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Child Care Written In Kids Letters Stock ImageBy Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net
Summertime is vacation time for some families. For others, though, it's the season to search for a great daycare before school starts.
Quality childcare is not an easy thing to find. And, it's that awful part of
parenting that none of us wants to think or talk about until we’re faced with
it ourselves.
Some would like to forgo it altogether.
For one, it's not cheap.
For two, logistics can be a major issue.
For three, how do we to tell if the one we choose
will be the best?
When my first-born was ready for daycare, she was 6
½ weeks old. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t ready. However my boss was. I got the
call a little early and was dismayed that they needed me back so soon. So, off
I was, on a journey to choose a babysitter (stranger).
I took two weeks to shop for the perfect daycare,
and I felt grateful to have found it. Though I still wasn’t happy that I would be
leaving my new infant all day (with a stranger).
Let me just stop for a moment and tell you that the
woman who ran the day care had been doing it for umpteen years, was the mother
of four, one child had just entered college, and she homeschooled the other
three (she was no novice). Though, as a new mother, none of this helped me get
over the thought of leaving my sweet baby all day with someone else.
You might consider daycare to be:
· A
babysitter
· A Nanny
· An Establishment,
which actually carries the word 'daycare' in it.
· An aunt,
grandma or older sibling
It could be any of those, but it can also be your
neighbor, the teenager across the street, or your school's latchkey
program.
No matter which of these you choose to utilize,
here are 11 important things to look for when attempting to find the right
daycare (the 1st one is the most important):
#1 Gut instincts. Do you and the caregiver jive?
(If you aren't
sure, go
with your gut and keep looking.)
#2 Are they licensed (and do you care)?
#3 How is their fee system based?
#4 Do they provide meals?
#5 Do they have/teach routines (in my opinion, free
play and education
should
be a part of every daycare's routine)
#6 Are they tech savvy? (Do they accept
communications via text/email?)
#7 What are their policies on late arrivals, late
pick-ups and
holidays
(this last one is important and often overlooked)
#8 Who else lives/stays/visits the household or
what else is the
center
attached to?
#9 Do they use TV, computers or game units
with the kids (do you
approve
of that and how much time do they spend on them?)
#10 Is the place clean and safe? Look for outlet
covers, kitchen separate
from
play area, gated stairways, safe shelving, etc.
#11 Last but not least-does your child like the person/place? Bring them
on the visits
to see if they get along with the staff and other
children.
See if
there are toys he/she is happy playing with. Watch the body
language
of your child and the staff's reactions to your child.
Some people just get licensed in their county for
the money (sad but true). They can receive easy money while they watch TV all
day or surf the net. You are smartest to do your homework. And don’t be afraid
to ask questions and request references.
When searching, don't forget that you can utilize
211 on your phone. This is a manned national informational number (just like
those old fashioned operators- these people are always there) and they can
offer you a variety of daycares in the county, as well as other local
resources. But, they can only tell you what is listed in your area, they are
not authorized to recommend a specific one for you.
For tips on the after school teenager watching kids
and commonsense rules you should set for when Grandma comes over to babysit,
visit my blog www.familymatterswithamber.blogspot.com.
Also check out the following websites and articles for
more advice on choosing a daycare (my website has the direct links):