From Mary Poppins to Miss Hannigan

Deciding on child care was one of the most stressful parts of planning for L.  There are so many options at varying costs that make for a very tricky decision. 

Ya, I mean, Mary Poppins would be an ideal nanny, but probably costs more than you and your husband's annual salary combined.  Miss Hannigan, on the other hand, she couldn't pay you to send your baby to her. 

I want to offer two helpful suggestions I came across when I was researching that fall somewhere between day care and a nanny: 

• The State of Texas has a website where you can enter in your zip code to see licensed/registered child care facilities in your area.  Along with day cares, it lists people who run smaller childcare programs in their homes.  You get the comfort of home without the cost of a nanny and without the germs of a daycare.  Check to see if your state offers a similiar web tool.
• See if you can find a friend to nanny-share with you.  You both could pay less and the nanny makes more.  It is genius!  Might be a little difficult to find a nanny willing to take on multiple children, but definitely worth a shot if you decide daycare is not for you.

I hope this helps for those of you experiencing child care anxiety.