3 Must Haves for Successful Childcare Experience

For most parents, finding an affordable, reputable childcare center is the primary concern when preparing to send a child to daycare. Whether it is a daycare franchise, learning center or in-home daycare as parents we want to know we are dealing with daycare professionals and our children are safe.

My children only began daycare a few short months ago. Already I have experienced two separate incidents. Both of which caused me some concern.

The first was a report by The Toddler that the daycare provider gave The Toddler a spanking. That was a deal breaker for me. I was brought up in a physically abusive home. For me there was no room for error. The children were immediately removed from this environment.

But, what if the complaint is a little more ambiguous? What if it’s not so cut and dry? What should you do?

1. First I recommend that you make a list of your own personal must haves before visiting daycares or preschools. Ask yourself, what kind of daycare management you are looking for.

Do you want your daycare provider to have a childcare degree or provide education programs for toddlers? Is that something that is important to you? Do you care if the facility is individually run or part of a daycare franchise?

Maybe you are looking for a comforting home environment – more like Grandma’s house with fewer education programs. Whatever the case, make sure you are clear about the type of environment you want your child to spend his/her days.

2. What hours do you need childcare provided? Make sure the childcare provider can meet you’re your needs in this area. Your situation will not work out if you have flexible hours and the daycare provider does not. You will always be at odds, stressed out and paying extra for after hours care.

My provider starts picking up and getting the kids ready by 5PM. Last pick up is at 5:30PM. I knew that going in. Fortunately I don’t have a conflict with my schedule but if I did, I’d definitely need to find another provider.

3. What is your discipline philosophy and does it match that of the daycare provider? There are plenty of different approaches out there. For instance,some subscribe to never telling the child NO and everyone wins philosophy. If that is not part of your core value set, then don’t send your kid to that facility.

On the other hand, some are going to set your child in the naughty chair and use Magic 1,2,3 techniques. Again, if that isn’t something you want your child exposed to, make a different choice. Ask a lot of questions. Tell them what you do at home and ask how they would respond to a similar situation.

Once you have chosen a childcare facility, there are things you can do to improve you and your child’s daycare experience.

1. Volunteer. See how your childcare provider is interacting with the children in their care. Volunteer in the classroom or field trip. Also, make surprise drop ins.

2. Inquire with your child. For real time data, your child is probably your best source. I use the time while we are driving home to engage The Toddler in conversation. This has two benefits. (1) I get an idea of her mood and how her day went and (2) she learns to have a give and take exchange with another person (a.k.a. conversation).

The Baby obviously can’t tell me what happened that day, but I observe things like her interaction with Miss Loving, her mood, cleanliness and physical appearance.

3. Listen to your child. Provide and atmosphere in which your child knows it is safe to tell you anything. Ask your child how a situation makes them feel. Make sure you don’t react in front of them, just listen.

4. Safety is also paramount. You should make sure your daycare facility has insurance. If your child reveals something to you that makes you suspect he/she is being abused, try not to over-react. Be positive and offer praise for how brave he/she is for telling you the truth.

If you’re not sure about the abuse the NCMEC recommends you consult a doctor, social worker, or law enforcement officer.

Don’t take your child back to the daycare facility until you’re sure it’s safe.

Bonus Tip: Teach your children these action phrases. They are based on recommendations published by The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Say No. Empower your children to say NO if someone asks you to do something embarrassing, wrong or painful.

Teach your children the parts of their body early. Ensure they know that no one touch the parts of the body covered by a bathing suit. No one should you touch anyone else in these private places.

Tell Mommy and Daddy if someone is threatening or bribing you to keep something a secret.

Leave an isolated place like a bathroom or bedroom if it makes your child feel uncomfortable. Don’t remain alone with an adult in an isolated place.

In my case the second situation seems to related to a power struggle we are having with The Toddler and potty training. Turns out The Toddler went through 3 changes of clothes that day. I think The Toddler and Miss Loving were both sick of each other by the end of the day.

The lesson here is that I listened to The Toddler and didn’t over-react. I put on my rational hat and decided that each had a bad day and the next day would be different. Turns out I was right.