All parents need help occasionally taking care of their children. And whether that's just a babysitter on date night or a full time day care, it is really important to take seriously who you are going to leave your kids with! HERE is a post we did on babysitting but here are some additional tips on how to choose the childcare that is right for you!
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- Observe your child with them. Observe a day at the daycare or see how your child will interact with whoever is taking care of them! You want to feel comfortable and of course you want your child to be comfortable!
- Be aware of the child to caretaker ratio. Regulations vary on this but it's good to aware of how many adults will be there with groups of children. If your child can thrive in a group setting, it may be okay to be in more of a daycare however, they may not if you feel your child needs a lot of one-on-one interaction.
- Licensing and Certification. Be aware of how childcare places are accredited and are inspected. You want to make sure that it is a qualified, safe environment for your child.
- Training. Similar to making sure the childcare is appropriately accredited be sure the child care providers are well trained so they can keep you kids safe and happy!
- Schedules. Some childcare has more of a free play schedule while other places may have a more structured environment. How does your child thrive? Consider that in picking a program for your child.
- Allow for time to adjust. Of course you may not feel entirely comfortable right away but if you feel it's a good fit, take time for your child to adjust to the new environment.
- Understand their policies so that you know what they are offering and what you can expect.
- A specific policy to be well aware of is what happens if your child is sick or others are sick! Be careful dealing with germs!
- Communication. You want to be sure that your childcare providers will communicate with you so that you can always be aware of what's going on with your child when you're away!
- Trust your parental instincts! You're the one who knows what is best for your child. Trust that and only choose childcare that you are completely comfortable with!
There is excellent childcare available to you! Here in Utah County you can call Child Care Resources & Referral to get more information about how to find appropriate child care for you! Call them at (801) 863-8631!
Here are some other sites with more info:
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips. Having an educational programme should also be considered. This might be helpful as well Friday Child
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DeleteWatching your kids is such a good tip when you send them to these child care programs. These were truly marvelous ideas to make sure your kids are having a good time. It's important that your kid finds friends and feels comfortable with the child care professionals.
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ReplyDeleteGood point about allowing for time to adjust. If it is your child's first time away from home, of course they will be nervous! Just because they have a rough first day in childcare doesn't mean it will always be like that. Let them take the time to get used to their new surroundings!
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I think you're exactly right: it's so much better to observe how they treat your child yourself. Once you see how they interact, you can get a much better idea of the fit. It's not always easy to make the time, but its definitely worth the peace of mind. Thanks for your tips! http://www.akarrasel.com/
ReplyDeleteI had problems adjusting to preschool when I was a kid. I had really bad anxiety about leaving my mom for the day. She ended up bribing me with candy if I was good at preschool. It was a good gig. http://www.sunrisemontessori.net/contact.html
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's important to find the right child care provider for your child. This can really affect them and how they happy they are. These tips are great in helping to identify who is right for your child. I'll have to remember these when I have my own child. I think they could really help! http://cottageschoolsco.com
ReplyDeleteI appreciate what you said about comunication because it is so important. It is important to know how your child is reacting to the day care, if they have friends and if they have fun. Another aspect of communication is negotiating days off. When my mom was a day care provider she would have to take a day or two off pretty sporadically but, there were always parents who would show up to our house when she wasn't there and wasn't going to be. That is not a good situation to be in. http://www.brantchildrenscentre.com/programs.html
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