Child Care For Lakewood Blog

What’s the difference between babysitting in a child’s home and child care in a care-giver’s home? Cost may be a major difference when more than a few hours of care are needed. Established babysitters may charge $10-$20 per hour. Compare that with about $35 for one day of family home day care (the standard part-time rate for Whitcomb Family Daycare). And if a babysitter charges less than $8 per hour, what about the quality of care?

But what about the joy a child may experience playing with other children? This is expected in a home where other children are given care; it’s uncommon with a babysitting arrangement.

California law requires that children cared for in a “family daycare” home shall not be allowed to play or spend any time in the front yard of the child-care house. In addition, state law requires that a six foot fence be in the back yard.

But what is the significance of a front yard fence? (Children in child care are not allowed in the front yard.) The fence can sometimes make life safer for children when they are picked up or dropped off at the care-giving home.

Gladys and Jonathan Whitcomb welcome questions and comments about child care in general and our family home daycare in particular. In our friendly, gentle home environment, we prepare pre-schoolers for kindergarten. This includes teaching them letters and numbers. Perhaps even more important, we help prepare them emotionally: We direct them towards positive interactions with other children.

Please give Gladys a call at 562-427-6027. We look forward to your visit to our home at 4503 Walnut Avenue, Long Beach, convenient to much of Lakewood, California (just west of Cherry Park).

We are licensed by the city of Long Beach (including a fire dept. clearance) and the state of California: CA license # 191604310

For years, we have been certified for healthy meals by Comprehensive Child Development (C.C.D.), giving nutritious food for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack (and supper for those children staying into the evening).

Outdoor play time is of three types: buggy rides around the neighborhood, buggy rides to the nearby park (Cherry Park, where the children play on play equipment that is suited to the individual and age needs), and backyard mini-playground fun.

To learn more details about our family child care, see:

Cost of child care (Lakewood and Long Beach areas)

Child Care in the Lakewood area (including part of a parent-reference)

About Gladys Whitcomb (includes many links)

Long Beach Home Child Care (Whitcomb Family)

Child Care Associations (for child care providers)

Child Care Front-Yard Fence (safety issue making the fence important)

Babysitting Nanny or Professional Child Care For Lakewood