Pricing day care centers

[glitzy07]

Does anyone know if I were to call different day care centers around the city if they would give a price quote over the phone? Or do they usually require a tour or something before discussing that?

My SS is in a center and will begin 1st grade in the fall, which should reduce the cost of care since he'd only be there before and after school. I asked DH to inquire when he picks SS up on Wednesday, but I'm impatient and want to know now because I'm thinking about it.

DH is trying to determine if it's worth it to do a parenting time mediation and/or child support review with his ex this fall. I found a few calculators on the county website that I can use to determine if it makes sense, but need child care costs.

Do you think they'd tell me if I just called and asked for a price? Not specifically for SS, since I'm not authorized access to his files, but in general?

[luvmagoldn]

Some will answer over the phone but some will only tell you if you come in for a tour. Give it a shot and see.

[Deleted]

Would SS's school have aftercare? The daycares I toured did not take children past kindergarten age. I would look into an aftercare type of program at a YMCA rather than a daycare.

[glitzy07]

Jul 17, 2012 9:25:10 GMT -5 @iheartcosmos said:

Would SS's school have aftercare? The daycares I toured did not take children past kindergarten age. I would look into an aftercare type of program at a YMCA rather than a daycare.

This isn't a bad idea. His center has a full school-aged program. I'll definitely mention that suggestion to DH though, to see if it's something he's interested in discussing with SS's mom. Do those YMCA type programs also usually have summer care? (I am so uneducated about centers and after-school programs because I grew up in in-home daycare.)

Of course, I didn't even have to start this thread because I called and they gave me a quote no problem over the phone. Oh well!

[Deleted]

In my area, the Y (and we also have a JCC) both have "camps" with aftercare. We are probably sending DD to the JCC for camp next summer instead of daycare.

[Ashley&Scott]

In my area most centers would give prices over the phone. Some even have pricing listed on their websites.

[starlily]

None of the ones I called would give me a price quite. They all required a tour.

[jena]

I think it's easier to get quotes for after school care over the phone than for babies.

And there is not a single daycare around here that does NOT provide after school care through 5th grade. There are a ton of daycare vans lined up at the elementary school every day.

You will also need to know if the kiddo needs morning care - depending on her work schedule and what time school starts, many kids go to daycare in the morning for an hour or so and the daycare vans take them to school too (our elementary doesn't start until 8:45, my friend's school starts at 7:30 and they don't have this option).

If there's an on-campus program for after-care, the prices will be on the districts website.