All parents of young children should have a back-up plan for childcare options but in most cases, parents develop a plan only after crisis hits. Sooner or later, your childcare provider will call and cancel the morning you least need it to happen.

Thinking ahead to plan for such unexpected situations can give you peace of mind and reduce your stress level if the emergency does occur.

So how do you plan so you won’t be left at the last minute without a care provider on the worst possible day for it to happen?

1. Do your research. Check out daycare options in your area that may allow for last-minute drop in childcare. Try it out on a day when you really don’t need it so that you will be prepared when the inevitable happens.

Your child will feel more comfortable when you really need to take him there in a last minute emergency and you’ll know what to expect as well.

2. College Kids. If you have college age kids in the area, many would be more than happy to help you out. Calls around beforehand to find several students who would be willing and able to respond in a moment’s notice.

3. Babysitting Services. Sittercity’s babysitting services can connect parents with great childcare resources in their local community. You can use them to try out some back-up sitters for day or evening schedules.

4. Try a Friendly Neighbor If you have a neighbor who is a stay-at-home mom or a retiree, they may work out a swap of some type with you. The stay-at-home mom may ask you to return the favor for a chance to go out with her husband one evening, while the retiree may need help cutting the grass. It may work out to be a perfect solution for you both.

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Choosing the right childcare situation for your child is one of the hardest decisions that many parents make. Your choice of the right setting depends on your preferences and your child’s needs.

Here is a look at some pros and cons of the various options:

Child Care Centers. These are places that usually take all age children including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. They must follow certain health and safety standards, as well as requirement for staffing and educational programs. These programs are often fun similar to “school” where groups of same age children remain grouped and engaged in activities together. The pros are that your children will have many other kids to play with and tons of activities. The major cons are lack of individual attention and activities that cater to your child’s own needs.

Family Child Care. This type of care is provided in a caregiver’s own home. While many of these sitters accept children of all ages, some providers care for only one specific age group. Some are very relaxed, nurturing, and homelike while others function in a more structured, educational setting like larger childcare centers. The advantages are more individual attention while still having children to play with. The disadvantages are lack of control over your child’s activities and lack of flexible scheduling options.

In-home Care. More and more parents are hiring a caring adult to watch children in their own homes. The benefits of this type of care include: better one-on-one attention, greater control of your child’s daily activities and more flexibility for a parent’s schedule. The only disadvantage is that the parent has to take the responsibility of finding and screening the caregiver, running background checks and conducting interviews to find the right fit. Although, with Sittercity to help, it just became a whole lot easier.

Some parents may choose one option with their first child and then switch to another as more children are added to the mix. Only you know the best options for you and your family.

To get 10% off when you click the image below and use the Code TYPE at checkout: