When we moved to our new house last year, I didn’t know what the heck I was going to do about daycare for my kids. In our old neighborhood, we had a neighbor who was also a mom watch the kids before and after school as needed. I only go into my office about once a week, and I work from home the rest of the time, so it’s pointless for me to pay for a full week of daycare when I only need a day here and there. We really lucked out when our neighbor offered to help us out. When we moved…well, our neighbor didn’t move with us, so we were stuck once again! Luckily, I made a friend in town right away, and she has been able to help us out with picking up the kids on the days I go into work.

We’ve completely lucked out in our childcare situation, but I realize lots of parents aren’t so lucky, and finding daycare openings is a tough thing. You’ve got to get on waiting lists and research daycares in advance. A new service called Daycare Bear was launched in 2005, and it can help you find nearby daycares with openings. You can search by zip code, rates, the ages of children accepted, and lots of other options. A site like this can be a real lifesaver for working parents.