Posts Tagged ‘daycares’

Parents Tips: Preparing Your Child For Daycare

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

The transition from staying home to entering a full time day care can be a difficult one for many children. There are many things parents can do to make this easier, and to ensure a good day care experience.

The most important factor for any child is to choose the right daycare provider. If at all possible, it may be easiest to place the child with someone they are already familiar with, either a family member or friend. As this is not always an option, many resources are available for selecting a caregiver. Word of mouth from any friends with children will go a long way towards steering you to a good day care. This way experiences can be relayed, either good or bad, and eccentricities discussed. Bear in mind that a provider who is wonderful for one child may not be for another because of differing personalities; however, if several parents have criticized a source, a genuine problem may be present and that person might be one to steer clear of.

If word of mouth does not direct you to a good caregiver, the Department of Social Services can provide you with a list of licensed day care providers in your area. Your pediatrician may also be able to give you a recommendation; many doctors get to know their patients fairly well, particularly with children. If all else fails, a phone book or newspaper classifieds can provide listings for child care professionals.

Once you have chosen a provider, take your child to meet them. Most providers will wish to meet with you prior to the child being enrolled. Take your child with you to this meeting if possible. This will give them a chance to look around their new environment and meet the person or people who will be caring for them.

If your child has a comfort object and it is permitted, allow them to take that object to daycare. Most children become homesick for the first couple of weeks, and this will give them a piece of home to hold on to. Giving them a picture of you and other immediate family members to look at when they become lonely may help as well, but make that decision based on your child; it may make the situation worse. If at all possible, try to stay for a little while in the mornings to help them settle into an activity. This will make the transition easier. If you can, tell your child exactly what time you will pick them up-and make sure you are there. Like knowing what time your workday will end, daycare will be easier if your child knows exactly what time they will see you again. This gives them a sense of security.

The most important thing you can do for your child is to send them off in a positive manner. If you are upset over your separation, they will be to, whereas if you seem confident that all will be well and you will see them at the end of the day they will pick up on that attitude. Remember, it is not uncommon for your child to cry when you leave them. Most children settle in within fifteen minutes of seeing their parents leave. Simply say good-bye and walk out the door-you’ll be able to give them hugs and kisses for being so brave when you come back.


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How to Considerate Day Care Costs

Sunday, April 19th, 2009

Congratulations! You’ve just had a baby. But you need to get back to work and the mounting pressure of wondering what you’re going to pay in day care costs is causing you to lose sleep. But it needn’t be so. Keep in mind that your baby continues to grow and in about 4 years your day care costs will begin declining as your child enters school.

As more time is spent in school and after school activities, less time will be spent in day care. Even though it is a small percentage, child care expenses are deductible off your taxes. Other ways to combat day care costs include rearranging your work schedule if at all possible, sharing child care with your spouse or partner, and finding a telecommute job so you can stay at home. Relatives or family friends can often help out. High school or college students are also a source worth looking into. If you live near a large college, it may be profitable for you to place an ad in the newspaper, and if you have the space, considering offering a trade of room and board for child care. Of course not all of these options apply to everyone, but these ideas can lead to brainstorming and solutions can follow.

Day care costs depend primarily on where you reside, the type of day care you need and how often you’ll need it, and how old your baby is. The biggest factor in determining day care costs is your location. But most of us are not willing to change where we live, so let’s take a look at some of the other factors. Your baby’s age is also not a variable factor, but it can be a consideration when deciding how much time to have him spend in day care.

You might want to consider that the more time your child spends in day care each week, the better the quality of that care should be. That does not necessarily mean that a family day care provider will have better prices but lower quality care and the reverse is also true of larger day care centers. Day care costs are solely dependent on the provider and the rates that the market in your area can bear. Day care centers are not as expensive as nannies; in-home care can be less expensive than a day care center. Day care costs are going to impact your income no matter which type you choose. But quality definitely differs in that a small, unlicensed family day care provider may in fact give more individualized attention than a larger facility if that provider has a genuine love of children. One does not have to have a bachelor’s degree to love children.

On the other hand, a larger licensed day care center may provide a more structured educational environment, and have more children for your child to interact with, but based on your location this may not be any more expensive than some of your other options.


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Tips for Day Care Safety

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Accidents happen, it’s a fact of life, but when it happens to your child, it can be devastating. That’s why preventive action is still the best cure. Being aware of the day care safety precautions at your facility can help set your mind at ease when it comes time to leave your child. Making sure that some of the standards and safety precautions set by the licensing boards are met is basic but there are also additional questions you may want to ask.

Daycare facilities have come under much scrutiny; the McMartin preschool trial in the late 1980’s put all parents on alert. It also brought to light that closer watch need be kept on our children in these environments. Employee background checks, surveillance cameras (hidden and not hidden) and monitoring devices are now the modus operandi of daycare facilities. These precautions help protect the daycare provider as well as the parent. But some basic day care safety items should still be verified by you, the parent, before leaving your child at any facility.

Are all the licenses up to date Have the current employees been checked out with background checks A thorough background check will include any past felony and misdemeanor convictions, including DUI, and also will check the state’s Sex Offender Registry. Make sure this has been done on all employees who contact with your child.

Is there a sign in sheet or another form of verification for picking up and dropping off your child Upon registering your child you would have been given a sheet to fill out which included a list of who is permitted to take your child from daycare. As an extra precaution, a special code word, that only you and your child knows, should be put into play. When someone other than yourself or a designated individual comes to pick up your child in the case of an emergency, your child would ask them the code word. This can help put your children at ease if you are unable to speak with him.

On a more physical level, take a look around the facilities. You will want to make sure that all stairs and elevated surfaces are guarded, equipment such as jungle gyms has the falling surface area protected, and windows are protected.

Within the main rooms, especially if this is a family in-home provider, check for small spaces where a child can get trapped. Check also for tripping hazards, sharp corners on furniture, splinters and sharp or rusty nails, electrical outlets that are not covered. The same safety precautions you take in your own home should be exercised at the facility.

The environment generally should be free of debris, small items that can be choking hazards, worn carpets or surfaces needing repair. Safety gates should be used where needed, window blind cords tied up or nonexistent, lists of recalled toys should be consulted and those toys removed.


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