Some parents send their child off to the local daycare center because they think that (although it would not be their first choice) they probably cannot afford a babysitter to watch their child in their home while they work.

Would you believe the opposite may actually be true? It may be less expensive to have a babysitter in your home than in costs for your current daycare.

How Much it Costs

Depending on your area, in-home care can be a much better bargain than a daycare center. One mom with 3 children can save up to 50% in some areas just by changing to this childcare option.

Additional Benefits of In-Care Care

In addition to saving money, there are other benefits to in-home care for your children. These include:

• More one on one attention-Because your sitter has less children to watch at a time, your children get the needed personal attention that allows them to thrive. This type of dedicated interaction increases language skills, gives him or her chances to explore his or her environment on daily outings and shows him/her right from wrong.

• No need to stay home with sick kids-Most in-home sitters are happy to care for your children even if they are sick. This saves you a lot of time lost in absences from work.

• More control over the type of care and your child’s activities — With in-home care, you can determine the activities that you feel are important for your child and which are not. You can also design activities around your child’s talents and interests.

Especially if there is more than one child in your family, in-home care services like Sittercity are something worth checking into. You may find that it better fits your situation and saves you money.

By: Beth Howland

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