Ten Toes and a Nose Need a New Home

Ten little fingers, ten little toes and a cute little nose. You've washed them. Counted them. Kissed them a thousand times. Now you need to find the perfect place for those fingers and toes to continue to grow while you are away during the day. No small task for parents these days. Staying home full time is not an option for many families and looking for childcare is a hard task to tackle. How do you find the right match for you and your child?

I am in the process of this challenge right now. My youngest, Nicholas, is 2. I love being with him...most of the time. He is 2 after all. :-) He needs to be in a loving environment for at least 3 days during the week. I'm thankful to those who have helped care for him already. It's hard to make changes in child care. But here I go again... Below is my checklist of questions to ask when considering childcare. This is a major decision that needs time to make well. My biggest thing is to trust my instincts. If you have any concerns at all, it's not the right match for you. I meet with each possible provider in person at their place preferable while they have children there. What other questions do you think would be helpful? How do you go about looking for childcare? Please add your thoughts on our Facebook page!

1. Where are you located? (A great place to start! What will your drive be like?)
2. What are your hours? (Is there any flexibility? What if you are late? )
3. What are your rates? (Do you pay if your child is sick? If they are sick? Are there standard days they'll be closed?)
4. How many children are there? What are their ages? Tell me a bit more about them. (Listen for personality matches or conflicts with your child's personality.)
5. What other adults will help care for my child? (Get to know them as well as the primary caregiver. If your child will be alone with them, you want to know them. )
6. Are you licensed? (This may or may not matter to you. My daughter's provider was not licensed and she was great. Learn more about the process to decide what's best for you.)
7. What does a typical day look like? (Are there consistent routines? Is their structured and unstructured playtime? What happens during pickup/drop off?)
8. What are your thoughts on use of television? ( For me, this is important. We do not have cable at home and do not watch much tv. I want a provider with similar thoughts on it.)
9. Do you provide meals? Tell me more about that. (Are their allergy challenges or dietary wishes to keep in mind? Can you pack their lunch if you want?)
10. Is your program religious? (This is important for some to be part of the environment and for others, important that it not be. Good to know up front.)
11. How do you handle challenging behaviors? (I love to visit while children are there so you have an opportunity to most likely see how they handle behavior issues. Do they use time out? If so, what does that look like?)
12. How will you let me know about my child's day? (I love knowing what my child does during the day! Especially when they can't/won't tell you themselves. Some provider have a newsletter, website, email pics, etc....)

and, of course,

1. Do you shop at My Toy Garden? :-) If so, you'll know they'll have great toys to play with packed with learning opportunities!

Invite them to register for the Educator's Shopping Spree program if they haven't already and 3% of your purchase will go on an account for them to have a shopping spree! We have over 30 schools registered in this program already and welcome more! Registration form in on the front page of our website along with more info.

Playfully,
Toylady Janet