Finding childcare around Brunswick Crossing is one of the most important decisions you might have to make for you and your family. Some parents may need to go back to work full time or have to run a few quick daily errands. Whatever the reason, if a family member’s or trusted friend’s babysitting services are unavailable, you may need to think about hiring a professional caretaker. Here are a few of Ryan Homes at Brunswick Crossing’s best tips for choosing the right childcare for your family:
Get ahead of the game. Begin saving up for the impending possibility of hiring childcare. When you have some money in your savings, you have some leeway to pick the best daycare or babysitter for your child.
Do your research. A lot of families decide that local after school learning centers like Kumon, La Petite Academy, KinderCare, The Goddard School and Kiddie Academy are best for their babies and toddlers. They’re childcare centers based around educational values. These centers have professionals that teach and tutor in reading, math and other core curriculums. If your child needs only supervision, consider the difference between private and licensed daycares. Licensed daycare providers have passed required CPR and first aid classes, gone through background checks and must abide by state regulations. Private daycares don’t have the same state requirements, but parents tend to have more freedom with scheduling and cost efficiency. Your family may also be eligible for governmental childcare financial assistance programs.
Visit (with your child) and ask questions. A childcare provider may look good on paper, but does your child like the atmosphere? Making sure your child feels at ease and secure should be top priority. Schedule a meeting with a local childcare expert or ask if your child can spend a trial day at your top 3 choices. When you arrive, ask some basic questions about allergy prevention, sick days, pets, field trips, birthdays, special education, television time and naps.
You should also ask tougher questions including staff turnover rates, accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) or the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), discipline techniques, adult to child ratio and specific diplomas from the staff.
Trust word-of-mouth. Childcare providers will only tell you what you want to hear. When you ask questions, honest answers are expected, but you may get a sales-like answer instead. To avoid putting your child into an unworthy daycare, ask your neighbors, friends or the local PTA about their experiences. This will give you a better idea of how the childcare actually runs from the perspective of someone who’s been there.
Stay involved. Even after you’ve signed the check and waiver forms, you should stay involved with your child’s experience. Ask for daily progress reports or schedule a meeting similar to a parent-teacher conference, just to catch up. If you have time, visit and observe your child. This will give you a firsthand idea of how they’re doing. If you and your family have a positive experience, share it on your daycare’s social media or offer a testimony if someone asks for a suggestion.
After you’ve done your research, asked around for opinions and visited the childcare facility, you’ve probably found the perfect daycare match for your child. Maybe it’s a nationwide educational daycare because you like the professionalism, or you’ve decided that the scheduling freedom of a private babysitter is worth the money. Whatever you’ve chosen make sure your child is comfortable, safe and having fun while you’re away.
