This cost is incurred so that the child and parents can be cocooned in a safe and comfortable environment where things are well within one’s reach while catering to the infant.
Outdoor Gear
There are a number of things that one needs to invest in so that one is not forced to stay indoors. Starting from the baby strollers with all its safety latches and mechanics in place, to a car seat that has similar features and a carriers or sling that will help in easy and comfortable carriage of the child, there are a number of things that one will need to take care of. These things are usually checked by an authorized person before the parents leave the hospital with the baby so that there is no untoward incident.
Day Care
The creche, day care and baby sitter facilities are things that most parents look for, especially if the mother has to get back to work, or is a single mother. There are state sponsored day care centers and creches where one works too, yet there are additional charges that one may have to incur in case the baby is very small and requires individual attention. The cost of bringing in a baby sitter can be quite high since most sitters charge on a per hour basis. But one must make sure to choose someone who comes with a certificate form a proper agency.
Getting an au pair for your baby is a major step. Unlike nannies, au pairs are like temporary family members who will be providing live-in childcare assistance. The most unnerving part of welcoming an au pair in your home is that you don’t know them well. Moreover, the biggest challenge is to make them comfortable to develop a harmonious relationship. Therefore, while seeking the services of an au pair childcare agency, ensure that you avoid the following mistakes:
Here are some popular au pair childcare agencies you can check.
Cost of the au pair exchange program
if you want to host an au pair, be mindful of the financial add-ons. These include non-refundable application and processing fees, program fees, a weekly stipend, language course fees and, an overall increase in your household expenses for a year. Usually, the program fees charged by the au pair childcare services come down to a minimum of $7,000 approximately. Furthermore, the minimum weekly stipend for an au pair is around $200 per week. Likewise, an English language course can cost $500 or above approximately.
An au pair is an adult or a young adult aged between 18 and 30 years, who belongs to a different country and provides live-in domestic childcare for approximately 10 to 12 months. An au pair can play a role of an elder sibling for your children. You can find these individuals via au pair childcare agencies that ensure protecting the rights and interests of the involved parties. By the means of this exchange program, parents get a lending hand and reliable companion for their kids. Moreover, the au pair gets an opportunity to experience the country’s culture and learn its language.
Au pairs are often compared to nannies. However, there are some major differences between the both such as:
The costs of au pair childcare services will vary across agencies. Typically, au pair childcare agencies charge a program fee, which can be between $7,000 and $9,000. These exclude the non-refundable application fees and minimum weekly stipend expenses.