Tips On Selecting A Daycare

A Closer Look At How To Select A Daycare When Returning To Work

Are you about to return to work? There are many factors that you should consider. You will note that most mothers are used to staying with their babies at home since birth. In most cases, you are given several months to nurse the small baby up to a certain time. However, after this period is over, you need to resume your normal duties. I had my baby 3 months ago and I had to resume to my normal teaching duties back in school had to look for a daycare for my baby. Babies are very sensitive. I had to be very careful when choosing a day care center. There are several tips that helped me get a good daycare for my baby.

1. Location

It is important that you pay attention to the location of the daycare before choosing one for your kid. You will note that some daycare centers can be far from where you live. If you choose a daycare that is far from your home, you might have a difficult time trying to take your child in the morning and getting him or her back home in the evening. Ideally.it should be closer to where you live. In addition, it should be strategically located so that you can bring and take your kid home with a lot of ease.

2. Schedule interviews.

You should not settle for one daycare only. You should take your time and interview the owner of the daycare before choosing a daycare for your baby. Remember that if you choose a bad daycare, your child will suffer for several months. This can be detrimental. It might negatively affect the health of your child. You should take time and interview a few owners before choosing the right daycare for your baby.

3. Time of drop off and pick up.

Different daycare centers normally have different work schedules. Some of them normally allow parents to pick up their babies even during late hours. However, some daycare centers are normally very strict. You need to pick your child before 5 p.m. in the evening. This is the reason why you should know the exact time that you should drop off and pick up your child in order to avoid inconveniencing your child. Ideally, this should fit in your schedule. You should be able to drop off your baby and pick him or her without interrupting your work schedule. This is an important consideration that you should make when choosing a daycare for your baby.

4. Check how the caregiver interacts with children.

A good caregiver should interact well with the children. She should be loving and caring. You will note that there are some caregivers who are harsh towards innocent children. This can be detrimental. You should avoid day care with such caregivers. Sometimes, you should take your time and visit different daycare centers so that you can know how these caregivers interacts with different children. This can help you establish the best daycare for your child.

5. Do a policy check.

Remember that your child will be spending more time in the daycare more than you are spending with him or her. It is therefore advisable that you do a policy check and see you share the same parenting philosophies on different areas such as discipline, entertainment, feeding and even sleeping. Your child is likely to adopt some behavior learnt in the daycare after staying there for some time. Ideally, you should share the same parenting philosophies so that your child can grow responsibly.

6. Trust your instincts.

You will note that every parent normally knows when something is not right. You might be turned off by a certain center out there. You should not take your child to a center that you are skeptical about. You should be sure that you are taking your child to a center where he or she will be well taken care of. If you are not satisfied, you should keep on searching until you get the right daycare for your child.

Some parents would prefer home daycare instead of private facility daycare.

There are several advantages of a private:

1. Presence of different toys, books and other resources.
2. Presence of different teachers
3. The price is more affordable.
4. It can help build social skills. This is because your kid will be able to socialize with other kids.

The cons of private: 

1. Your child is vulnerable to more germs and different illnesses.
2. Some daycare centers normally have strict sick policies. In this case, you have to take some time off and take your child to hospital and so on.
3. Your child is vulnerable to different accidents when playing with other kids in the daycare.
4. Some daycare centers normally run for specific hours. This can inconvenience you.

What are the benefits of home daycare? 

1. There is more parental control. If you have a nanny at home, you will be able to have more control over what your child is exposed to and where he or she goes. In addition, you will know what your child has eaten and so forth.
2. More individual attention. Your child will get more attention since he or she is the only one under the care of your nanny. This means that your child will get the best care that he or she deserves.
3. More flexibility. You will have more freedom since you can set the hours when you need a nanny. If you normally work in the evening, you can find a nanny who can work with your schedule.
4. More convenience. If you have a nanny at home, you do not have to think about packing lunch for your kid among other things. Your kid can readily take his lunch from the comfort of your home. However, home childcare also has some challenges. This is because your nanny might demand more money as her salary. There are also instances when the nanny can show up late and thereby inconvenience you. In addition, some nannies can be naughty. This can negatively affect your child’s behavior.

What questions should you ask the provider? 

1. How many years have been in operation?
2. Are you licensed?
3. What is your daily schedule?
4. How does your menu look like?
5. Can I drop in without calling ahead?
6. What is the age range of the children in your facility?
7. How much do you charge?

Consider the above mentioned ideas when looking for a daycare and you will not regret. Remember that you have a responsibility over your child. Choose a good daycare for your child and you will not regret. You will be a happy parent.

 

Until Next Time,

Amanda Maxwell