Spring Brings New Beginnings!

Our location has moved! We are still in the Beechview area however, we love our bigger space. Public transportation just a fee minutes away, library only a 5 minute walk and family friendly area. We re very excited and our current parents/children are as well.

Happy Holidays From Justine!

Hope all is well with the year of 2013 soon concluding. I have been on a great learning adventure this past 5 months since opening and can not wait to improve my establishment over the next year. May you celebrate what means most to your family, be safe and have a memorable holiday season. Until next year...

The High Cost Of Childcare

Child care is a major expense in family budgets, often exceeding the cost of housing, college tuition, transportation or food. Unlike all other areas of education investment, including higher education, families pay the majority of costs for early education. A recent release, Parents and the High Cost of Child Care 2013 Report,by Child Care Aware of America provides information about the cost of child care from a recent survey of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) State Network offices and local agencies. Child care costs were reported for infants, 4-year-olds, and school-age care in centers and family child care homes. The report also compares the cost of child care to household income, expenses and college tuition.

According to the report, in Pennsylvania, the 2012 average annual cost for an infant in a child care center was over $10,000. In contrast, 2012 annual rent payments in Pennsylvania were slightly over $9,000 and 2012 annual tuition and fees at a public college were slightly over $12,000. A Pennsylvania family of three at the poverty level will have spent more than half of their annual income on center-based care for their infant, while a family of three at 150% of poverty level will have spent more than a third. Although costs were lower as a child aged, it didn't look much better for families. Those same families would have spent over 45% and 30% respectively for center-based care for a four-year old.

Follow Justine's Daycare on Instagram!

You can now keep up to date with everything by simply following Justine's Family Home Daycare, @justinesdaycare. Promotions, Updates, and Openings will be posted daily.

Tis The Season...

I'm up on this Saturday planning my holiday 2013 events in advance to avoid chaos and a headache. With shopping, visits with my kids to Santa themed activities and multiple family functions soon ahead planning time and budget saves a lot of stress. During this busy time I allow parents to extend hours of care and/or add days and am even opening my door to limited hours of weekend care. Email for more info!

Montessori?? What do You Think About It?

Ok. First off if you know nothing about Montessori teaching methods take a quick moment to google/YouTube this way of teaching. Whatever is your preferred way of Internet learning. After being introduced to this method about 6 years ago I decided to incorporate it into the daily schedule of my new daycare. I am all for it, but institutions and daycares that are based fully on this method and don't seem to offer a young child everything they need to encourage creativity and imagination. Leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Small? Yes! Unstructured?? Absolutely NOT!

Think just because I only plan on watching 4 kids, max at a time, we are not going abide by a well structured, activity filled schedule? I believe that's even more reason to have age-appropriate fun planned throughout the day. It will be more focused, personal and controlled. That's just one beauty of in home child care.