Let's talk daycare...

[mamajojo]

AC has stayed with family for the past 14 mo since I retuned to work. While we love her having the one on one attention and time with grandparents, the schedule, diet, and reliability issues have reached their breaking point. I'm looking at daycare centers today. I am excited for her to have the social interaction and consistency. Obviously I am a little anxious to leave her with someone other than family for the first time, but the pros far out way the cons now. We have very few options in our small town but I want to make sure I make the right decision.

So tell me what I need to be asking and looking for in these places. What advice do you all have? What do you love/hate about your dc? TIA!!!

[vk]

I don't have any advice, DS is not in daycare but a few of the questions off of the top of my head:

1.what is the vaccination policy?

2. do I need to bring my own snacks?

[afmama22]

I would ask about meals. Whether they provide them, and if you have to, are there allergen restrictions.
I would look for a place that does a daily report. Ours does not and that is the one thing I hate about it. Sometimes there are different people in the evenings and they can't tell me how she did that day, if she napped or ate well.

[gahorseygal]

I'm also in a small town with limited options. We actually only have one daycare in town so we go to a daycare in the town north of us (only 10-15 mins away).

We did try the in town daycare. I didn't hate it, but I just got a weird vibe. At the time I wasn't sure what it was since we had never been to a daycare but now looking back I have a few observations. There were two teachers that were supposed to be in the class but I didn't always see both, even when the room was really full (infant room). It was always pretty noisy in the entire daycare. I had everything labeled but still ended up with parts of other kids' bottles. I picked her up one time and she was asleep which was unlike her and as soon as I picked her up I could tell he had a fever and her eye was stuck shut with gunk. They told me it wasn't like that before her nap but that she had been napping for 2 hours. I was shocked no one checked on her because she never napped for more than 45 min there. Some of this stuff I'm not sure how we could have known before hand, I think it can be a bit of trial and error.

When we visited her new daycare I immediately noticed how quiet the whole place was. You can hear sounds of happy children but it's not excessive. There is always 2 teachers in the infant room and a third pops in and out as needed. We watched DD's class at recess (1 year olds) and the teacher had the kids all lining up to use the slide, and they patiently waited their turns. I felt really comfortable with the facility and the director spent plenty of time showing us around. Even know I get shocked when I walk into DD's room and they are all quietly sitting at the table eating or coloring. Or the teacher has them all crowded around her and they are singing songs.

TL; don't feel like reading - Visit the facility more than once. We went twice before deciding on DD's current daycare and at different times of the day.

[Courtniko]

I love getting a daily report, in fact, it is online, so I can see the updates throughout the day.

I would ask what kind of teacher turnover they have (I think most daycares have a pretty high turnover, but ours does not)

Policies on biting, hitting, etc.

If your kid gets hurt, do they write up incedent reports.

Can you pop in any time

What kind of parent involvement do they have (ours, parents sometimes come in mid day to read a book to the class, or teach a lesson on sometime special)

What is the daily schedule, DD loves being on a routine there.

Outdoor time, how often and for how long. What weather conditions keep them inside.

What do they get sent home for illness wise. Can they come back with a doctors note, or is it purely time with no fever or whatever.

Good luck!

[lucilleaustero]

DD started daycare at age two. We opted for an in home, state-licensed daycare for cost ($600/ month difference in cost), flexibility, and more one on one attention.

What we looked for:
laughing kids, lots of toys, arts and crafts on the walls, hugs, love, consistency

Essentially, we did not want a daycare that ran as a preschool. We are pretty adament about academics not starting too young.

What we asked: their sick policy, do they help potty train, how much time spent outside, policy on behavioral incidents, can they accomodate non-allergy related dietary restrictions.

Why we love our daycare: long-term staff, genuine love of the kids, lots of play and movement, lots of arts and crafts, cooking, lots of outdoor time, the owner is so so flexible. But, most importantly, my kids love being there.

[puffandstuff]

In addition to what has already been discussed.

-Cell phone usage by teachers?
-TV/screen time
-In MD, they have a website that lists inspection violations. There may be some violations, but some are more egregious (deal breakers) than others.
-Check out google/yelp/angies list for reviews
-Do they put pictures on social media?

I also talk to parents as they are leaving the daycare to get some first hand reviews.

[puffandstuff]

Oh, education of the staff.

[minervamae]

I live in the boonies so I was really nervous about looking for a daycare. I started looking when DD1 was about 18 months. What sold us on our daycare was we brought DD1 in for a visit and she started playing immediately and didn't want to leave. My DD1 was a highly sensitive child who didn't join in well, but the atmosphere there was one she was receptive to.

Most of the things I was worried about are governed by the licensing process, so I knew I'd be told the answers I wanted. So what mattered to me was "could I stop in any time?" I wanted a chance to see how it really is when they aren't expecting company.

Other things I asked were specific to my child...food policies (severe dairy sensitivity), policies for handling melt downs (highly sensitive child), policy on toys from home (my child wasn't attached to a toy and didn't understand all the off limit loveys).

[mamajojo]

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you all so much!! I go for my first visit at lunch today. With the warning that it's St. Pattys and party days are a little different.

[sweetpies]

Thanks mamajojo for this thread. We'll be looking for something PT for DS in the Fall, and now I have some reference points.

[weeklyplanner]

This is kind of projecting a head a year or two, but my SIL pointed out that DS always comes home with a little craft every school day. They aren't super structured things- finger paint, easel painting, glued Pom poms to a cut out the shape of an Easter egg, etc.). Her daughter is almost 4 and goes to daycare full time and rarely comes home with stuff. I guess it made her concerned about what she does all day...at least concerned enough to comment. At this age, I don't care too much if he's doing anything "school like," but at 4 I would want some early skills being practiced. Our school is a good fit for DS because he loves crayons, paints, stickers, etc. so I know it's not forced on him. They also have mostly free play with story/song time, snack time and playground mixed in.

[asundevil80]

Good luck! Let us know how the visit goes. I feel like you know when you walk in because the vibe is either going to make you feel comfortable or not. And of course all of the really important points that everyone else mentioned!

[khopec]

Since I have been burned I only have one word of advice...if you look into any in home daycares make sure they are licensed and following teacher to child ratios regulated by your state. I have truly learned you get what you pay for.