Day care in the community

General Questions
Once you have determined what kind of day-care facility you will put your child in, you should also look at a number of factors which will verify if the facility is what you are looking for. Here are some important questions a parent should ask:

Are their operating hours amenable with your working hours? Do they allow late pick up and do they implore a penalty fee for such?

Who will they allow to drop off and pick up the child? What kind of identification do they need from the person picking-up the child?

Are they open on holidays? If yes, is there a special rate for such occasions?

Do they have substitute teachers or caregivers in the event that the regular teacher is on leave?

What is their policy on discipline? Do they advise the parents of the child’s misdemeanor?

Do they have a policy on illness, and is an authorization required before they can give prescription medicines? Do they have a place to keep medicines?

Check the day-care centre’s facilities. Do they have fire extinguishers, fire exits, fire alarms, and smoke detectors? Is their equipments child friendly (no sharp objects or furnitures with corners, and the like)? Can the children easily access the reading materials? Is the outdoor play area in good condition and properly fenced? Does the play area have soft flooring in case a child falls or stumbles? Does the centre keep cleaning materials or harmful substances in a place that the children cannot reach?

Is transportation provided by the day-care centre? If yes, what type of vehicle do they use? Do they have car seats for infant and toddlers, and booster seats for preschoolers?

Do they have a schedule for activities?

Are there field trips and will there be an extra cost for such?

Are the teachers and caregivers cheerful, and do they wear a smile? Do the children in the centre look happy? Is the teacher or caregiver able to speak with the children at eye level?

Do they post the art work of the children on the walls?

Do they have time for naps and how do they handle children who do not want to sleep? Is there an appropriate sleeping area for the children and infants?

Corporate Daycare
Based on statistics, inadequate day-care is one of the main reasons for a company’s loss in productivity and man hours. So, why not use this information can be used to urge your employer to provide an on-site day-care centre? It will not only benefit you but your employer as well. If you work in a retail company, you can recommend having a customer drop-off in the day-care centre, like what is being done in other places like Britain. A supermarket in Britain has practiced this for years, as they’ve learned that parents and other customers prefer shopping without distractions. Accordingly, customers who use the drop-off tend to spend more time and money in shopping.

Parade Float
Why not join a local parade? Make a float with blown-up art works of the children at the day-care centre at its sides. You can also create a banner with the children’s hand prints on it.

Finding Time to Volunteer
Finding time to do volunteer work is always a good way to give back to the community. Even if you have a full-time job, you can devote an hour or two of your rest day to do something good for others. For example, you can make baked goodies and drop them off with your child at the day-care centre on one of your days off. Some day-care centres operate using public funds, and may benefit from simple acts of generosities like a good carpet shampoo. Ask how you or other parents can help, but do not promise more that what you can give. Even if you can only share a little of your time, it will be valuable to the person or group you are sharing it to.

Visit: How to start a day care center