Finding the right daycare for young children can be stressful and confusing. Each daycare center might offer something unique and attractive but rarely will parents feel completely at ease in those first few days of dropping their children off in a new childcare environment. Making sure parents and children both feel comfortable is an important part of deciding on which daycare is the right one.
For some working parents, finding a home based daycare is optimal so their child receives more individual attention. For other parents, a daycare center is more appealing for the additional interaction with other children on a daily basis. Deciding on home-based care or a child care center is a highly individual decision and should be made with great consideration.
Daycare Costs
Financial considerations are a big factor in choosing the right childcare. In-home daycare may be less expensive, but might not be worth the savings if parents need the unchanging and reliable hours each day offered by larger daycare centers. Daycare centers are often more costly since they provide multiple caregivers and are typically open longer hours.
If working parents have a little flexibility in their schedule and find the right in-home daycare, the lower cost might well be worth the savings. Typically, in-home care providers will have built in vacation and sick days and may have personal emergencies arise when parents must arrange for alternative care. Emergency care is difficult to find on a moments notice, so having a reliable back-up is critical when choosing a home daycare provider.
Daycare Center and Home Daycare Visits
Visit each prospective childcare center or home daycare. Take the child or children along to visit. During this visit, inspect the facility and watch the activities going on. Watch the childcare providers interacting with the children and see if the children present are having fun, interacting with others and are well cared for. If visiting a daycare facility leaves you feeling uneasy or uncomfortable, trust your instincts and keep looking.
Spend time in the childcare center or home daycare that made it to the top of the list. The caregivers should not mind parent’s visits and should look forward to meeting new children. Make sure the child is comfortable in the new setting. If the child seems highly agitated, and does not connect well with the potential caregivers, consider why. If the connection between the child and the caregiver is just not there, keep looking.
Other Important Daycare Considerations
Look for a daycare center or home daycare that is convenient to home or work. Drops-off and pick-ups may be rushed on some days and finding a facility that is convenient is really important. Make sure the facility or home is clean and safe. Daycare centers typically have codes to enter, but many do not monitor people who “piggyback” in with someone else. This is an important thing to note when visiting.
Take the necessary time to make the right decision. If something just does not feel right about a place or person, chances are good that something is not right. Leaving a child in the care of someone else is an important decision. Pay attention to every detail to make the best decision for your family.
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