Review you own feelings about staying at home with your child when you decide whether to raise your child at home or use a child care. If you decide to raise your child at home, the experience can prove valuable for both you and your child if you feel happy with the decision. If you end up resenting your stay-at-home situation, the experience will prove to be negative both for you and your child.
Budget your expenses when deciding on home care or child care center. Balance the income that you will make from employment, if you feel that you need to work with the expenses of child care. In some cases, the difference does not provide enough extra income to make it worthwhile to go to work. You may find it feasible to find a part-time child care arrangement and share the remainder of the time with your partner or spouse, providing the needed income while reducing the expenses of child care. Or you may choose to work part-time, reducing child care expenses while allowing you to work as well as spend some time with your child.
Visit the child care facilities available in your neighborhood. You will want to find a quality child care situation that affords you the peace of mind to work or take care of your other responsibilities while your child has a positive day care experience. Options for child care include home-based care and center-based care. Visit the child care homes and centers several times before making your decision. If the child care options available to you don't meet your expectations, you may decide to stay at home with your child.
Gather your resources if you decide to rear your child at home. Parents who stay at home with their child should have a support system in place, including babysitters, friends and mommy-and-me/daddy-and-me groups that offer you adult companionship, stimulation and time off. Even getting together with a few other parents and their children can provide you with the opportunity to socialize with other people who raise their children at home. You can share ideas, advice and provide each other with assistance while the children also have a chance to meet other kids and play with them.