Parents make many decisions every single day. Some of these decisions are small, while others are also big and significant. Whatever kind of decision has to be made, the bottom line is always the betterment and welfare of the child. Parents always want what’s best for their kids, and this desire only makes the decision-making process even harder.

One of the big milestones parents have to make is which daycare to send their little toddlers to. This is very important as it signifies a rite of passage where your kid will be without you for a few hours in a day. For others, this can also mean exposure and play for their children.

It’s normal to feel all the nerves when you’re choosing a daycare. You’ll certainly want nothing less than the best. Since you won’t be there with your little one during those hours, you’ll want the best assurance that they’ll be safe, they’re in good hands, and that they’ll have fun while you leave them at daycares, like Loloschildcare.com.

Surely parents can use the right tips to help them make better decisions. Here are some of the top considerations you must look into as you choose a daycare for your child:

1. Program And Curriculum

You’re not just paying for the daycare to have someone to leave your child with as you work. Especially if you have family living around the area, you’d surely rather leave them with them.

However, in daycare, your child has the opportunity to develop their socialization skills. This is important especially when they’re an only child, sending them to daycare is a great way for them to get exposed to other children their age. They can also learn basic lessons that well-suited for their age level.

To maximize the hours that your child is in daycare, you’ve got to factor in their program and curriculum, which should be attuned with your child’s age. Otherwise, if it could be too much, you’re already putting unnecessary pressure and stress on such a young mind. The key is to find the one that strikes that perfect balance between learning and play.

That said, here are some insights that can help you choose a daycare program or curriculum:

• It should be at par with your child’s interest level;
• It should be developmentally appropriate;
• It must be pliant enough to adapt to different learning styles, particularly with different young children around.

2. Staff

Before you decide on a final choice, it’s best if you can go ahead and have a physical visit of the potential daycare centers. Doing so enables you to observe the staff.

The staff members are very important key-players in your decision as these are the individuals you’ll be entrusting your child to. Remember, at the beginning of your professional working relationship, these are essentially strangers to you. So, you can only know so much about them if you give yourself the chance to observe how they operate the daycare facility.

First off, take a look at their demeanor and how they handle children. At the very least, these should be licensed individuals to run a daycare center. Most, if not all of the staff members at the daycare, are also licensed preschool teachers.

The teachers should also be able to give the best care and comfort to the child. Observe how they’ll address each child’s need. For instance, there may be an extra shy child who needs more attention so they won’t feel left out or uncomfortable. Most importantly, they should be able to handle children’s different behavioral problems.

You also need to know how much experience the daycare staff has. Find out if any of the staff has ever had any complaints filed against them. This is a huge factor when narrowing down your options as you’ll want to give yourself full assurance that your child is in good hands. The more experience a teacher has in dealing with young kids, the more equipped they are in handling the different whims of children.

Good teachers are important in keeping the child safe and happy.

3. Cost

The cost of your child’s daycare will also be a consideration. You may be working with a tight budget at the moment, so you have to look for one with a reasonable price yet still of superior quality. Quality doesn’t always equate to cost. However, you shouldn’t also skimp on the needs of your child.

A good way to determine if the price is right is to run through the services that they offer. For instance, there may be certain services that are already part of the fee, which you wouldn’t want to pay for. Meals are a common choice since you’d still like to prepare snacks and lunch for your little one. Thus, you may be able to slash the price by bringing in your own meals.

Another factor relating to cost is time. If you don’t have to keep your child in the daycare for five hours, then don’t pay for five hours a day. Discuss your options with the providers if they’re willing to work out a pay scheme that’ll be best suited for your preferences and your budget.

4. Schedule

Since each child has their own schedule, you’ll have to consider the work shifts and routines of each child during their day. Daycare centers also have their own schedules, rotated with the different age groups of kids. This is precisely why thorough research is very important.

You’ll have to find the daycare center with an available schedule suited to that of your child’s schedule, not the other way around. Otherwise, it’ll be too much of an adjustment for kids that are so young to adhere to a fixed schedule.

Typically, good quality childcare centers will also have a routine established for kids, including meals and nap time. Choose this one so when you pick up your child, you won’t have to worry about a child that’s been over-stimulated or one that wasn’t able to nap.

5. Facility

When choosing a daycare center or in home family daycare, you should take a look at how the facility keeps the children safe. As a minimum safety standard, your chosen daycare should be licensed and must abide by all laws. Go through the entire facility and evaluate how safe it is.

Are there security cameras in place? Is there a security guard? Depending on where you’re from, these are often necessities as children are often the most vulnerable victims of crime. You’ll want to have peace of mind that your child is safe while in childcare.

It’s best to choose a daycare center that has long been in the industry. It’s very difficult to trust new daycare centers, particularly when there’s still very little information about the institution. You’ll want to make a sound and informed decision as much as you can.

Daycare centers should be clean, tidy, and properly staffed; a daycare center should be cleaned out each day. Proper hygiene and sanitary practices should be practiced as kids are also more susceptible to viral infections. When one gets sick, the last thing you’ll want is for your child to get sick, too. Observe how the staff keep the entire facility clean.

Since children will play and run around, the staff should be present to supervise them. Proper lighting and materials should be in place as well.

6. Location

When looking at daycare centers to pick, should look at how close they are to where you live. If they’re very far away, how would your child be able to get to their care if an accident were to occur? Apart from your home address, it should also be close to your office, if that’s where you’ll be while your child is at the daycare.

A good location should be one that’s nearby hospitals in case of an emergency, and it should be in a place where there’s very little foot traffic. Get to know the reputation of the place it’s situated in. Surely, there are areas in your locality that are well known for drugs and street crimes. This isn’t where you want your child’s daycare center to be.

7. Available Support And Services

Lastly, an extra consideration that’s just as important is the type of support that’s available for your child when they’re at the daycare center. This can include help with toileting, meals, and dressing.

This can be very helpful if your child needs extra help or guidance while at the center, particularly when they’re still not potty trained. Do you have any way to keep tabs on the progress of your child? Do they offer after-meeting services with the parents so they can openly discuss anything that might be a concern for you? These are extras but nice to have in a daycare center.

Conclusion

As you go through this list of tips, don’t forget to balance these out with the personal preferences of your child. Remember that every child has their own needs, so you must also tailor your choice with that of your little one’s.

As far as child care goes, do a lot of research and don’t rush the process. This can help you figure out the best choice for your child. A good daycare will provide toys and games. It should also have trained professionals in case of an emergency. Look at all the factors involved and then decide which one will meet your child’s needs.

Published: 2021-03-29 15:05:33