how do you find/pick daycare?

[becca29]

Hi,

This is my first time posting on this board. Our baby is due in 6 weeks, and luckily I will be on leave until next September. So far we've interviewed at one at home daycare center and it was a nice place that we'd comfortable leaving baby at when I have to go back to work. But it was a hard interview because we really didn't know what sort of stuff to ask - we've never done this before!
We're not sure if we should just take the spot because we know it would work (they are very AP, artistic, no tv, no junk food, etc) or if we should really look around more.

But then the questions is, where do you even look? We're not too keen on the big daycare centers, but finding any at-home daycare, let alone one that fits our ideals.....I don't even know where to start. Do you guys have any ideas? How did you find good daycare? What questions did you ask?

Thanks!
becca

[ccm'smom]

daycare

It sounds as if you have found a good one. I have been trying to find a AP type in home setting for my son, but alas, I have not been able to find any so far and have settled for what I felt the best fit for us (friend of a friend in home family care).

I like to know that I can call at any time during the day to check on my son and not feel like I'm interupting (or I actually call when the children are sleeping). You should feel very comfortable asking any question to a day care provider, afterall this is your child and he/she will be spending a great deal of time with them.

I guess I would also make sure (if your going to bf) that they are comfortable with and know how to handle EBM.

my 2 cents.. Hope it was helpful.

Best wishes to you.

[sohj]

I first read a book called Childcare by Sonja Cooper that I got out of the library. Then I asked around of any parent or teacher I knew about childcare/daycare/babysitters/schools (never too early to start thinking about it: ) and what they thought about it/them.

The book has great chapters about all different option, how to do an interview, what to look for, etc., etc.

We had three nannys before finding one who worked out. The first was wonderful but had a severe family crisis that demanded her full time. We then had a disaster for one and a half weeks (well, our little one liked her, but we found her really hard to deal with, and he didn't like her as much as the first or third) Then, the angel who works for us now. She is a close friend of the first one and when she came for the interview, our pixie looked up at her and smiled his biggest grin. the rest of the interview was almost only a formality! She has worked out very, very well and our little one is thriving. I feel safer with her with him than his papa! (Shhh. Don't tell him! )

Good luck!

[Liz]

Everybody has different feelings about daycare so I hesitate to give you advice. Some people like the organisation of daycare centres, some the family benefits of homecare and some want the one on one care provided by a nanny. If you look at as many types as possible and meet as many caregivers as possible I think you will be able to define what you are looking for by seeing the good and the bad.

That being said, the one you found sounds great to me! Maybe you lucked out the first time out! Do they need a commitment right away?

[becca29]

We still have a few weeks to let them know. the references I spoke with were very complementary, plus I just found out that and old friend of mine just had a baby, and she will be using the same day-care! That makes me feel a lot better. I was so bummed after the interview, but I think it was more because I'm upset at the thought of having to go back to work in the first place, because the day-care is actually a really great place.

[Chelly2003]

I'm one of those mommy's that feels more comfortable with the larger daycare facilities.
My son attends one now, he's 3 and been in a day care setting since 18 months. He seems well adjusted and the day care has a great "vibe".
Luckily I can now see my son's reaction to the day care, and it really makes me happy when he RUN"S in the door (presses the keypad numbers to get in, they have great security) and he just LOVES his teachers...
I'm wanting to put the new baby in the same day care, but good heavens they are EXPENSIVE for infants - $1100 per month! I'm going to try and see if we can swing that, because its such a good place. The infants are 4 to 1 teacher, and they don't just have one teacher, so there are lots of hands to take care, the teachers also get their breaks, they get sick time etc.... which is important to me.
I've always taken a lot of time getting my son comfortable (this is his second day care) and I would spend an hour or mORE, just playing with him on his first few days, to see how much he was enjoying himself......

Good luck, its a tough one!
Chelly

[Liz]

Day care needs are also very different depending on the age of your child. Finding a place for your infant is especially difficult, I found. If I were looking now for a place for my toddler, I think I'd have more options.

I also think waiting until you have the baby would be a good idea. You need to visualise leaving your baby at this place with these people and see how that makes you feel. That's hard to do when you haven't met your baby yet. Your babies temperment will be a factor.

[~member~]

I am a stickler for details. Do they have a written policy about what their actions will be/or have been if a child is molested? By a worker? By another child?
What are their emergency plans when a child is hurt?
Do they wait until they get a hold of me before deciding to take the child to the emergency room, or do they have the common sense to get help? In the past, what have they done?
I also speak to the children and their parents who attend and ask them about the daycare, what they like, don't like, if they had problems and how they were solved.
I have both my dd's in the same home daycare. i love it! The daycare provider is not afraid to pick a child up and hold them and kiss their boo-boo if they get hurt. She never says demeaning nor dehumanizing things to any of the children (like crybaby, tattletale, etc). She is strict in the behaviours she allows in her house, which I like. the children are not allowed to name-call, hit each other, or make 'cliques' (exclude a child from a game), she also is able to provide organized play with the children. When it is nice out, they are playing kickball or T-ball (?), or something that can involve ALL the children (even the babies-sometimes LOL!).
When my children get to daycare, all the other children run up and say "I love you, we missed you, how are you?" and give hugs. When you enter the house, it is so filled with love, kwim?
i do feel a little lucky, but i also give myself credit for actually searching/researching all the available daycares in my area (I think there are more than 20!!).

I visited few where the woman was sitting on the couch and just yelling out orders to children who were only 2 or 3 yrs old. I just turned around and left. I need/want someone who is involved with my children, not just there to make sure they are alive at the end of the day, kwim?

Well, I'll quit, sorry it got long! Hope this helps!

[AvalonDaughter]

This is a hard one. I would say trust your instincts and ask ask ask. Ask everyone you know and respect their values where they go or use.

Good luck