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8 Tips for Choosing Child Care
How to size up a child-care situation and pick the best one.
Whether you choose a formal child-care center, family day care, or in-home
care, there are some basic things you should know and insist upon. To
help you make this all-important decision, we've talked to mothers and
other experts who have been in the child-care trenches. Here are eight
ways to size up a child-care option:
1.
Look down.
When you're visiting a potential site, pay attention to how the staff
interacts with the children. Ideally, a caregiver should be on the floor
playing with the kids or holding one on her lap. In their early years,
babies need close, loving, interactive relationships with adults in order
to thrive. That's why it's especially important that babies' first caregivers
be warm and responsive, and that even in group care, infants and older
babies get a healthy dose of one-on-one time. (Though individual states
set their own staffing ratios for child-care facilities, the American
Academy of Pediatrics specifically recommends a ratio of one adult for
every three babies up to 24 months of age.)
2. Ask for a commitment.
Babies need consistent, predictable care. It helps them to form a secure
attachment to their caregivers, according to Debra K. Shatoff, a family
therapist in private practice in St. Louis. If you're looking at an in-home
caregiver, request that the person you're considering make a one-year
commitment to the job. If you're considering a center, find out how long
the current caregivers have been working there and how much turnover the
center usually experiences.
3. Do
a policy check.
Find out whether you share parenting philosophies on topics such as discipline
(Do the caregivers use time-outs, scoldings?); television (Is the TV on
all day or used sparingly, if at all?); feeding (What snacks or drinks
are provided for older babies?); sleeping (When are naps offered? How
are fussy babies put to sleep?); and so forth. Inquire about the sick-child
policy (What symptoms prevent a child from attending?). Also ask whether
there's a backup plan should the family day-care provider or in-home caregiver
get sick and be unable to work. The more questions you ask early on, the
less likely you are to be unpleasantly surprised later.
4.
Drop by and spy.
While word-of-mouth referrals from other parents or trusted resources
are important, you need to look at a place for yourself to assess whether
it meets your needs. Of course, any child-care environment should be kept
clean, childproofed, and well stocked with sturdy books and toys that
are age-appropriate. Other details to consider: When older children share
the space, toys with small parts (choking hazards) should be kept away
from younger babies. Ideally, infants and babies should have their own
area where they won't get "loved" too much by older toddlers.
A room or separate area dedicated solely to swings and bouncers may look
appealing at first glance, but keep in mind that growing babies need plenty
of floor time to develop and strengthen their muscles. If possible, try
to visit the same centers at different times of the day to get a sense
of how the staff interacts with the children and what the routine is.
You may want to consider popping in unannounced a few times after you've
enrolled your child, just to see how things are going. Sometimes your
visits will confirm that the place is right for you, but sometimes they'll
be a real eye-opener.
5. Keep talking.
Until your baby can talk, you will be relying on what the caregiver tells
you about your child's day. Make sure you can communicate comfortably
with each other. When you first hand off your child in the morning, you
should tell the caregiver how your little one slept the night before,
if he is teething, and whether he ate breakfast. At the end of the day
you'll want to know similar information, such as the number of diapers
he went through, when he napped, and if he seemed happy overall. It's
always preferable to speak to the caregiver in person. If that's not possible,
ask if there's a convenient time to phone, perhaps at nap time.
6. Problem-solve pronto.
It's inevitable that you'll experience conflicts with your caregiver,
both large and small. Address problems right away rather than ignoring
them until they grow out of proportion. Some issues can be resolved quickly;
others may require more discussion. Whatever the conflict, treat the caregiver
in a respectful manner, but don't be afraid to speak up, says Deborah
Borchers, MD, a pediatrician in private practice in Cincinnati. When broaching
a difficult subject, ask the caregiver's opinion, and hear her out. As
the parent, you have the final word with an in-home caregiver, but you're
more likely to elicit cooperation if the caregiver knows she has been
heard. For example, instead of demanding an earlier nap time to make bedtime
easier, ask the caregiver if she has ideas about how to adjust your baby's
schedule so he won't grow so overtired in the evening.
7.
Trust your gut.
Every parent knows when something doesn't feel quite right. You may be
turned off by a center everyone in town raves about or clash with a highly
recommended sitter. If that happens, keep searching. Babies deserve, and
thrive under, good, nurturing care. If something just doesn't feel right
about your situation, investigate other options.
8.
Be open to change.
You're not married to a particular person or situation, and if things
don't work out, you can always make a switch. Yes, you want consistency
for your baby, but that doesn't mean you can't alter arrangements. Babies
are resilient; as long as they're having a positive experience with their
new caregiver, they'll be just fine, points out Dr. Shatoff.
No matter what your work hours, you are still your child's essential caregiver--the
most consistent source of love and support in her life. Under your care
and guidance, along with the help of your well-chosen caregivers, your
baby will flourish and grow into a happy, healthy child.
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