Child care for parents who work evenings works best when the evening has a shape: a meal, quiet time, homework for older children, and a predictable pick-up. Plan those four pieces and late shifts stop feeling like chaos.
Dinner is the anchor
Hungry children struggle with everything else. Ask whether meals are provided during evening care. At Nana's, meals are provided while your child is in care, so there is no need to pack food unless your child has a special diet.
Homework before tiredness wins
For school-age children, homework done early in the evening goes better than homework at pick-up. Look for a centre that sets aside homework time.
A calm wind-down
- ✓Pack a blanket and pillow from home.
- ✓Keep the same comfort object every night.
- ✓Ask the centre what the last hour before pick-up looks like.
Make pick-up predictable
Agree a regular pick-up time and call if you are running late. Many centres bill time outside your approved schedule, so the call matters for your budget as well as your child.
Mornings matter too
When a parent works evenings, the morning is often the family's best time together. Use it: breakfast at the table, a walk, a book. Children carry that time with them into the evening.
Questions to ask an evening child care centre
- ✓Which days and how late is the building open?
- ✓Is the building open for the whole evening — and overnight if a shift runs late?
- ✓What happens if I am late for pick-up?
- ✓Are there special rates for evening hours?
Where to find evening care in Glendale
Nana's 43rd Ave building is open 24 hours Monday through Saturday; Northern is open 5 AM to midnight. Read more about evening child care at Nana's.
evening child care at Nana's →Frequently asked questions
What should I pack for evening daycare?
A change of clothes, a blanket and pillow, and anything your child needs to settle; ask the centre whether meals are provided.