First time mothers and daycare centers.
My sister-in-law went back to work this week after being home with her first baby for the past 3 months. And she is a wreck, to say the least!! She gave him a bath last night and he was screaming b/c he has a really bad diaper rash. And she didn't know what to do about it so she emailed me to ask what she should do about the daycare center that he's at.
I gave her the following advice and I thought maybe you, first time mothers, might be able to gain from my sister-in-law's experience or take comfort in the fact that you are not alone.
And if you're asking me how I can give advice about daycare centers when I'm an H.E.(that's household engineers, a.k.a. stay at home mom)? Tyler, who's 5, was in a daycare center when he was 2 yrs and 9 months. And Trent is attenting one currently since last November (and he's 3 years old).
And in addition to that, my sister's two girls have been in daycare centers. The first daughter attended daycare when she was 1.5 years old (I took care of her with my Tyler since she was born...that's another subject for later) and her baby sister has been in daycare since she was 3 months old(she's 9 months now). So I do get some feedback, both bad and good, about daycare centers from her and my other friends who also have children in daycare.
Here's my list of what I look for in a daycare center:
- how long has the daycare center been in business?
- how long has the daycare provider been working with children and what do they like about working with children?
- can you get a tour of the place? or just a drop in visit any time?
- can the daycare center store breastmilk, and how often diapers are changed?
- do they offer mixing of the formulas and sterilize the bottles for you?
- do they offer laundry service, nutritious hot/cold lunches and snacks? (Trent's daycare center offers laundry service and hot lunches...I can't be happier about this)
- is the daycare center clean and safe?
- what is the turnover rate and what kind of training do the childcare providers have?
- what is the ratio between the childcare provider and the children?
- are the childcare providers trained in first aid and CPR?
- how do the childcare providers discipline the children? (make sure they never hit, or shake babies and children?
- can you get a reference list of other parents who have been with the daycare centers currently and in the past?
- how secure is the daycare center? Is there someone at the front desk all the time?
- what are the fees?
- is it a structured daycare center with scheduled activities and learning? or just a free for all glorified babysitting service center?
- and last but not least, your gut instinct. How do you feel about the place when you first walked in the door? How do you feel about the childcare providers? And how does your child response to her/him?
And once you have enrolled your precious bundle of joy at a daycare center, the first week is the toughest. Make sure you voice your concern about anything on your mind. If it's a reputable place, they will not be offended but only willing to answer your questions with great care.
As I told my sister-in-law, give it one week and see how it goes. The baby will enjoy being around other babies and it will help him develop socially and mentally. It's always harder on us mothers/fathers than the kids.
Who said having kids was easy, but it sure is joyful, fun, rewarding and a headache some time but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the whole world!! My kids are my life and without them...my life has no meaning!!
To a happy and exciting journey ahead...
My sister-in-law went back to work this week after being home with her first baby for the past 3 months. And she is a wreck, to say the least!! She gave him a bath last night and he was screaming b/c he has a really bad diaper rash. And she didn't know what to do about it so she emailed me to ask what she should do about the daycare center that he's at.
I gave her the following advice and I thought maybe you, first time mothers, might be able to gain from my sister-in-law's experience or take comfort in the fact that you are not alone.
And if you're asking me how I can give advice about daycare centers when I'm an H.E.(that's household engineers, a.k.a. stay at home mom)? Tyler, who's 5, was in a daycare center when he was 2 yrs and 9 months. And Trent is attenting one currently since last November (and he's 3 years old).
And in addition to that, my sister's two girls have been in daycare centers. The first daughter attended daycare when she was 1.5 years old (I took care of her with my Tyler since she was born...that's another subject for later) and her baby sister has been in daycare since she was 3 months old(she's 9 months now). So I do get some feedback, both bad and good, about daycare centers from her and my other friends who also have children in daycare.
Here's my list of what I look for in a daycare center:
- how long has the daycare center been in business?
- how long has the daycare provider been working with children and what do they like about working with children?
- can you get a tour of the place? or just a drop in visit any time?
- can the daycare center store breastmilk, and how often diapers are changed?
- do they offer mixing of the formulas and sterilize the bottles for you?
- do they offer laundry service, nutritious hot/cold lunches and snacks? (Trent's daycare center offers laundry service and hot lunches...I can't be happier about this)
- is the daycare center clean and safe?
- what is the turnover rate and what kind of training do the childcare providers have?
- what is the ratio between the childcare provider and the children?
- are the childcare providers trained in first aid and CPR?
- how do the childcare providers discipline the children? (make sure they never hit, or shake babies and children?
- can you get a reference list of other parents who have been with the daycare centers currently and in the past?
- how secure is the daycare center? Is there someone at the front desk all the time?
- what are the fees?
- is it a structured daycare center with scheduled activities and learning? or just a free for all glorified babysitting service center?
- and last but not least, your gut instinct. How do you feel about the place when you first walked in the door? How do you feel about the childcare providers? And how does your child response to her/him?
And once you have enrolled your precious bundle of joy at a daycare center, the first week is the toughest. Make sure you voice your concern about anything on your mind. If it's a reputable place, they will not be offended but only willing to answer your questions with great care.
As I told my sister-in-law, give it one week and see how it goes. The baby will enjoy being around other babies and it will help him develop socially and mentally. It's always harder on us mothers/fathers than the kids.
Who said having kids was easy, but it sure is joyful, fun, rewarding and a headache some time but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the whole world!! My kids are my life and without them...my life has no meaning!!
To a happy and exciting journey ahead...
I basically agree with a lot of the things to look for in a child care program. I do feel strongly though that the employees, volunteers, and staff have a detailed background check that is done by law enforcement and the state.
Another thing to look for is… Is the facility too clean? Do they allow the children to learn and explore at their own developmental level. Just because they offer a “structured day”, doesn’t mean they are learning. Each child develops at different rates and should be offered a variety of activities so they can succeed. Being over stimulated and forced to do things beyond their level can lead to frustration, biting, crying, and behavior issues. I just want to encourage each parent to do their homework and meet with the staff to see what their philosophy is. Are they flexible when it comes to activities and their schedules. Children that are forced to participate aren’t happy children.
Also another issue that needs to be addressed. Everyone knows children get diaper rash even at home under the loving care of their mothers, fathers, guardians, etc… A change in the child’s routine can upset their systems, viruses, illnesses and change in diet can cause all kinds of things. I am not saying it isn’t because the diaper wasn’t changed, I’m saying ask questions and communicate with the staff. If you are looking to find something wrong, and you look hard enough, you will find it.
Good luck. I hope you find someone you can trust your most precious possession with for care. There are good people out there and licensed home providers are a good option too!