When choosing a daycare, there are a lot of things to consider. It is stressful. You will cry. Especially you first time mamas! The mom guilt associated with sending a child to daycare is REAL. So, when the day comes that you drop your baby off for the first time, you want to feel confident in knowing that you chose the best possible place and the staff will take excellent care of your little one. Since I have major experience in this area, and a bit of expertise (a little bragging is OK sometimes, right?) I wanted to share some things to think about and keep in mind during this important life decision. Let me know about your daycare-search experience!
- This might be an obvious one- but LOCATION is a huge. You might have your heart set on a daycare that is 20 minutes in the opposite direction of your work. At the time, it might seem like the extra 20 minutes will not impact your day. Trust me, it will. Try to spend the least amount of time possible driving out of your way.
- TUITION. Everyone knows childcare is expensive. Compare pricing of a few different daycare facilities when you start your search. Find out if there are hidden fees. Is there an annual registration fee? Does the tuition go up every year? Do they have direct debit? What does the tuition include? The money aspect of childcare is usually the biggest factor in choosing where your child will end up, and sometimes you will have to pay a little more to get the best care possible.
- Go with your GUT FEELING. I visited a daycare before my first was born and the vibe I got was just unwelcoming. The teachers and employees seemed so distant and didn’t seem to care to make me feel comfortable. I knew immediately that the place was not for me. Most times you will know within minutes if the daycare is a match for you and your family.
- COMMUNICATION with the teachers & directors of the daycare is very important. The director of my daughter’s daycare is amazing with letting the parents know about upcoming events, news, due dates and most importantly, updates about our children. I feel comfortable emailing her with questions or concerns, as well as talking with the teachers at drop-off and pick-up. Our daycare even posts photos on Facebook so we can see what the kids are up to during the day.
- SICK & VACATION TIME. Not only will you as a parent need to worry about your time off from work…you also have to account for when your child is sick and when the daycare is closed. Be ready to leave work early or have a back-up plan when you get a mid-afternoon call that your child has a fever.
- Make sure that the facility has top-notch SECURITY. With all of the freaks, pervs and creeps out there in this world, we need to make sure our little ones are protected every second when they are in the building and on the playground.
- LICENSING. Google your state’s Daycare Licensing laws. This is something that I did not do when searching for a daycare but probably should have.
- ASK FOR RECOMMENDATIONS!! My brother and sister-in-law sent my nephew to our current daycare, so I could ask them a million questions about it. Of course they were honest. Try to find a parent of a child that attends the facility you are interested in and get their sincere feedback.
- CURRICULUM. I was not too worried about this when choosing a daycare, because I was new to the whole scene and figured that the kids just played all day. Turns out that they actually learn, too! You will seriously be so impressed when your “baby” comes home from “school” and tells you what they did that day. It is really fun to see them grow in the classroom at such a young age.
- Find out if the daycare provides SNACKS or MEALS. If so, fabulous! Packing lunches every single night gets OLD, so if you are super busy with work/life, a facility that includes food might be best for you. Our daycare offers two snacks a day, which is super helpful for us.
- Ask what the DISCIPLINE policy is and make sure you are comfortable with it, as well as how the daycare goes about rewarding the children for good behavior.
It was really helpful when you suggested finding a parent of a child that attends the daycare that you’re interested in so you can easily get an honest review about it. My husband and I decided to enroll our son in a daycare. It’s important for us to make sure that our child will find learning a fun activity so she can enjoy the whole experience. This is the reason why it’s important for us to find a daycare that has positive reviews from the parents of every child attending the facility. Thanks for the tips!
So glad that it was helpful. Good luck! 🙂