| Choosing the best daycare for your child can be one | | | | working with a child as I toured their classroom. My |
| of the toughest decisions you'll face. If you work full | | | | son was enrolled in her class that very day. I wanted |
| time, your child will spend more of her waking hours | | | | a teacher who would be focused on my son and his |
| at the daycare than at home. This means that finding | | | | development. |
| the perfect daycare is critical to her well-being. Here | | | | 3. Curriculum: Ask to see what the children are |
| are the five things that you must be aware of when | | | | working on. If there is no curriculum or if they seem |
| touring daycare facilities and making that difficult | | | | to focus on coloring sheets, it is not the best place |
| decision. | | | | for your child. No matter what the age group, there |
| 1. The Physical Space: All daycares in the United | | | | should be art, science, manipulatives, reading and |
| States are regulated and must pass certain criteria in | | | | writing activities available every day. For your child's |
| order to even open their doors. However, you should | | | | optimal growth, she must be mentally stimulated. |
| be hyper-aware of the physical space your child will | | | | 4. Discipline: Ask how conflicts between the children |
| be spending his time in. Is it clean? Does is have a | | | | are worked out. If possible, ask some of the older |
| wide variety of age-appropriate toys and activities? | | | | children how the staff handles conflict. Staff should |
| Are there any obvious safety hazards that have not | | | | be facilitators, not umpires, when it comes to conflict. |
| been addressed by the staff? Also, look for pets and | | | | This means that the staff should be facilitating |
| live plants in the rooms. The space should feel like a | | | | communication and accountability with each child, not |
| place that you yourself would want to spend eight | | | | saying that one was right and the other wrong and |
| hours in. If it doesn't feel good to you, turn around | | | | punishing the offender. |
| and walk away. | | | | 5. Trust Your Gut: Look, you should feel absolutely |
| 2. The Staff: Teacher turnover is a huge problem for | | | | wonderful about the daycare setting your child is |
| daycares, so make sure that you feel very | | | | placed in. Every time you leave your child, you should |
| comfortable with and confident in the director of the | | | | know that he is well cared for, respected, stimulated |
| program, not just your child's potential teacher. It's a | | | | and is having FUN. If it doesn't feel right to you on |
| sad fact, but daycare workers are at the bottom of | | | | some level, don't leave your child there. You deserve |
| the wage scale and it can be a very stressful job. | | | | to have peace of mind about where your child is and |
| Ask the director about the teacher turnover in the | | | | what he is doing when you have to be somewhere |
| daycare. It will give you a good idea about what the | | | | else. Trust yourself. Even if you can't define why you |
| working conditions are like for the teachers. Also, | | | | don't like a particular setting, just knowing that it's |
| look closely to see that the teaching staff is focused | | | | not the perfect place for your child is enough. Keep |
| on the children, not on the other adults in the room. I | | | | looking until you do find that perfect setting for him. |
| was once completely snubbed by a teacher who was | | | | |