Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Acknowledgment -- Contents -- Section I: Overview -- Chapter 1: Your Family's Need for Childcare -- Making the Cost/Benefit Analysis -- Dealing with the Guilty Parent Syndrome -- Chapter 2: Childcare Alternatives -- Day Care Centers -- Family Day Care -- Preschools -- Nannies -- Au Pairs -- Babysitters -- Relatives -- Chapter 3: The Importance of Quality Childcare -- Quality of Care -- Section II: Childcare Outside of the Home -- Chapter 4: Day Care Centers and Preschools -- Day Care Centers -- Preschools -- Montessori Programs -- Chapter 5: Family Day Care -- Disadvantages -- Locating Family Day Care -- Costs of Family Day Care -- Unlicensed Family Day Care Homes -- Chapter 6: Evaluating Out-of-Home Care -- Licensing and Accreditation -- Checking Out Potential Day Care Centers and Family Day Care Homes -- Preliminary Questions -- Director and Staff -- Premises -- Daily Activites -- Policies -- Interactions with the Staff -- Safety and Security Concerns -- Emergencies -- Miscellaneous Concerns -- Section III: Childcare Inside the Home -- Chapter 7: Locating Nannies -- Agencies -- Finding a Nanny on Your Own -- Nanny Training Programs -- Chapter 8: The Hiring Process -- Application -- Interview Discussion -- References and Background Checks -- Chapter 9: Employment Issues -- The Employment Agreement -- Nanny Taxes -- Employment Eligibility Verification -- Minimum Wage and Overtime Laws -- Chapter 10: Au Pairs -- Locating an Au Pair -- Exchange Visitor Visa Providers -- Cost of an Au Pair -- Chapter 11: Using Relatives as Childcare Givers -- Availability and Reliability of the Relative -- Ability of the Relative -- Family Issues -- Compensation -- Section IV: Occasional or Part-Time Childcare -- Chapter 12: After-School Care -- Day Care Centers and Family Day Care -- Sitters -- After-School Programs.

Chapter 13: Childcare During Summer Vacation -- Sitters -- Summer Camp -- Chapter 14: Childcare Options for the Night Shift -- Chapter 15: Backup Childcare -- Sources for Backup Childcare -- Sick Child Day Care -- Section V: Paying for Childcare -- Chapter 16: Government Assistance -- Tax Credits -- State Tax Benefits -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families -- Child Care and Development Funds -- Head Start -- State Department of Human Services and Telephone Numbers -- State Child Care and Development Programs -- Chapter 17: Employer Assistance -- Dependent Care Assistance Plans -- Subsidies -- On-Site Day Care -- Section VI: Your Child's Well-Being in the Childcare Setting -- Chapter 18: Helping Your Child Adjust -- Out-of-Home Care -- In-Home Care -- Chapter 19: Maintaining a Good Relationship with the Childcare Provider -- Out-of-Home Caregivers -- In-Home Caregivers -- Section VII: Handling Difficulties in the Childcare Relationship -- Chapter 20: Monitoring the Childcare Situation -- Visits to the Childcare Facility -- Networking with Other Families -- Nanny Cams -- Chapter 21: Resolving Problems with the Caregiver -- Philosophical Differences -- When the Childcare Provider is Unreasonable or Unreliable -- Chapter 22: Harmful or Abusive Situations -- Preventing the Harmful Environment -- Avoiding Child Abuse in Childcare -- Addressing Abuse or Neglect -- Child Abuse Hotline Telephone Numbers -- Chapter 23: Terminating the Childcare Relationship -- Put It in Writing -- In-Home Care Terminations -- Problems the In-Home Caregiver Can Create -- Termination by the Childcare Provider -- Your Child's Reaction -- Set Up a Replacement -- Section VIII: Additional Childcare Issues -- Chapter 24: The Special Needs Child -- Locating Specialized Childcare -- Deciding on the Type of Childcare -- Evaluating Special Needs Childcare Options.

Americans with Disabilities Act -- Cost Considerations -- Chapter 25: The Work-at-Home Parent -- Finding Childcare so Your Can Work -- Using Other WAHMs for Childcare -- National Parenting-Related Organizations -- Chapter 26: The Single Parent -- Finding Support -- Chapter 27: Transportation During Childcare -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- Appendix A: State Childcare Licensing Offices -- Appendix B: Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies -- Appendix C: Websites -- Appendix D: Sample Forms -- Index -- About the Author.