| Having a baby at home is a wonderful | | | | |
| experience. Looking after the baby and caring | | | | In a childcare center you will need at least |
| for it is an even more fulfilling experience. | | | | one certified trained person that should |
| When calculating how much to feed a baby, on | | | | oversee everything, this is very important if |
| average a baby needs two and a half ounces of | | | | something should happen during operational |
| formula for each pound of his weight. A baby | | | | hours. How can a parent be sure they have |
| does not distinguish night from day. If it's | | | | made the right decision? A parent wants the |
| your first, your baby is going to make a big | | | | best possible care for their child. Today |
| difference in your life. Of course babies | | | | child care centers are very expensive, |
| cannot understand what you are saying because | | | | sometimes parents wonder if it is cost |
| they don't have a grasp of the English | | | | effective for both parents to work, because |
| language but they do understand sounds and | | | | it is so expensive many think that the day |
| tones, and if you talk quietly and make happy | | | | care centers are money magnets. |
| noises the baby know this. | | | | |
| | | | The most important parts of providing daycare |
| If both parents are working and you need to | | | | for your child and that's your child's |
| balance the care of your child between day | | | | nutritional needs. Certainly the daycare |
| care centers there are many things you can do | | | | center is not going to let the child starve |
| to accomplish this, even if you are single | | | | and the food the child is given to eat will |
| parent many day care centers will work with | | | | certainly be good food. Trying to find good |
| you to help out. If both parents work a day | | | | quality daycare is very hard. |
| job maybe you can arrange to have one of the | | | | |
| parents working either at night or a | | | | When the child care deductions came about |
| staggered shift, say starting at noon and | | | | many parents were very happy about this |
| working to 8 or 9. And usually the best time | | | | because it put more money in their pockets. |
| to do this is in the summer when both parents | | | | Many laws have changed since 2001, this was |
| might be off work. | | | | around when all the tax cuts were happening |
| | | | and in fact increased the tax deductions for |
| As you look at the child care alternatives of | | | | the number for children. Children who are |
| day care center, day care at someone else's | | | | under the age 12 the parents are eligible to |
| home, or a dedicated child care worker in | | | | receive a tax break for them and this is a |
| your home, there are two other factors you | | | | life saver for many. If you didn't know about |
| should take into consideration: it may be | | | | this tax advantage there are many accountants |
| best to consider only state licensed day care | | | | or professional tax planners that can help |
| providers; and your friend or co-worker's | | | | with this, and show you how you can claim |
| considered choice might not be the best one | | | | this deduction on your taxes. |
| for your family. | | | | |