Finding the Right Daycare for Your Child

As a working parent, you may be faced with the tough decision of placing your child in daycare. There are many options-you can decide to hire a nanny, opt for home daycares or choose a daycare facility. The option you choose will be a personal decision and must be made with care and consideration.

Hiring someone to care for your child should not be taken lightly. You want to find a place where your child will feel safe and secure and will be offered many opportunities to grow and learn. As a parent, you want to know that your child is getting the best possible care and that your child is well adjusted to the situation. Knowing that your child is getting the kind of attention he or she deserves will help you concentrate on your job, not whether or not your child is happy.

If you decide that your child will attend a daycare facility, there are several things that you should know about the staff and facility and questions you may have. Take some time to get recommendations from other parents and visit each facility to get a feel of what they have to offer. If your gut instinct tells you "no", then move on to the next day care facility.

Here are some questions you may want to ask while you are looking for a daycare for your child:

Is the daycare friendly, fun and inviting?
By visiting the daycare, you will get a feeling of warmth as soon as you walk in the door. Are the classrooms bright and colorful? Is the staff receptive to your visit? Are the kids happy? If you notice bare walls, low lights or children that look unengaged, you might want to consider looking at another daycare or school.

What is the teacher to student ratio?
This is a very important aspect of preschool and daycares. There are state guidelines for teacher/student ratio. For infants, there should be a very low ratio. The number will grow, as the children get older. For children that are around 3, there should be no more than about 10 children to one teacher. Find out what your state guidelines are and check into this when visiting the daycare facility.

Are the children engaged in activities with the teacher?
Children need to stay engaged in fun learning activities throughout the day. Of course, there will be down time, too. But for the most part, the teacher should be spending his or her time talking, teaching and playing with the children. On the playground, teachers should be watching and playing with the students. It is not a good sign when you see the teachers talking amongst themselves and not directing their attention to the children. Ask to see a curriculum. Most good daycares and preschools will have a daily lesson plan filled with learning activities with the children. If the school does not require a lesson plan, consider looking into another facility.

What is the daycare's learning philosophy?
Different daycares will have a different learning philosophy. The key is finding one that will work for you and your child. For example, if you want Christian-based care and learning, you will want to look into church school programs. If you believe that your child will learn best through Montessori education, then those are the programs that you should look into. Smaller daycares may not have one particular belief, but strive to find a balance between education and nurturing.

Are there extra programs available?
Many daycares offer programs outside the basic daycare day. Older children might get to go on field trips. Or, the school might have a Spanish or music session you can enroll your child in for an extra fee. If the school does not have extra programs, then that is not bad, but you will want to find out what is normally offered during the day. You want to know that your child is getting reading, and math skills, some sort of physical fitness activity each day and time to rest.

What kind of policies does the daycare have regarding health and safety?
All kids get sick and hurt at times. However, your daycare can be the first line of defense. A daycare should have a very strict policy regarding sick children coming to school. Also, there needs to be safety guidelines and teachers should be trained in CPR and first aid. Make sure the daycare has an adequate pick up and drop off procedure, too. You want to rest easy knowing that only the people you WANT to pick up your child will be allowed to do so.

Are the teachers trained?
Make sure that the teachers that will spend most of the day with your child are trained to teach young children. Ask to see if lead teachers in the classroom are certified to teach early childhood education. Teacher aids may not be certified, but they should have some type of training when it comes to working with children.

What are the costs and fees?
For many working parents, the cost of daycare will be a big factor in choosing the right school. Be wary of schools that seem to have low cost or seems too cheap to be true. On the other hand, if the daycare charges a large fee, you need to find out why. Know what the average cost of daycare is in your area so you will be comfortable paying a certain amount. Also, be aware that many daycares will charge you extra for late pick up, returned checks, late payments and meals. Find out what is included and what is not.

When you find the right daycare for your child, you can be assured that you child is getting a loving and nurturing environment while you are at work. You need to spend your day working, not worrying about the quality of care that your child is getting while you are away.