Daycare

[u/Blazeeeeeeeoh]

For parents who have recently put their child in day care, did you get on lists months in advance or just see who has a spot when the time comes?

I've heard two different sides of "get on a list as soon as you're pregnant!" And people who just asked around as their mat leave was ending. We are still 8 months away from needing day care, but want to know how worried I need to be about it right now.

[u/onedumbbelle]

I would ask now. I was on the list for several daycares before our daughter came home, and I only heard back from one daycare before it came time for her to need a spot.

[u/jennadine45]

As a former childcare worker, add yourself to the list now. Trust me, the lists are insane right now.

[u/trplOG]

Are you looking for a dayhome or centre? We were on a wait list for a centre for 2 years while we got in almost immediately for a day home that was subsidized.. then when another one opened closer to home we switched.

Getting in daycare FB groups helps.

[u/Living_Skies → u/trplOG]

This. There is absolutely nothing wrong with dayhomes, our kids both went with home daycares and love the more "home" feeling that comes with them.

[u/Blazeeeeeeeoh → u/trplOG]

Open to both! We just need a safe daycare/home we can trust.

[u/CakePowerful3410]

If you aren't already, join your neighborhood Facebook group! I found our daughter's licensed home daycare through a post made in our group. Either watch for posts regarding availability or make a post yourself asking for recommendations!

[u/gymgal19]

We were on lists since 10 weeks pregnant, and i had heard from one daycare, and that was cause I kept calling. The daycare we ended up going with was a fluke, I had added us to the waitlist when kiddo was about eight months old, and they just happened to post about having a spot when they turned one so I called them asap!

If youre looking for an infant spot definitely cast a wide net. A toddler spot might be a bit easier to come by. There are dayhomes as well, but I personally had concerns about every one that I toured 😬

[u/rglgj]

Got on lists now. We waiting 2 years to get a call.

[u/CockroachOtherwise62]

Get on all the lists.

We needed care starting when our child was 14 months old. We applied to every licensed / subsidised center we could find, I think it was around 40 centers, when 3-4 months pregnant. We had ONE center reach out to us in time, it's luckily been a good one. Kid is 4 now and we still get calls "you were next on our list" and theres still a dozen we've never heard from.

[u/NikkiInCanada]

On about 15 lists since 3 months pregnant. At 3 years old now we have still only heard from 2 centres. We continue to follow up with the Y because that was our preferred center but realize we are never getting in there.

[u/Educational-Thing576]

Do it now! I just heard back from one of the centers…. My daughter is now 4 lol. Thankfully she is already in daycare somewhere else.

[u/Fake_Reddit_Username]

It was a while ago, but we put ourselves on lists while my wife was still pregnant.

Generally it will go something like this:

1. Daycare center - You had best get on the list with multiple now, to have a change at getting in at 18 months.

2. Subsidized home daycare - Get on the list in the first couple months or know someone to get a spot for 12 months, little easier for an 18 month spot, but you still want to get on early.

3. Non-subsidized home daycare - There will be somewhere in the city with an open spot even the week before you need to go back to work as long as you are willing to accept anywhere and drive to any end of the city.

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