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by Tiffany Capuano
Selecting a childcare provider can be an enormous
challenge for many families. Parents may find quality
care at numerous childcare facilities near home or work,
but for these Atlanta-area families, finding the right
childcare option meant thinking outside the box while
keeping their family’s needs at the forefront.
 Jordan Family
Before Alison Jordan had children she knew she wanted
to hire a nanny to get the type of personal one-on-one
care she had as a child. Jordan’s own mother was a
stay-at-home mom, but what she remembers most is the
personal time she had with her mom. Staying home wasn’t
a viable option for Jordan, who wanted to maintain her
career as a Cobb County court reporter while raising her
family. What it took was finding the right addition that
makes it much easier.
"I knew I wanted one-on-one care," says Jordan. "I
wanted someone who could be my friend too. I wanted to
build a relationship, by setting ground rules, and going
from there."
The Jordans hired Jody Vane, a 17-year veteran in the
nanny business, to come to their Smyrna home to watch
over Benjamin, 3, and Nathan, 13 months. She’s been a
nanny for their family for 18 months.
"Jody’s been a nanny longer than I’ve been a mother,"
says Jordan. She’s been invaluable when it comes to
pediatrician appointments, knows side effects to many
medications, and also does all of the boys’ laundry.
Jody also has a family of her own to go home to each
night, including 8-year-old Zachary.
 Brooker Family
Finding quality care close to work was most important
to Rosemarie Brooker of Alpharetta, a property manager
in DeKalb County. She discovered Easter Seals Child
Development centers two years ago, even though her son
did not have special needs.
Easter Seals centers serve children of all abilities
and have classrooms that are fully inclusive, mixing
children with and without disabilities. With five
centers in Fulton County the centers accommodate any
child, including those with severe physical
disabilities.
"I think Easter Seals takes it one step further by
getting him prepped for school," says Brooker, whose
5-year-old son, Dakota, starts kindergarten in the fall.
"Their teaching has fundamentally helped my child."
Cost is a factor when choosing child-care, says
Brooker, who is a single parent. "I’m willing to pay the
extra money if the facility is worth it, but I didn’t
need to for the Easter Seals center," she says. "I like
that they are open with me, and if there is a need to be
addressed with Dakota, they are understanding."
 James Family
The James family of Newnan also discovered their
choice for childcare was simply based on their beliefs.
Their family unit was important, and they wanted to
spend quality time as a family, but they also knew they
could live without the extra income of two full-time
careers.
Jackie James is a registered nurse at Crawford Long
Hospital, where she works three 12-hour shifts per week.
Walter works the other two days in residential
construction. On their days off, they switch
responsibilities for their children, Donovan, 5, Beck,
4, and Sara, 1.
When their first child was born, Walter worked
full-time in Atlanta, spending long days at the office.
Not satisfied with his job, he decided to change
careers, while Jackie liked her job as a nurse.
"What started out as a six-month trial has turned
into years of quality family time," says Jackie. They
have more play time, take more trips and enjoy all their
meals together.
While trading off their parental childcare duties
with each other, they are also able to get out of the
house, taking small respites from the demanding
responsibilities of childcare.
"Our son always asks, ‘Who is home today?’ But I
think he’s figured out that I give out more snacks,"
laughs Jackie.
 Schultz Family
For Tamara Schultz and her sister, Laura Hecker,
keeping childcare in the family is their best option. A
former teacher, Hecker has been watching the Schultz
children – 4-year-old niece, Alexa, and 2-year-old
nephew, Lucas – for the past three years. Schultz did
use childcare for Alexa’s first year, but she wasn’t
happy with this choice.
When Schultz took a promotion two years ago and
transferred to Atlanta, it took four months before
Hecker’s family also relocated here, bringing the
sisters back together again. Living only a few miles
apart from one another in Powder Springs, their
arrangement works well for both of them.
Schultz, who works full-time for Scholastic Book
Fairs, treats Hecker like her childcare provider, rather
than just her sister, by compensating her so that she
can give the children the best care and support, and
teach them.
"I love that my kids are with family," says Schultz.
"I never worry about them. She takes care of them like
her own." Schultz says her children are also learning
some of the same morals and beliefs that the sisters’
share.
"I have a hard time knowing that she knows my kids
better than I do," Schultz adds.
Schultz and Hecker, who is a single mother of two
children close in ages to the Schultz children, even
keep their backup childcare arrangements in the family.
The sisters’ parents, who live nearby, are often there
to fill in where necessary.
And the cousins are getting their share of getting to
know one another. Alexa calls Hecker’s oldest son, Ben,
her best friend. Like their mothers who share the bond
of sisterhood, they too share a special bond.
 Pike Family
Finding a childcare provider to bond with their baby
seemed like an easy slot to fill, but when Michelle and
Robert Pike of Marietta began searching for childcare,
they weren’t sure where to begin. After going online and
finding a phone number to call for Georgia-registered,
in-home childcare providers, they called, gave the
geographic area they were interested in, and ended up
selecting the first person they interviewed from the
list.
"It was peaceful, clean and a loving environment,"
says Michelle Pike. "It made us feel comfortable."
After two years with caregiver Denise Depasquale, who
has been providing childcare in her home for 15 years,
Michelle likes that the state requires continuing
education courses for Depasquale to keep her state
license.
"She maintains a structure with all the children –
six of them, ranging in ages from 4 years to 13 months –
and gives them more educational things to do, such as
finger-painting, learning numbers and colors," adds
Michelle.
More cost-effective than a childcare center, Michelle
says the only drawback is not having any type of backup.
"If [Depasquale is] sick, we have to take a day off
work, and when our kids are sick, we’re home too," she
says.
"My boys love her. They even call her mom. All the
kids do," says Michelle. "But that doesn’t bother me. I
know my boys are well-connected to her and they know the
difference. She has a big heart."
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