Recently, the Early Show team from CBS News visited our offices in Waltham to learn more about our tips for cost-saving child care options this summer. Something I think we all need right about now. :)

Over the past few months, many of our members have written in with concerns over the rising cost of child care during this economy. According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), Americans are now spending an average of $8,000 per year (nearly $700 a month) for child care for babies and toddlers. And everyone, including nannies and babysitters, is hard-pressed to budget these days—with wage workers also being forced to raise their hourly rates just in order to get by.

Recently, I've blogged about several topics around getting creative and devising a care plan that works for your budget and your family's individual needs, plus our editorial team here at Care.com has created some fantastic how-to guides for parents who are trying to determine the right rates of pay for their babysitter or nanny.

Check out these Care.com blog posts and articles for more tips on:

Affordable Child Care Options for Summer

Family Members as Caregivers

Child Care Costs: Paying a Nanny

We're Going Out—How Much Do I Pay My Sitter?

Do you have a creative way of saving on child care costs that we didn't cover? Share it with the Care.com community by posting a comment.

And, check back later this week for the video link to my interview on the Early Show!

Cheers,

Sheila

What a great summer we’re having so far! We've been enjoying the outdoors as a family: throwing the football around in the yard; walking; gardening; and swimming. Our little guy is loving it.  :)

We sometimes forget, however, to put on sunscreen and insect repellent, or to bring enough water on our walks. And, sadly, a friend of mine recently was diagnosed with Lyme disease. It’s important to be cautious about summer hazards like these.

Check out these blog posts for warm-weather safety tips for the whole family—pets, too!—and be sure to check in with elderly neighbors and relatives regularly:

Summer Health Concerns for Kids

Summer Health Concerns for Seniors

Summer Health Concerns for Pets

Have tips of your own for keeping your family safe, happy, and healthy in the heat and humidity? Share them with the Care.com community by posting a comment!

Good friends of ours in California just had a baby, and they're worried about the transition for their dog, Button, who's gotten used to being the "only child." It really got me thinking about this trend, where couples are first putting pets at the center of their nuclear family and deciding to have kids later.

Sound familiar?

In his recent book, Dogs, published by DK's Eyewitness Guides, veterinarian Dr. Bruce Fogle commented on this growing phenomenon:

"We live in an era where couples are choosing to have children later on in their lives," Dr. Fogle wrote. "Increased work, commitments, spiraling housing prices, cohabiting, and a general increase in the cost of living often mean that kids can be put on hold. Women may decide to wait until their late thirties to have their own children and, in the absence of the "real thing," the family dog takes on increased significance. It may be treated just like a child; partners in relationships often encourage their dogs to participate in as many aspects of their daily life as possible, including jogging, hiking, even dining with them, and thus create a family unit. The emergence of confident urban gay communities has also created a new sector of dog owners. Almost invariably, couples who don't have children are honest with themselves and their vets when they acknowledge that dog ownership adds glue to their relationships, a common bond, something that both individuals can embrace and care for." (pages 47-48)

Jessica Williams, a Care.com member and the proud mom of two strapping sons, ages two and four, and three happy and well-adjusted dogs, adds her veteran advice for getting the animals ready.

"Don't let the dogs get away with anything," Jessica says. "We stuck our fingers in all the places the kids would—the dogs' ears, eyes, food bowls—tugged their tails, and pet-proofed the areas the baby would be spending the most time, like the couch and floors. Our vet told us that getting rid of dog and cat hair where the baby would be laying or playing was also really important."

Jess and her husband, Luke, their Golden Retriever, Oakley, their Rottweiler-German Shepherd mix, Daisy, and their Cocker Spaniel, Olivia, plus two cats, lived happily for many years before children entered the picture. Once the kids become toddlers, Jess said it was also important for her sons to start learning about pet care responsibilities, and for the dogs to start understanding the kids' place in the food chain—literally.

"We let the kids start feeding the dogs on their own around age two. When we get up in the morning, the boys scoop the dogs' food and put down their water bowl. They love it, and the dogs have more respect for the boys as little "masters."

There are also a plethora of expert guides out there to help with the transition from "family of three" to traditional family. Each celebrity pet trainer has their own specific advice on gradually re-training your dog and getting him used to the new routines and impending chaos of having a baby around the house, and it's also important to gauge your dog's own unique personality and breed temperament.

Check out our editors' favorites:

DogSpeak by Bash Dibra

"Go back to basics and reinforce obedience and simple commands…Later, these commands allow [the dog] to lie quietly at her owner's feet as she feeds the baby, creating additional bonding between [dog] and baby and making [the dog] protective of this new, helpless creature…The dog will catch on, acting as "nanny" and alerting mom to baby's needs and cries." (pages 235-237, on pet preparations during pregnancy and afterwards)

Be the Pack Leader by Cesar Milan and Melissa Jo Peltier

"Remain in control of the dog…and never let the [child] make the first move, [paying] special attention to their behavior (excited, nervous, etc.) If the child's energy just doesn't seem right to you, or if the dog just isn't in the mood, wait. Don't risk it." (pages 263-264, on introducing your dog to a child or a stranger)

Have you gone through the transition from dog as "only child" to having real children? Please share your thoughts and experiences with the Care.com community by posting a comment!

And, for more information on preparing your pets for your baby's arrival, check out this fantastic article, Pets and Babies, by Care.com contributing writer Christine Koh, of BostonMamas.com.

A good friend recently told me that she won't hire "good looking" babysitters. She didn't feel comfortable with the idea, and when asked if it was because there were issues at home, she said: "There aren't any issues, which is why I don't hire them."

I'm pretty sure she was joking, but also realize that every couple and family has their own dynamic. Most people do want to see what their potential nanny looks like before meeting them for an interview. But, is there a fine line between hiring someone who's pleasing to the eye and someone who's potentially going to cause problems in your relationship? It seems that some people, like my friend, would just rather not take the risk. Is hiring an attractive babysitter or nanny to look after your kids an issue for you?

There are plenty of examples out there to justify this paranoia, of men and women cheating on their spouses with the babysitter or nanny, especially in Hollywood—movies like The World According to Garp, Spanglish, and The Sound of Music revolve at least in part around this theme, and celebrities like Jude Law, Rob Lowe, and Ethan Hawke have been attacked by the media as virtual poster boys for the phenomenon.

But, are our fears valid? Or are we just being manipulated by fictional situations and the fickle Hollywood elite?

Take our quick poll on Care.com, called Your Thoughts, and check back for the results—or post your own stories and opinions right here on my blog!