Choosing the Right Daycare for You
Work, errands, education, and all of life’s other demands present challenges for parents. As much as you’d love to spend every minute with your children, playing, laughing, and of course supervising, there comes a time when daycare is the best choice. After all, you can’t skip your responsibilities – and children, too, must get their education started in a daycare. Choosing the best daycare for your kids presents a slew of new challenges. How do you know what makes a daycare the perfect fit, offering you and your children all that you seek and need? Here are a few ways to find all you need to know about the daycares you’re considering.
Research Your Options
One of the first steps you should take is conducting research on the various daycare facilities in your area. Look into whether or not they are accredited by a verifiable and reputable organization, and if the staff members all have degrees, or have earned their CDA certificate online. Are the daycare and the individuals who will care for your child qualified per national standards?
Schedule a Visit
Perhaps equally important to doing research is taking the time to visit each daycare site. You should see where your child will be spending their days – the building, the playground areas, and all that the facility has to offer. While touring, take note of how many children are present, and how many adults are there to oversee them. What activities do the children participate in, and what is playtime like? Observe the interactions between staff and kids as well while you’re there.
Ask Questions
As you visit the daycares you’re considering, make sure to bring a list of questions to ask the adults in charge. Choose questions that help you determine the details of each daycare, such as:
- Are children with the same, regular caregivers?
- What do the children do throughout the day?
- Are any meals or snacks provided?
- On average, how many years of experience do staff members have?
- What happens if my child falls ill, or is injured?
- How are disciplinary issues handled?
If you are considering obtaining your very own CDA certificate online and entering the daycare profession, you can earn your certification through Ashworth College. Getting started on your CDA certificate, and learning about childcare education, is easy and accessible at Ashworth College.
