Building Self-Esteem Starts Early

If you are looking for a place where your child can be safe and cared for, you will want to research, compare, and ask lots of questions. When selecting child care, you will want to ask:

1. Is the child care conveniently located? A good location is important, since it makes dropping off your child and picking them up again convenient and easier on you. A good location is also one that is safe and healthful. Traffic should not be too heavy in the area. Not only does heavy traffic produce smog and exhaust, but trying to turn into the center to pick up your child may be dangerous on a too-busy street.
   
   
2. Is the child care affordable? You should have access to child care that fits your budget. Ask whether there are any discounts available and whether all costs are included in fees.
   
   
3. Do I feel comfortable with the caregivers? Your instincts and your intuition should not be ignored. Sometimes, you can pick up on cues and body language that you are not fully aware of, but which may still transmit vital information.
   
   
4. What are the hours like? You should be able to drop off your child and still comfortably make it to work. Similarly, you should be able to end work and still be able to comfortably arrive to pick up your child. Since accidents and delays do happen, be sure to find out what the policies are about late pick-ups and drop-offs. What care is provided to your child? You will also want to know about any closures or special holiday hours so that you can plan ahead.
   
   
5. What are the details of the care provided? What are the activities like? Is there a schedule of events? When are mealtimes and what food is provided? Do the children play together or are they grouped by age? What is the ratio of adults to children? Is there an emphasis on educational activities?
   
   
6. What is the environment like? What are the ages of the other children? What is the ratio of boys to girls? What are the children like? Be sure to observe the children to see what you can expect.
   
   
7. How flexible is care? Is occasional or part-time care provided? Is transportation provided to and from kindergarten?
   
   
8. What is the turnover rate like? A high rate of turnover for staff or children can be a sign of trouble.
   
   
9. What is the plan in case a caregiver becomes ill? There should be a plan in place to ensure no disruption in care.
   
   
10. What training and accreditation do staff have? Ideally, there should always be someone with First Aid or CPR training on hand. However, staff with expertise in behavior management or early childhood education can be nice pluses, too.
    
    
    
    

If you want your child to have a positive day care environment where he or she will learn about self-esteem and develop good future success skills, consider Robin’s Nest Child Care. Children at Robin’s Nest Child Care get plenty of positive reinforcement that helps them grow personally as well as educationally.