Home child care?

Question

What should i look for when going to meet people for home care? My daughter is 16 months old and i have to meet with two people today. Over and above the normal seeing how clean she is, making sure she feeds heathly meals and snacks. Asking activities what else do i ask? what else do i look for?

Answer 1

child care is scary! What don't you look for. I'd trust your wife instead of a stranger any day. Why not have your wife stay at home? Do you have grandma or aunt that can watch the baby? Good Luck.

Answer 2

My son has been in 3 home daycares, and I've found my gut feeling is always best. One of the daycares I did not feel great about, but we had just moved to a new city, my husband and I were starting new jobs, and it was the only one that could take my son on short notice. Needless to say, I pulled him after 2 days because of my concerns (he was only 16 months, she put his playpen in front of the TV and then was questioning why he wouldn't nap!!! My fault for not asking where he would be napping) The other 2 home cares were so great though, and I had a great feeling as soon as I started talking to them.

I think just look around, you'll know by how clean the place is, look for safety hazards (gates, fences, etc), and make sure they don't just plop them in front of a tv all day. Both of the good homes my son was in didn't even have a tv.

Answer 3

I always look for the type of curriculum they offer for the different age groups. How they communicate with parents, and how accessible they are to you. Can you drop in to check on them easily? If you have a late day at work, do they have a set time, your child has to be there, or are they flexible? Make sure their hours meet your schedule requirements. And above all, watch them interact with the other children that are there!

Best Wishes! I hope you find someone you can trust, I know how hard that can be!

Answer 4

Do you know anyone else who has used this lady? if so ask them what they thought of  her. Does she look after any other children?

In the UK childminders have to be registered by Ofstead who do regular checks and reports which are easy to access on the internet.

Ask if you can leave your daughter for a morning ( with pay) and see how your daughter is when you pick her up eg happy. playing, eating or sat in a corner crying. If it is the latter i would try her one more time and if things have not changed i would look elsewhere. If she has other kids find out how many and how old they are. In the UK i believe they are allowed up to 8 kids but only 1 child under 1 and 2 others between 1-5 if she is having more than this she is not sticking to the rules ( if different in the US you'll have to look into it)

Answer 5

I would imagine you would look for the same things with a home day care as a day care center.  For us (using a day care center), first and foremost was did we get a good feeling there (teachers, providers, atmosphere, etc).  Check to see if they offer any "schooling" and make sure that it alligns with your philosophies as well.  Find out what they do to repremand the children.  Check the ratio of children to adults and go with what you are comfortable with.  Check the physical location of the building - busy street or quiet neighborhood - fenced in yard or play area.  Do a quick check of the inside of the home.  Look for potential baby hazards (important to think of with a toddler in a new place) - your daughter may know not to climb your stairs, but in a new place she might think differently.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Some questions to ask;

What will you do if my child gets hurt

what will you do in an emergency situation

Hoe often do you change diapers

What will you do if my child doesn't go to sleep at nap time (she should say she would allow your child to play or read quietly on his mat)

Do you take them out of your home often?

Will you ever take my child out of your home without my prior knowledge?

How ddo you handle discipline? (she should say no physical discipline only redirection and time out)

Also, notice how she interacts with your child during the interview (definitely bring him!).

Pay attention to whether or not the children in her care seem happy ad busy.  Notice if she is loving and firm with them (you don't want a mean provider or one who is a push over).

Ask to use the restroom and while in there look at the floor an the toilet to see if it's clean.  A small amount of dirtiness could indicate that it happened right before you came, so don't automatically assume she isn't cleaning frequently.  But a lot of dust and overflowing trash is surely a sign that things aren't up to par.

Ask how meal times are handled.  Does she allow the children to take their time and try all the food or does she rush them and/or force them to eat?

Ask her what she does to encourage a love for reading.  This is so very important in small children .  She should be reading aloud to them often and possibly taking them to library weekly.

Answer 7

Verify that she is licensed and check references.