A babysitter can come to your home to care for your child; a licensed family daycare provider receives you and your child into her home. But

a closer look reveals more.

 

The traditional American family, two generations ago, included a father who worked from Monday till Friday, in the day; the mother stayed home to watch the children. When Mom and Dad went out together, they would take the children or hire a babysitter for the evening. When kids needed to be cared for during the day, it was usually only for a short time; a neighbor mother or relative could help care for little ones in exchange for a switch with care-giving on another day.

 

At the dawn of a new century, a parent would often need more childcare help. Licensed family home daycare became a common business: Take your child to a home where other children are also cared for. It has become necessary for some families to use this service. But this is not babysitting; there's more than one difference.

 

So does that mean that a single parent (or a married couple who both work) needs to spend much money to give their child quality care? Yes and no. Child care in general costs more than it did half a century ago, but family home daycare costs much less per hour than babysitting.

 

Consider the following results of a search with Google, using "babysitter." (Most of the results are actually home child care; what follows is for

babysitting in the child's home.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Babysitting is usually part time, while family home child care is usually full time. Nevertheless, let's consider the differences in cost, in general.

 

Three hours of babysitting can cost from $24 to $45 (or even higher); but one day of childcare at the Whitcomb home, in Long Beach, is normally only $35, and that could be ten hours or more.

 

How much can a child gain from friendships with other children! Playing with other kids can be a healthy change from babysitting experiences. Really! And pre-schoolers need to interact with other pre-schoolers before kindergarten. Home child care provides that opportunity.

Call Gladys Whitcomb; she will be happy to talk with you about home child care and about the needs of your child: 562 427-6027

 

Gladys and Jonathan Whitcomb have been giving child care in their home for over twenty years.

 

Whitcomb Family Daycare

4503 Walnut Avenue

Long Beach, California 90807