Once
you have decided which type of care to pursue and located
some likely prospects, spend some time getting to know about
the care your child will receive and the person or people
who will care for your child. Communication with your caregiver
is paramount, and you should feel that you are developing
a good, trusting relationship. For at least some of the
time, it is also helpful to see your child being cared for,
to get a sense of the potential relationship between your
child and the provider. How does the caregiver speak to
your child? Does she seem comfortable holding, talking to,
and caring for your child? You may even choose to leave
your child with the caregiver and listen and/or watch from
another part of the room. Does the caregiver’s style
of interacting seem to be a good match for your child’s
temperament and style? Do you feel comfortable with the
activities that the caregiver engages in? Do you like the
tone of voice and the way the caregiver speaks to your child?
Take note of
some of the subtle things you observe.
How
are the caregiver's
communication skills?
Note her appearance, eye contact, body language, tone
of voice, and facial expressions.
Note whether she is on time and prepared for your meeting
(i.e., has she come prepared with references if you asked
for them).
Trust
your instincts. You need to feel comfortable with your caregiver
so your children will too. You and your family will come
to depend on this new person or institution, hopefully,
for a long time to come. You must feel that they are dependable,
responsible, and a good match for you and your family.
There
are many questions you might ask the caregiver:
•
Tell me about yourself.
• What is your educational background?
• What training have you received in the early childhood
field?
• How long have you been in the childcare field?
• Are you certified in First Aid and CPR?
• What made you decide to enter this field?
• Why do you like working with children?
• What do you find challenging about working with
children?
• How do you handle discipline? What would you do
if my child hurt another child? Tell me about a time you
had to discipline a child.
• What would you do if my child were crying?
• What would you do if my child were having difficulty
sleeping or refused to nap?
• When should toilet training begin? How would you
handle this?
• How would you handle a temper tantrum?
• What would you do if my child disobeyed you?
• What would you do if you and I had a disagreement
about something, such as feeding or discipline?
• What would you do if my child became ill and I
couldn’t be reached immediately?
• How long do you see yourself working in the childcare
field? How long a commitment can you make to my family?
• Can you provide me with the names and phone numbers
of parents who have used your care?
For
center care:
•
Ask the director the questions above to get information
about the caregivers who would be working with your child
and the policies and practices of the center.
• What has the staff turnover been like in the last
year?
• How long have your teachers been working here?
You
also are likely to have questions about the structure of
the care. You might ask:
•
What is a typical day like?
• What are the hours of care?
• What is the holiday and vacation schedule?
• How many children are in your care? What are their
ages?
• What is the fee for care?
• Do parents sign a contract with you?
• Where do children nap? Can I see the area?
• Do you provide meals or snacks?
• What is your policy when a child is ill? When
you are ill?
Be
sure to check references.
Ask
the reference to be candid and listen to how they answer
your questions. Make sure you feel this is a trustworthy
source of information. You might ask:
•
How long did you use this care provider?
• Why did you stop using this care provider?
• Were there any problems with reliability, punctuality,
or responsibility?
• What did you like and dislike about the care?
• What did your children like and dislike about
the care?
• What kinds of things did your children do on a
typical day? Do you feel your child’s needs for
nurturance and stimulation were met?
• How good was the communication about what was
going on with your child?
• Did you ever have disagreements about your child’s
care? How was that resolved?
• Was there ever an emergency? How did that go?
• What were the strengths and weaknesses of this
care?
• Is there anything else I should know?
• Would you choose this care again?
Finding the right childcare solution can be a stressful,
time consuming process. The time spent in selecting a plan
for the care and education of your child is an important
investment in your child and family’s happiness.
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