Childcare is a requirement for most households these days. But this should not be an afterthought. After working in daycares for almost ten years and, being a parent of a child in daycare, I understand how this is a very big decision. Most children will spend an average of nine to ten hours a day at daycare, five days a week. It’s very important to find a safe and loving environment for your child to grow in. I posed a question to three daycare directors that I have had the pleasure of working with. These women set high standards for their staff and facilities, and I would trust them with my own children. “If someone told you they were looking for a daycare, what would you tell them to keep in mind during their search?” These are the suggestions they gave.
Do Your Research
Keep in mind, my point of reference is for the state of Texas, and every state has their own rules and regulations for licensed daycares. I strongly encourage if you’re going to put your child in daycare, you get familiar with the state regulations for your child’s age group. If you live in Texas, it’s on the state website. This will give you an idea of how large your child’s class can be and what the teachers are required to do and what they aren’t allowed to do.
On the same website you can look up daycares that have received infractions, and what type of infractions. Once again, every state is different, but this should all be public record.
You can also simply look up the reviews other parents have posted. When looking at the reviews, there should be at least one negative review. If it’s all positive, be suspicious.
What Time You Take Your Tour
What time of the day you take your tour could make all the difference in your first impressions.
9:00am-10:30am: You are going to see the children doing morning lessons, artwork, and outside time.
10:30am-12:00pm: You are going to see the chaos that is lunchtime and getting the children down for a nap. This would not be a good time if you have any questions for the teachers.
12:00pm-2:30pm: This is naptime. All you are going to see is children sleeping. This tour won’t really tell you anything.
2:30pm-4:00pm: You will see the children getting up, doing afternoon snack, and outside time. You will also see the buses dropping off the school-age children.
4:00pm-6:00pm: The chaos of parents picking up. This might also be a harder time to get questions answered, but a good time to observe the chaos.
Key Things To Observe
Just stepping into a daycare can be overwhelming to the senses. There is so much going on. But there are a few things to be mindful of when taking your tour.
The observing starts as soon as you walk in. If you have to wait a few minutes for the tour, that’s a good time to start.
Listen to the noises going on around you. If there are children crying, how long are they left to cry, and how is the teacher responding? How are the teachers talking to the children. Keep in mind there is a difference between a loud teacher voice and a teacher yelling.
How are the staff interacting with each other?
What does the daycare smell like? Is it a dirty smell? Is there a pleasant air-freshener, or is it an overwhelming perfume or cleaner smell? If it’s a powerful smell, it’s covering something up.
There is more to see than just your child’s classroom. Ask to see the outside space and every other space your child may be in. Even if you have an infant, checkout the outside space. In all of these spaces, make note of the equipment and the toys. Are they being kept up, or are there some broken items?
Check for cleanliness, including the restrooms.
Questions You Should Ask
Go in with a list of specific questions. Go in knowing what you want to find out. Some good questions to ask:
What are some of their emergency procedures?
What do they do for serious injuries?
What are their illness policies?
Ask for a copy of their parent policies.
Before asking any questions of the teacher, ask them if they are the regular teacher for that room.
What would a typical day be like for your child?
What kind of curriculum do they use? Mainly just getting a general idea of what they teach.
Ask about any special considerations your child might need, such as pottying issues, dietary issues, and other things the staff may need to keep in mind.
How big is the class, and how big is the class allowed to get?
What is the teacher to child ratio?
When will a spot be available for your child?
Ask about field-trips. Do they do field-trips? What age range get to go?
What is the price of tuition?
You Will Know
This may all seem a little overwhelming. You just need a safe place to take your child during your work day. Let me ask you one question. Do you have high standards for the people who handle your money? Why wouldn’t you have the same standards for the people you trust with your children. A good daycare is a blessing for the entire family. You will know after the tour if you feel comfortable leaving your children there. If it doesn’t feel right, keep looking. If you find yourself in a position where you have to settle, keep feelers out for something else, get on waiting-lists for places you’d rather take your children. Never settle for less.
If you liked what you’ve read, please leave a comment and share. For more parenting adventures, please follow me on sarahnemo.com. Be sure to also look for Adventures in Creating Little Humans on Facebook and Twitter.