Choose Wisely. Choosing child care is one of the most important decisions you will make for your child. A good setting is one that providers the environment and experiences that your child requires to learn new skills and develop socially.
Do Your Homework. It's a good idea to visit and compare at least three child care settings. Make appointments with the prospective caregivers and, if possible, take your child with you to the interview. Plan on spending at least 30-60 minutes for each visit.
Think Positively. Look for a positive and caring relationship between the caregiver(s) and the children. Your relationship with the caregiver also should feel comfortable and trusting. The environment should be cheerful, and above all, safe. The program should include experiences and activities you consider important.
Be a Smart Shopper. Caregivers should be caring, qualified and well organized. Their licensing standards should be up-to-date and they should provide you with their written policies and procedures regarding illness, communicable diseases, and other emergencies.
Make an Informed Decision. How do you organize your thoughts to make your final selection? Like any parent, your concerns are for the safety, health and welfare of your child. Every facility will have different features, but you must decide which things are most important to you and your child, and prioritize accordingly.
Know Your Priorities. Like any parent, your first concerns are for the safety, health, and welfare of your child. Every facility will have different features. You must decide your priorities and which things are most important to you and your child. Sometimes it helps to use a checklist.
Trust Your Instincts. Trust your ability to make wise decisions for your child. Pay attention to any feelings of uneasiness that you may have experienced during site visits or interviews. Follow up on any unanswered questions that you may have. Write the questions down as they come to mind. Request an opportunity to ask your questions either by telephone or during a second visit to their facility.
Follow-up Questions and Second Interviews. You likely will think of additional questions to ask a caregiver after you get home. Write the questions down as they come to mind. Request an opportunity to ask your questions either by telephone or during a second visit to their facility.
Pay Attention to Your Child's Reactions. If you were able to take your child or children with you to the site visits and interviews, what were their reactions? Could you picture your child in this setting? Were the toys or activities you observed the kind your child would enjoy? Keep in mind that children respond in their own unique ways to new places. Also, don't rule out other factors that could influence your child's reaction (for example, being hungry, tired, having a natural fear of new people or places).
Weigh the “Pros” and “Cons”. Carefully weigh the “pros” and “cons” of each caregiver and facility that you visited. Decide which facility provides the greatest number of your priorities at a rate that you can afford. Keep in mind that the highest cost doesn't always guarantee the best caregiver and facility. Likewise, the least expensive rates need not always mean poor caregivers and facilities.
Make A Good Choice. Now that you have done your homework and done some careful thinking, you are ready to make your choice. Remember, once you have selected a caregiver and placed your child in a facility, that is just the beginning. You will want to talk to your new caregiver often to make sure that your child is happy and your decision was a good one.
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