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The Day Care Dilemma – How Do I Choose?

Raise Your Child — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 04:08:40 +0000

By Karen Fusco

Years ago, simply asking a friend or neighborhood teen to babysit for you was as easy as picking up the phone. Or you might have found an advertisement in the local newspaper. But with day care centers and providers springing up like daisies, the choices today are far and wide.

Don’t worry! Finding the right day care provider need not be an insurmountable task. References from friends are still a great way to locate a reputable center. Local newspaper classifieds will have ads run by small family-type childcare providers. The internet provides access to informative websites posted by larger entrepreneurial day care providers which will have information on their qualifications, licensing, pricing, etc. Your local chapter of CCR&R (Child Care Resource and Referral) is a free service that provides guidance by phone, in person and on the internet to assist you in locating a childcare provider, based on your zip code.

Once you determine what type of day care you need – in-home, drop-in, part time or full time – there are several guidelines to follow. We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case, a visit to the prospective center is highly recommended. If possible, make it a surprise visit. You’ll see how they treat the children, how discipline and cleanliness issues are handled and how crowded the various areas are. Even a short visit will give you a sense of how the center is run.

In addition to visiting the facility (or while you’re there), obtain references and find the answer to as many of these questions as possible.

Qualifications:

Is the facility licensed? Is it up to date? Are the Director and teachers qualified to run a day care facility? Do they have bachelor’s degrees in a child related field? Have the teachers worked in child care for at least one year? Has the Director worked in child care for at least two years? What level of training or experience do the aides have? Does the staff show a genuine love for children or is this just a job?

Supervision:

Does the provider or center have enough supervision? Are the children supervised even when they are sleeping? How many caregivers are there at all times? Have the caregivers had background checks? Is there a high turnover of teachers and/or aides? What is your standard method of discipline? What do you do if the discipline doesn’t get the desired result?

Schedules:

Is there a daily schedule of activities? Are there structured activities as well as play time? Is there scheduled nap time or quiet time for those who don’t sleep? How often are children taken to the bathroom? What kind of foods and snacks are offered?

Inside Facilities:

Are the tables and chairs generally clean and not sticky? Is there a bathroom available for older children to use to wash their hands after toileting and before meals? Are the diapering areas clean and the diapers disposed of in a proper manner? Are the children up to date on their immunizations and are these records available? Are toxic materials locked away and poison information posted? Are medications kept safely out of reach of the children?

Outside Facilities:

Are the playgrounds and play areas kept clean and in good repair? Is the sandbox clean? Is the playground surrounded by a fence? Are the toys age-appropriate?

Emergencies:

Is there an emergency plan in place if a child gets hurt or lost? Is there a first aid kit on the premises? Does the staff know CPR and first aid? Do they practice fire drills? Is there a program in place for disasters such as earthquake and/or tornado?

This list may seem excessive at first, but a visit to the day care center or family home will tell you a lot about the surroundings, and the answers you get to your questions will tell you whether this is the place for your child. Follow your instincts! A concerned parent must take care to ensure the safety and well being of her child, even if it means asking some uncomfortable questions of the day care provider.

Karen Fusco is the co-author of “Busy Moms: The Heart and Soul of a Home“, an ebook filled with time-saving and stress-reducing tips and ideas to help build a stronger home, a stronger family and a stronger you. Karen can be reached at karen@busymombook.com.

The Diaper Debacle: A History From Hides To Huggies

Raise Your Child — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:55:47 +0000

For thousands of years parents have struggled with the diaper debacle. How to contain, manage, and dispose of the bodily excretions of their little bundles of joy until they are old enough to manage the issue themselves.

In ancient times, natural resources such as leaf wraps, grasses, animals hides, and moss were used to make primitive diapers. Some native American tribes would pack grass into a rabbit skin cover. At the same time in Europe people would wrap their babies in linen or wool “swaddling bands”.

Cultures in warmer climates would just allow their children to wander naked while closely watching mothers tried to anticipate bowel movements and hopefully avoid messes near their living areas and cooking areas. This method has recently resurfaced as the “elimination communication” method which has received some media attention.

In many cultures, soiled diapers were rarely changed or washed. Babies might wear the same diaper for several days. Soiled diapers might be dried but never really washed. So skin irritations, rashes, and infections were common. No wonder many didn’t survive infancy.

During the age of the industrial revolution parents when people started to appreciate and understand the need for “cleaner living” parents began to make more of an effort to contain their baby’s waste more carefully…and more comfortably for the child. As doctors and the general public gained an awareness of bacteria, viruses, etc, mothers began washing their babies’ diapers in boiling water which in turn reduced diaper rash.

In the nineteenth century, the modern diaper was born. Children in Europe and North America were being diapered using cotton material, held in place by the first safety pin. Cloth diapers began to be mass produced around 1887 in the United States. The disposable diaper is a 20th century invention which over time. In 1942, a Swedish paper company created disposable diapers using sheets of tissue placed inside rubber pants. Several years later, an American woman fashioned a waterproof diaper cover out of a sheet of plastic from a shower curtain; she was granted four patents for her invention. In 1947, George M. Schroder invented the first ever diaper with disposable non-woven fabric.

In the late 1950s Procter and Gamble began researching disposable diapers. Pampers were launched in 1961. Since that time disposable diapers have evolved to become more and more absorbent, to eliminate the need for diapers pins, to be more comfortable for children to wear, and they have even become more and more fashionable with the addition of graphics and cartoon characters.

By the 1980s the majority of American children were raised using disposable diapers. But in the 1990s the cloth diaper renaissance has breathed new life into cloth diaper businesses across the country. And many mothers are even washing their own diapers.

There are so many diaper choices available to modern moms and dads. Take the time to search the web and search your heart to make the right decision for your family.

Mischelle Weedman-Davis lives with her husband and son in Seattle, WA. She recently she left a 15-year high-tech career to be a stay-at-home mom and to use her talents to support her husband’s law career. Learn more at: www.InjuryTrialLawyer.com or www.WashingtonAccidentBook.com

Child Care for Single Parents

Raise Your Child — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 05:43:29 +0000

“Parenting is demanding enough, but parenting all by yourself without the help of a spouse is far more difficult. Single parents technically have double the responsibility any usual parent does. They cannot hand of half of their duties to someone else and hope to relax for a while.

Caring for a baby is backbreaking work, thus all single parents look for possible help. Thankfully, a large umber of childcare facilities has become available for single parents today. But, on the flipside, choosing the right childcare facility out of the hordes available is a job in itself.

If you are looking for some sort of childcare facility you will first have to do decide which option will work best for you. You can choose from one-to-one caregivers to childcare centers and a thousand other options.

A number of single parents opt for nannies or au pairs who provide childcare at home. This is often a good arrangement since it does not include the entire picking up and dropping off fiasco. It also ensures that your schedule, no matter how erratic it is, does not come in the way of your child’s well being. Single parents often find the strict timings at most day care centers very inconvenient.

It becomes difficult them to manage dropping off or picking up their baby’s at a specific time. A childcare provider who comes home therefore is a far better option for them. Also, the fact that your child will be within the comfort of your own home and not in some godforsaken day care center is also a strangely comforting thought.

However, don’t expect a childcare provider to solve all your problems cause they have issues of their own. The first problem with a childcare provider is the amount of trust they need from your side. Its not easy or advisable for any parent to entrust their child with an individual they have never seen before. Also, it is not particularly cheap. So in case you are considering finding a caregiver for your child try and look for someone you know. In case that’s not possible at least try and get to know your nanny a little better before employing him/her.

See how he/she deals with the child. Ask for recommendations and speak to former employers. Also, do remember to find out where he/she lives. If everything works out and the financial end is taken care of a childcare provider might solve all your baby-related problems.

If however you are unable to find someone who suits your bill opt for a day care center. Here your child will stay under the close supervision of a number of trained caregivers. More than one caregiver means more support, it also means greater reliance. Even if one of the caregivers are sick you know that your baby won’t go uncared for due to the presence of the other caregivers.

The day care center is also a place where the child learns to socialize, more number of people and kids his/her own age will allow your baby to open up to more easily. But despite all its conveniences a day care center is not a preferable option for most parents. This is because kids here hardly get any individual attention. There is also an increased probability of sickness among the children in these centers.”

Author Description

The Daycare Diva, Christine G. Groth, is the creator of The Guide to Instant Daycare Profits. To learn more about this step-by-step program and to sign-up for her FREE Start a Daycare tips and articles, visit http://www.ExpertsAtDaycare.com

Finding the Right Daycare Center for Your Child

Raise Your Child — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:28:29 +0000

“If you are sending your child to daycare, you need to make sure that the facility meets your standards. Although each centre offers the parent an allocated set of visiting days, we’d suggest the old tried and tested technique of the surprise visit. This enables us to gauge the standards of such a facility on a regular day, when the staff is not pre-prepared or on extra special behavior. Although, we can expect to run into more than a few restricted zones on such an unannounced visit, we will have a unique insight into your child’s daycare environment.

One of the first things you could evaluate is whether the centre has been adequately child proofed. Be on the look out for small details like unattended sharp objects (like scissors) or even unpadded corners, exposed wiring, open plug points and the general standard of cleanliness. Children are bound to litter the floors with their toys and dolls, however, there shouldn’t be any stains, dirt or grime either on their playthings or on the floor. Spills are a commonplace incident in a daycare centre, nevertheless, the staff mustn’t treat such a mess with a lackadaisical attitude or it can inadvertently lead to a hygiene hazard.

Potty training is usually provided at such a daycare centre and the staff is expected to maintain a schedule for each child. On your visit, you could check whether the staff is attentive to your child needs. At any given point of time there should be access to a bathrooms to avoid an embarrassing playtime incident. You might want to do a check on the facility’s changing policies in the event of an accident.

Always have a heart to heart chat with the teachers to figure out whether you can trust them with your child. On the other hand, technology can reassure those flailing nerves and that building sense of insecurity. Several daycare facilities now present parents with Internet-based video monitoring systems that can be accessed from any online computer. As a result, peace of mind is only a few clicks away, as we can view the classroom at any point of time while managing our work.

A daycare centre also prepares your child for the upcoming school years. A good centre balances playtime, social interaction and a well-structure educational program into the daily routine. The staff should provide you with the sample papers or worksheets solved by the children. In this way we can determine the center’s adopted approach towards structuring the child’s mind through its curriculum.
At dispersal time, we should make sure that the attendants are quick to ask for some sort of photo identification. Then again, in a smaller facility the photo ID card is not required as the teacher will be familiar with each child’s parent. This verification system must hold true, nonetheless, for anyone other than the child’s mother or father wanting to pick up the child.

Once you have performed all these impromptu checks you can bask in an unadulterated sense of security and peace of mind. Your child will blossom in a happy, playful and most importantly a safe environment under the attentive and caring eye of his daycare teacher.”