Childcare in New Orleans
For those of you who do not know, I am pregnant. Currently I am moving into the part of the pregnancy where on top of everything else I am supposed to start worrying about Pediatricians and Childcare (have I not already been worrying about this?). So, the search begins.
Of course being in New Orleans after Katrina provides a few extra challenges. First, most of the childcare centers in New Orleans are gone and according to this article, they are not really planning to come back.
It’s no secret that New Orleans had trouble with its schools in the past and the prospect of putting my children through school here is a scary one at best but the more pressing question for me is what about the day care centers, what were they like pre Katrina and with only 52 of 266 child care centers left in the city what are they like now? Let’s now sprinkle on the fact that I will need infant care and all of a sudden, the search becomes nearly impossible. The one plus is I will only need this care two to three days per week.
Where does one go? An internet search reveals lists of child care providers in New Orleans and the surrounding areas however you will find if you look deeper many of those telephone numbers don’t work and after entering my zip code on their websites quite a few of the larger corporate centers do not have a location anywhere near me.
I am now on a quest to find a moderate priced childcare service that can care for my infant in a loving and professional manor without shaking or hitting. One that is conveniently located to my home for care of my new baby two to three days per week.
I still have a few months to search but is it all just a pipe dream?
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My question to women in your situation, regardless of economic status . . . why are you having a kid you can’t ‘care’ for? I don’t know, it seems so nuts and bolts to daily-life-with-child that so many women just pretend isn’t reality til it actually happens. It’s hard to sympathize regardless of where you live.
If we waited until we could “afford” children or things were smooth, we’d never have them. I don’t envy your situation — but it’s solvable. My kids are adults now, so I’m no help in the current situation. However, miracles appear in the strangest of places.
To begin with, I’d get close with some churches — the Catlicks and the Baptists especially.
If your schedule allows for some flexibility, I’d recommend checking out craigslist or looking into college students to care for your child at home. I just wrapped up a year (give or take, with the storm) working with a family and their baby. There are students out there who are willing and very able to care for your child in your home for a decent wage.
We have the means to ‘care’ for our baby, I Want to go back to work part-time.
Thanks for the craigslist idea I will check that out. There are more options popping up everyday It’s just going to be harder than usual (like everything else here right now.)
Hi,
I was watching some shows on TV about Katrina and the one year mark. I was doing some internet searching to learn more about how things are there and to see if I could make a difference. In my researching I came across this blog and it is very disheartening to read the comment from the person who asked you “why are you having kids you can not care for?” Do not listen to this ignorant person. I could not go on without saying that I feel for you and I can not even begin to imagine what it would be like to have to worry about daycare. For the comment that was made they must not realize that having a job and making money is “taking care of them” it is called providing for the family. Just becuase the mom is the one who is pregnant does not mean she has to give up her career. Good luck with everything and maybe hopefully the person who made that horrible comment would realize that you were only asking for advice on daycare. Love your new baby and goodluck.
Hi, I just wanted to say also that the idiot that posted the first comment about the “My question to women in your situation, regardless of economic status . . . why are you having a kid you can’t ‘care’ for? I don’t know, it seems so nuts and bolts to daily-life-with-child that so many women just pretend isn’t reality til it actually happens. It’s hard to sympathize regardless of where you live.”
What a total idiotic dimwitted JERK!
All she was doing was asking for advice not being asked for someone to be rude to her. Your not a very nice person to make such a comment as you did and I feel sorry for you as it seems that you DONT have a heart or feelings whatsoever! Maybe if you was in her situation you would think differently.
I feel for the lady and I wish her nothing but the best of luck with her new baby and her life. God Bless you all.
I AM TRYING TO START A DAY CARE I AM A DIRECTOR LOOKING FOR A BUILDING I WANT TO HELP ALL OF YOU WHO CAN’T FIND CHILD CARE IF ANYONE KNOWS OF A BUILDING FOR RENT OR LEASE PLEASE E-MAIL ME WITH THAT INFO THE STATE NEEDS TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO WANTS TO HELP YOU GUYS GET THE BUILDINGS NEEDED TO CARE FOR YOUR KIDS I WANT A BUILDING THAT CAN MAYBE HOUSE 50 KIDS I PROMISE YOU WILL BE SATISFIED WITH THE PRICES AND SERVICES GOOD LUCK TO ALL PARENTS GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU …….
I just wanted to let everyone know about the services that my employer, Agenda for Children, provides to parents and child care providers.
Our child care resource and referral program helps parents find child care for their children. When you call, a trained parent counselor will discuss your child and family’s needs, and will then refer you to at least three providers that best meet those needs. We help parents find the type of child care they want, whether it is in a center, family child care home, after-school program, summer camp, nursery school, or mothers-day-out program. We provide parents with referrals, but not recommendations. All of our services to parents are completely free. Funding is provided through a grant from the Department of Social Services. We created a regularly updated map of all of the opened and closed child care centers with our partners at the GNOCDC- http://www.gnocdc.org/maps/orleans_child_care.pdf. You can contact us at 504-586-8509 or visit us on the web at http://www.agendaforchildren.org.
We are also actively working with child care providers to assist them in rebuilding. If you are interested in providing care for children in a center or in your own home (family child care), please contact us. We compiled a list of resources (including grants and business assistance) that are available to child care providers, which you can view at http://www.agendaforchildren.org/grantsforchildcare.pdf.