Child Care Guides
Expert-reviewed, comprehensive guides to help you navigate every aspect of child care. From choosing the right daycare to understanding costs and safety standards.
After School Care Guide: Options, Costs & How to Choose
Find the best after school care for your child. Compare programs, costs, and what to look for in quality school-age child care.
Backup Child Care: Emergency Options When Your Regular Care Falls Through
Build a reliable backup child care plan for sick days, daycare closures, and emergencies. Includes strategies, resources, and how to prepare.
Bilingual Preschool: Raising Multilingual Children Through Early Education
Learn about bilingual and language immersion preschools. Understand the benefits, types of programs, what to expect, and how to choose the right bilingual education.
Breastfeeding and Daycare: How to Continue Nursing When You Return to Work
Learn how to maintain breastfeeding when your baby starts daycare. Covers pumping at work, milk storage, bottle training, and communicating with providers.
Child Care for Shift Workers: Solutions for Non-Traditional Hours
Find child care that works with shift work schedules. Covers overnight care, early morning, weekend options, and creative solutions for irregular hours.
Communicating with Child Care Providers: Building a Strong Partnership
Master parent-provider communication for better child care. Learn how to share concerns, handle disagreements, and build relationships with caregivers.
Cooperative Preschool: Is a Parent Co-Op Right for Your Family?
Learn about cooperative preschools—how they work, parent involvement, costs, and whether a co-op preschool is the right choice for your family.
Drop-In Daycare: Flexible Child Care When You Need It
Learn about drop-in daycare centers for flexible child care. Find out how they work, costs, when to use them, and how to find quality drop-in care near you.
Faith-Based Child Care: Religious Daycare and Preschool Options
Explore faith-based child care options. Learn about religious daycare and preschools, what to expect, questions to ask, and whether it's right for your family.
Managing Food Allergies at Daycare: A Complete Guide for Parents
Protect your child with food allergies at daycare. Learn how to communicate with providers, create allergy action plans, and ensure your child's safety.
Grandparent Child Care: Making Family Care Work for Everyone
Navigate grandparent child care with success. Covers setting expectations, compensation, boundaries, and maintaining healthy family relationships.
How to Find a Babysitter: Complete Guide for Parents
Learn how to find, vet, and hire reliable babysitters. Includes interview questions, pay rates, safety tips, and where to search for trusted sitters.
Forest School and Outdoor Preschool: Nature-Based Early Education
Discover forest schools and outdoor preschools. Learn about nature-based education, benefits, what to expect, and how to find outdoor programs for your child.
Part-Time Child Care Options: Flexible Solutions for Every Family
Find part-time child care that fits your schedule. Compare daycare, nannies, preschools, and creative arrangements for families who need flexible coverage.
Potty Training at Daycare: A Parent and Provider Partnership Guide
Learn how to coordinate potty training between home and daycare. Includes timing tips, communication strategies, and what to expect from your provider.
50+ Questions to Ask a Daycare: The Complete Parent Checklist
Essential questions to ask when touring daycare centers. Covers safety, staff, curriculum, costs, policies, and red flags to watch for. Free printable checklist.
Reggio Emilia Approach: Understanding This Child-Centered Preschool Philosophy
Learn about the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Understand the philosophy, methods, environment, and how to find Reggio-inspired preschools.
Summer Camp for Preschoolers: A Parent's Complete Guide
Find the perfect summer camp for your preschooler. Learn about age-appropriate programs, what to look for, costs, and how to prepare your young child for camp.
When to Change Daycares: Red Flags, Warning Signs, and How to Transition
Know when it's time to switch daycares. Learn the warning signs of poor care, how to make the decision, and how to transition your child smoothly.
Working From Home With Kids: Child Care Solutions That Actually Work
Find the right child care solution for remote work. Covers options from part-time help to full-time care, plus strategies for managing work and kids at home.
Au Pair vs Nanny: Costs, Pros & Cons Compared
Compare au pairs and nannies side-by-side. Understand costs, visa requirements, pros and cons to decide which in-home child care option is right for your family.
Child Care Cost Calculator: Budget Planning Guide for Families
Calculate your true child care costs with our comprehensive guide. Includes worksheets, budget planning tips, and strategies to make care more affordable.
Understanding Child Care Licensing: State Requirements Explained
Learn what child care licensing means, why it matters, and what requirements providers must meet. Includes how to verify licensing and what to look for.
Child Care Tax Credit Guide: How to Claim Up to $6,000 in 2025
Learn how to maximize your child care tax benefits. Complete guide to the Child and Dependent Care Credit, Dependent Care FSA, and state tax credits.
Child Care Background Checks: What Parents Should Verify
Learn what background checks are required for child care providers, what they reveal, and how to verify your provider has been properly screened.
Daycare Safety Checklist: Red Flags Every Parent Must Know
Learn how to evaluate daycare safety with our comprehensive checklist. Covers physical safety, staff practices, policies, and warning signs to watch for.
Extended Hours & Overnight Child Care Options for Parents
Find child care for non-traditional hours, overnight shifts, and weekend work. Learn about options, costs, and tips for parents with flexible schedules.
Free and Subsidized Preschool Programs: State-by-State Guide
Find free preschool programs in your state. Learn about universal pre-K, Head Start, state subsidies, and other low-cost early education options for families.
Home Daycare vs Daycare Center: Which Is Better for Your Child?
Compare home-based daycare with daycare centers. Understand the pros, cons, costs, and quality indicators to choose the right care setting for your family.
How Much Does Child Care Cost? Complete 2025 Breakdown
Discover the true cost of child care in 2025. Compare daycare, nanny, and preschool costs by state with our comprehensive pricing guide and budget calculator.
How to Afford Child Care: Tax Credits, Subsidies & Money-Saving Strategies
Struggling to afford child care? Learn about tax credits, government subsidies, employer benefits, and proven strategies to reduce your child care costs.
How to Choose the Best Preschool for Your Child
A complete guide to choosing the right preschool. Covers program types, curriculum approaches, quality indicators, and questions to ask during tours.
How to Hire a Nanny: Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Parents
Learn how to find, interview, background check, and hire the perfect nanny. Includes sample questions, contract templates, and red flags to avoid.
Infant Daycare Guide: What Parents Need to Know (0-12 Months)
Everything you need to know about infant daycare, from what to look for in quality care to preparing your baby and yourself for the transition.
Managing Your Nanny: Contracts, Taxes & Best Practices
Learn how to manage your nanny professionally with this complete guide covering contracts, payroll, taxes, communication, and building a successful long-term relationship.
Montessori vs Traditional Preschool: Complete Comparison Guide
Understand the key differences between Montessori and traditional preschools. Compare teaching methods, costs, pros and cons to choose the right fit.
How Much Does a Nanny Cost? Complete 2025 Salary Guide
Discover nanny costs by state, experience level, and duties. Includes salary calculators, tax obligations, and tips for budgeting nanny expenses.
Nanny vs Daycare: Complete Comparison Guide for Parents
Comparing nanny and daycare options? Our comprehensive guide covers costs, pros and cons, and helps you decide which child care option is right for your family.
Preparing Your Child for Daycare: Complete Transition Guide
Help your child (and yourself) adjust to daycare with this comprehensive preparation guide. Covers what to expect, how to ease separation anxiety, and tips for success.
Preschool vs Daycare: What's the Difference and Which Is Right?
Confused about preschool vs daycare? Learn the key differences in curriculum, hours, cost, and philosophy to choose the right option for your child.
Separation Anxiety at Daycare: How to Help Your Child Adjust
Understand why separation anxiety happens and learn proven strategies to help your child (and yourself) cope with daycare drop-offs.
Finding Child Care for Special Needs Children: A Complete Guide
Navigate child care options for children with special needs. Learn how to find inclusive programs, understand your rights, and evaluate care quality.
Toddler Daycare Guide: Finding the Right Fit for Ages 1-3
Everything parents need to know about toddler daycare, including what to look for, developmental needs by age, costs, and how to ease the transition.
When Should Your Child Start Preschool? Age & Readiness Guide
Learn the ideal age to start preschool and how to assess your child's readiness. Covers developmental milestones, signs of readiness, and age-based options.
Should I Work or Stay Home? Calculator Guide for Parents
Calculate whether it makes financial sense to work or stay home with your kids. Compare daycare costs vs salary with our comprehensive decision framework.
The Complete Guide to Choosing the Right Daycare for Your Child
Everything parents need to know about finding, evaluating, and selecting quality daycare. Expert advice on what to look for, questions to ask, and red flags to avoid.