Depending on where you live, you may need to leave yourself a little more time to find a day care. Look at least two months before you need care. Sometimes it is best to start looking and checking before the baby arrives! Here are a few steps you can take:
Do your research. Get recommendations from other parents (at work and among friends) and your pediatrician. If you don't know other parents, consider asking those you meet in your OB-GYN or pediatrician's waiting room, the playground or a mommy-and-me class. You can also check online resources for childcare referral services or with the state regulatory agency.
Interview centers. Screen centers and in-home day care providers over the phone (see questions below).
Check the center out in person. Once you've narrowed down your choices, visit in person and see if it checks off all the basics (again, see below). Then trust your gut: If something doesn't seem right to you, it probably isn't right for your baby, either.
Check references. Take the time to call former and current clients to find out how happy they and their kids are with their experience. Or check the website and look for parent reviews!
Questions to ask a day care
What's your cost (tuition and application fee) and schedule? If these answers are way out of line with your budget or schedule, it's an easy way to eliminate a provider from your list.
Is there a waiting list? Some day cares, especially for infants and younger babies in larger cities, have long waiting lists (the better to start looking earlier).
What's your child care philosophy? Make sure you're comfortable with the caregiver's policies on early education, discipline, soothing and feeding.
What qualifications and experience do you have? Its often good to find caregiver(s) trained in CPR and first aid.
What are your policies regarding immunizations? It's possible that day cares you're considering, especially if they're unlicensed, don't require kids to be fully immunized. Steer clear of those with lax rules on vaccinations.
What are health requirements for caregivers? They should have had complete medical checkups, including a TB test, and received all their vaccinations.
How are sick kids handled? The provider should have clear-cut guidelines about sick kids staying home and a time frame for parents to fetch tots who become ill under their care.
What do you serve kids to eat? All meals and snacks should be wholesome, safe and appropriate for the ages of the kids being served. Parental instructions regarding breast milk, formula, solids and meal schedules should be followed.
In addition to the questions above, you may want to ask the following open-ended questions:
What would you do if my baby kept reaching for something after you told him no?
Do you believe in disciplining bad toddler behavior with consequences or time-outs?
How do you handle a baby who cries because he wants to be held all the time?
What happens when two tots want to play with the same toy?
What do you do if a baby refuses to eat?
What type of baby food do you feed babies who've started solids?
What to look for when you visit day care
Make sure you see the following features before you enroll your baby:
Happy children and staff
You want to see alert, content, clean babies in spacious rooms, with a quiet area where they can nap in separate cribs.Caregivers should genuinely seem energetic, patient and genuinely interested in the kids.
A stimulating environment
Look for lots of verbal and physical interaction between kids and caregivers. Does staff get down on the floor and interact with kids? Are the kids engaged (and not zoned out, looking off into the distance)?
Check as well for age-appropriate toys that are in good shape. And ask for a rundown of the daily activities, which should include lots of singing, talking, reading and dancing as well as on-the-floor playtime activities.
A clean and healthy setting
A well-run group day care center spells out its health and sanitation rules on a sign, and then follows them:
Caregivers wash hands after each diaper change
The diapering and food prep areas are kept separate and scrubbed after each use
Feeding utensils are washed in a dishwasher or are disposable
Bottles are prepared under sanitary conditions
Teething rings, pacifiers and washcloths shouldn't be shared
Toys are rinsed off with a sanitizing solution, and/or each child gets a separate box
All children and adults wash hands when entering the classroom
Safety measures
Make sure that the day care provides a safe environment for kids by taking the same safety precautions you do at home. There should be:
No choking hazards, including small toys or playthings that can break apart into small pieces
No pillows or fluffy bedding in cribs; babies should be put to sleep on their backs
Gates on open stairways
Window guards on upstairs windows
Spic-and-span kitchen and bathroom and (ideally) an enclosed outdoor space for play
Clear floors (i.e., not littered with toys)
Smoke detectors, clearly marked exits and fire extinguisher
Take the task of finding a good daycare for your child seriously. By following the steps above, you are on the way to finding a suitable, productive, childcare for your little one!!
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