|
|
Putting your child's life in someone else's handsApr 24 '01 (Updated Sep 03 '05) Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Building Supplies
The Bottom Line Parents should "do their homework" when selecting a daycare center for their children. Ask as many questions as possible about staff, policies and procedures.
A nurturing environment is critical to a small child and let's face it, noone can take care of our children better than ourselves. Leaving your child in another's care is never easy, but sometimes mandatory. If the caregiver can be a family member or close friend, it may be easier. Either way, it can be a big adjustment for all involved. Although group daycare is not the best situation for infants, there are times when this really is the only reasonable alternative for working parents. Whether you choose in home daycare, or a daycare center, it is important to take precautions when finding the right care for your precious child. Children only flourish when they are cared for by people that they love. If you are the only person your baby loves, it would probably break his heart to be left with anyone else, tomorrow. But that doesn't mean you are commited to staying with him 24 hours a day. Your baby may just need help attaching himself to someone else so that he will feel comfortable when you're not there. This separation is healthy for parents as well as children. When searching for a daycare center it is important to remember that no daycare is flawless, but in my opinion it should come close. Being a mom and former teacher, I can offer some great tips to help parents in making the selection of a daycare center much easier. To be blunt, there are good centers and bad centers. Just because a center has the biggest ad in the phone book doesn't mean they are the best. Check several centers out thoroughly, for this is the place where your child will spend most of his time. It is important to know everything you can about the center and it's workers. The atmosphere of a center is critical. When visiting a center, spend some time watching the caregivers and children relate. Find out who is the primary person looking after your child and what are her credentials. Does she hold the children? Does she give the children eye contact? Does she appear to enjoy her work? Is her voice pleasant? By observing the staff and children interacting, you will get a feel if there is a genuine connection there. Ask about the ratio of caregivers to children. There are state laws that must be maintained depending on the age of the children in the classroom. Inquire about the credentials of the staff and the licensing of the center to be sure they are current. Is the staff trained in CPR? These are very critical questions to ask when considering a daycare facility. Browse around the center to see if it's kept cleaned. It is important to know how often they clean the toys since the children will be sharing on a daily basis. Germs spread very quickly from child to child, especially when toys are exchanged from hand to mouth. Do the teacher's wash their hands after changing diapers, maintain separate diapering and food serving areas, and discourage sharing of bottles, pacifiers, and other personal items? Ask about their sick-child policy, whom they will admit, whom they won't. Ask as many questions as possible. Don't feel you are impossing on the center by asking probing questions like, what will you do if someone bites? How do you discipline the children? You are entrusting the life of your most precious possession to the center, so it's important to know as much as possible about the center, staff, procedures and policies. The best way to find out about a daycare center is to ask the parents who's children attend. Visit the center at a time when other parents are dropping off or picking up their children. Most parents will be glad to give their opinion about the center as well as the staff. Having found a well-run daycare center, you will still want to watch how your child is responding. Your child is the best guide to the atmosphere in which he is receiving care. If he looks happy and is thriving physically, you can be pretty sure he is in good hands. Of course, he might protest you leaving, but you can observe him secretly outside the classroom to see how he behaves. It is important to establish a routine for drop off and pick up to make transition times easier for small children. Although routine is important, you should drop in unexpectedly and unannounced from time to time. By doing so, you can observe the caregiver and your child during critical times, such as mealtimes, transitions from playground, and sleep. No matter how fortunate you may be in your choice of care, we should all realize that today so many working parents are having to leave their children in care you or I wouldn't trust--nor do they. There is not enough affordable quality care available now. That's why it is important to check out many options. Whether it be a daycare center or in home care, parents need to take the time to ask as many questions as possible to ensure the safety and well being of their child. There ARE good child care centers out there! We should want our children to feel safe, protected and loved no matter where they are.  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
