The ABC’s of Backup Care

For working parents, having consistent, quality childcare is a priority. But even the most dedicated, responsible childcare provider may become sick, experience a personal or family emergency or require the day off to attend an important meeting or event.

Having a backup care in place can mean the difference between a calm and chaotic response when the need to make alternative childcare plans presents itself.

When considering backup care, we encourage parents to follow these ABC’s:

A. Anticipate the Need.

Sometimes we’re so busy focusing on how much our nannies resemble real-life superheroes we forget that they have their own health and personal matters than need attention. Just like anyone else, nannies can catch the flu, be summonsed to appear for jury duty or deal with family emergencies. Anticipating the need for backup care can set the wheels in motion for developing a comprehensive backup childcare plan.

B. Brainstorm the Solutions.

When it comes to backup care, parents have a variety of solutions at their disposal. For many parents, asking a spouse to stay home from work or calling a family member or friend and asking for help is the first option. These can also be the most cost-effective options. For other parents, early and late childcare programs provided by the school may be suitable solutions. However, for parents who can’t miss work, don’t have family and friends who are available to help out and do not have access to school based childcare, utilizing a Morningside Nannies backup care provider can be the easiest solution. With a single phone call to our office, the Morningside Nannies team can arrange for a prescreened nanny or sitter to provide same day childcare in your home.

C. Connect With Your Contacts.

Once you’ve brainstormed your solutions, you’ll want to connect with your contacts. Reach out to local friends and family and ask them if you can add them to your emergency care contact list. Preregister with the school’s early and late care programs, if possible, so you aren’t left completely tons of paperwork at the last minute. If you’re not already a client, contact our office at (713) 526-3989 and register with us so we can learn as much about your childcare needs as possible, which can speed up the process of finding a qualified backup care provider for your children when you need one.

Having a solid backup childcare plan in place can help to ensure that you secure childcare when you need it most. At Morningside Nannies, whether you need long-term or short-term care, we are here to help you find the right childcare provider for your family.

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