child care (long... sorry!)
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lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Hi everyone, While I'm only 19w2d right now, I've already started the day care search. I will take 8 weeks off of work after the babies arrive. After that DH and I may be able to flex our time (we both have wonderfully flexible schedules!), and along with help from friends and relatives, we may be able to keep the little bubs home for a couple more weeks. But between 10-12 weeks after they are born we are going to use a child care facility. DH and I went back and forth about using someone who takes care of children in their home, a nanny, or child care, but in the end child care makes the most sense for us now. I've found 3 places that are close to where we live and work.
1. We are already on the wait list for the facility that is affiliated with where DH and I both work and I will be touring that place this week. I know many people who use this facility and its pretty new (they moved into a wonderfully large building that is right around the corner from my office back in 2003). The pros are definitely that its close to where we are during the day- so we can go and feed them during our lunch, etc.
2. Then I toured a facility that is midway between our house and work that I liked as well. Its ***ociated with a big corporation (I think they have facilities all over the country), but its a locally-owned franchise. One of my friend's currently uses it and aside from some minor issues, she and her DH have really liked it since enrolling their first born 2 years ago (she is currently pg with #2 who will also enroll in the spring). I may put the bubs on this wait list too, but the fee for the wait list is more than the facility at my work so I'm hesitent.
3. Finally, I found another facility not too far from our home that isn't ***ociated with a big corporation (there are only 2 locations-
one in my town and one about 20 miles away). The website looks nice and after reviewing their profile on my state's website that oversees certification/violations of child care, they haven't had any serious violations in the last 2 years) so I will call them this week to make an appointment.
My main questions when visiting these places are: 1. the child to staff ratio 2. their philosophy on taking care of infants (do you try to fit them all to one schedule or take the lead from the child) 3. the training/certification of the staff 4. staff turn-over 5. procedures for injuries/ and have any children sustained a serious injury in your care?
Then there are other factors like hours (most only allow you to enroll your kids full-time), price, cleanliness, things I observe while there (do the kids look happy, does the staff seem bonded to the kids, if a kid is crying how does the staff respond especially when they are attending to another child, etc).
For those of you who either use or are planning to use child care, what other things are you looking for? Thanks for reading this insanely long message!! -Leighann
"mar66rus2" aprildo...@buckeye-express.com
When Em was a baby, she went to my SIL until she was 3. I went to pick her up one day and my SIL was not there and all the kids (6 of them) were locked in the house, sleeping, and the neighbor across the street was watching from her house. Needless to say, that was the last time she went there, and it started a HUGE fiasco with my IL's that has just started to get better in the past six months or so.
So I started looking for a daycare, and had to find one fast b/c of school. When looking, I wanted a place that met all the requirements that you mentioned. I also wanted her to be at a place that the whole family was welcomed at. At the center she went to was privately owned, and it felt like family. I did not want to take her to place that felt like business. I have done some college observations at daycares that were to business-like. My sis also went from a place that felt family like to a place that is more business-like, and she doesn't like it nearly as much (changed b/c the first one was out of the way with home and work). You want the staff to care as a whole too. I found at ours that other families were very generous and friendly....at some that doesn't happen.
The center also had parent meeting once every other month and would have a person come in to talk to parents about dealing problems at home with their children. It was great....it felt like a community. Not only was Emily taken care of, but we as a family were too, and when we have our second child, he/she will go there.
I hope this helps a little.
April p.s. Go with a place that feel 110% comfortable with. This place was the sixth place I had toured, and the first one I felt completely sure about :)
lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Thank you so much for your input April! I got a good vibe from the first place I visited. The infant room was very calm and the women working in there were very responsive to the babies, but I'm concerned that its part of a big chain. After I visit the other two places, I'll bring DH and we'll go to all three together.
BTW, I can't believe your SIL left 6 kids alone. Thats just horrible.
I'm glad your relationship with your ILs is getting better, but its totally understandable that it would cause problems with your family.
Glad you found a better situation for Em! -Leighann
"April" abbysmo...@columbus.rr.com
If you don't mind my asking, which chain? I only ask because I have experience with both private centers and chain centers, both as a parent and a teacher, and I can tell you that some chains are great and some put on a good show and say all the right things but really skimp on staffing and other necessities.
You can email me privately if you'd like.
April Mommy to Abby (10-02) ...
"scorpio" mwhit...@xtra.co.nz
Hi Leighann I don't know where you live but I'm in New Zealand. I was actually on an infertility site trying to contact other women facing my dilemma of secondary infertility...anyway your questions about childcare caught my interest... When my boy was 2 I needed day care and placed him in a home based care facility. I never liked the sound of a centre (fussy about germs, more chance for my boy to be exposed when lots of kids in one centre). The ratio is one adult to 4 kids and the caregivers are police checked and visisted by a qualified teacher once a month or more if the hours per week are more than 20. I loved this concept so much that I became an early childhood educator. Now I look after children in my own home and have done so for 5 years. I have made friends with some lovely families in the area and working with children is majic.
We get to go out and about around the local area and take advantage of the regions parks, nature and recreation venues (something that is a major to organise in a centre). The hours are as flexible as the mums want them to be, all they have to do is call me and if I have the space I can take their children for longer. We meet for regular playgroups and I also meet with other caregivers for play dates. We love it.
Hope ths helps...
Scorp
"Lilaeyes" Lilae...@aol.com
Please give your own opinion. I feel that any parent that is looking for childcare should choose a license childcare center, because those center's have experience in children. With these centers with a childhood degree in college?.. I feel comfortable placing my children in a center instead. A in home daycare, you do not even need a high school diploma.
I should know because I was once a in home registered daycare provider & I dropped out of 11th grade. I am a mother of three beautiful children & know how to raise children. So to say you need child care cl***es to become a registered daycare provider?. That is so simple. I already have a CPR certificate for children because i'm a worried mother & my record for the department of children and family is clean. But to say, opening up a family daycare is hard?.. No it isn't!.. So many in home daycares are ones that want to easily make money, (do not really want to work for a boss and go by their rules), or want to get off of social welfare.. That is my own opinion, knowing so many in home daycares get their registered license revoked due to violating the regulations and rules with the department of family and child care unit.
"Child neglect and abuse". Thats why their are so many, many in home daycares running, It is so easy & free to get registered & you do not even have to graduate from high school.And to say, you need to take cl***es in knowing how to take care of children?..I wouldn't wanted children myself with my husband if I didn't know how to raise children.. All you need is a clean record with the Children's Daycare Unit that grants you a registration, & you need to even take 6-9 courses while running a in home daycare. Thats to me, not fair to children that are at risk. Being put in a home daycare,(being watched by a provider that has no high school diploma or a college dregree in childhood development)?.. Think about why more & more in home daycares are getting closed down by the state, but less do not by a license center that carries a childhood delevopment diploma in college. I believe registered daycares that are still running should take more courses & take cl***es by the child family daycare unit that gives providers certificate's. And when a new in home daycares opens, they should have proof of a high school diploma and take part in college for childhood delevopment, like 6 to 9 months. And ones that can not afford college can get VSAC so the state can pay for your college in childcare development..
"scorpio" mwhit...@xtra.co.nz
Hey that WAS my own opinion. The company I contract to is licensed and we must comply with the ministry of education statutes...I have studied too by the way. Mothers can ask tht when they meet us. Lots of caregivers are qualified to run a centre but they prefer to work with the children in their own home. I read you loud and clear...
lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Scorp. Thank you for your input. I know a couple of people who run day cares out of their homes, but I don't think that will work for us because I'm trying to find two infant spots and most of these places are only licenced to have up to 6 kids (less if they take more infants). Thats why we are primarily looking at either child care facilities.
BTW, there is a secondary infertility usenet group: alt.infertility.secondary. Good luck, Leighann
lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Thanks so much April! I emailed you privately. -Leighann
lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Thank you for your input Lilaeyes. One of the things I'm looking for in a center is that the staff has some early childhood education (either an ***ociates or bachelors or working toward one). From the places I've talked to, this seems to be the case for the full time 'teachers' while the aides are typically either college students working toward some early education degree or retirees who raised their kids (and therefore have experience!). Thanks again.. this is such a stressful decision! -Leighann
JP jpha...@nycap.rr.com
I used a locally owned Child Care for DS #1 when he was 2 1/2 until last summer, just before he started Kindergarten. They have three centers in the area. I was attracted to it because of the playgrounds (they had one on the toddler side and one for the pre-schoolers), which DS saw on our way by one day, and wanted to play on! I was very happy. One thing I liked was that they encouraged parents to come by anytime. You could come pick up/drop off any time (though you paid for the day, and infants were full time only), they had a video monitor in the office so you could take a peek later in the morning if you'd had a rough drop off, or if you just wanted to see a shining face :) Paulie met some friends there that I'm sure we'll keep in touch with, and a couple of special teachers too, that have become friends. I'm leery of at home day care, too many variables for me. I liked the warmly professional atmosphere at our Day Care Center, I liked the scheduled activities and the cl***rooms.
The infant rooms were obviously somewhat different, and I had no personal experience there, but I often saw teachers from the infant rooms walking the rooms with a little one who either wasn't sleepy at the right time, or who needed a change of scenery. Many of the teachers did babysitting in their spare time, and lots would come to the never ending string of birthday parties, which to me attested to their dedication ;) That was maybe more than .02 worth, but I hope it helps ;) JP
"Jamie Clark" jamiel...@comcast.net
Don't fret on it -- it was just a troll post to multiple news groups.
Trying to stir up a fuss.
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Jamie Earth Angels: Taylor Marlys -- 01/03/03 Addison Grace -- 09/30/04 ...
lkl1 ...@hotmail.com
Oops!!! I didn't realize it was a troll and I responded. I'm usually better with my 'troll-dar.' I hope I didn't reply to the multiple newsgroups that this person posted too. -Leighann
"Jamie Clark" jamiel...@comcast.net
I don't know if they cross posted or not. But they also posted on misc.kids.pregnancy, verbatim, which is why I suspect it's just a troll.
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Jamie Earth Angels: Taylor Marlys -- 01/03/03 Addison Grace -- 09/30/04 ...
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