6 Signs You Have A Quality Day Care For Your Child

One of the biggest challenges as a full-time working mom is finding a day care that both you and your child feel comfortable with and love. It’s no easy task, especially if you’re new to the day care scene or going back to work for the first time since having your child. A while back I discussed the 5 important questions you should ask before enrolling your child in any day care facility. Today, I’d like to talk a little more about how you know you’ve found quality care for your child.

This topic can be purely subjective depending on each individual’s circumstances and preferences however, we’ve had our daughter in day care since I went back to work after maternity leave. For those of you trying to do the math, that was five years ago. We’ve had Maddy enrolled in both in-home child care and traditional child care facilities during this time so I like to think that I’ve picked up some tips worth sharing because really, regardless of the option you choose, there are some fundamentals that apply across the board in determining if you’ve found the right center for you and your child.

A fancy, expensive day care used to impress me. Now I’m more concerned with the initial gut feeling I have when I walk into a facility and talk with the staff and see how the other children are responding and reacting to the center.

There is an open-door policy. 

You should feel as if you can stop by anytime to check-in on your child to see how they’re doing. The staff should be welcoming and accommodating at all times. In my last post of 5 important questions to ask before enrolling, I discussed the importance of observation rooms or web cams. For me, these are absolute must haves. These are non-intrusive ways to peek in on your child during the day to see how they are doing and what is going on in their classroom. These options have given me an opportunity to see what she is learning and what she may need help with. As a parent, you should always be made to feel welcome in your child’s school. In our current center, parents are always welcome to come and have lunch with their child, read to the kids in their class or volunteer in the classroom. This transparency means so much. If you’re not getting that, consider other options.

They make it a point to keep you updated. 

Whether it’s by a monthly newsletter, daily activity report or a simple conversation when you pick up to let you know about a concern or an achievement for the day, open communication is vital to have in any center. Maddy’s school provides parent/teacher conferences twice a year along with a development report that shows where Maddy is currently with her skills and learning. We also receive emails about any potential issues with other sick children in the center and the staff is also great about sharing the week’s lesson plan and menu. This constant effort from the staff to communicate really helps to ease any concerns about what is going on with the center and helps me to stay focused on my job during the day.

Your child is happy there and looks forward to going to school. 

I know Maddy really loves being with us on the weekends but more than not, I get asked a million times, “Is it school day yet?” She’s also itching to get out of her car seat when we pull up to the center and she literally goes running with a smile to the front door to see her friends. She genuinely loves her school friends and talks about them at home, as well as her teachers. This tells me she loves her school. Unfortunately, this hasn’t always been the case for her and it shows. While your child may have some initial separation anxiety, once his school schedule has become the norm, you will be able to tell if your child really loves their school.

The discipline policy aligns with your personal values. 

Does the center believe in time out? Do they redirect a misbehaving child? What actions are taken to teach the right behaviors to correct the wrong? This is often a component that gets glossed over easily during the selection process but it is important for you to know. Find out how your children are being disciplined to ensure the policies align with your core values.

The teachers genuinely care about your child. 

I’ve seen how Maddy lights up when she talks about her teachers and during my time spent in the observation booth, I’ve seen how she interacts with each of her teachers in a happy and positive way. There is a mutually beneficial, respectful and loving relationship that exists with each of her teachers at school. I have a good feeling about each of them which makes it very easy to leave her for the day. It also says a lot that each of them have come to me with any concerns or tid-bits of good news about her progress during the day. This open communication and genuine care for Maddy’s well-being says so much about how seriously the teachers take their job.

Your child is thriving. 

What’s the old expression – “The proof is in the pudding?” If your child is consistently learning new things, showing a love of learning, growing more and more creative and is growing in independence, then you have found a gem of a day care. One day a few months ago at pickup, I went into Maddy’s classroom and when I said “hello” to her, she responded with, “Hola!” and a great big smile. My child was speaking Spanish. Out of the blue, she was talking to me in another language and I was blown away but this is often how it is – she comes home all the time with a new skill or lesson that amazes her father and me. Indeed, the proof is in the pudding.

  

Above all, trust your instincts and listen to your child. Never, EVER feel silly or irrational for demanding that your child have the best in school care. Have you found a center your child loves? If so, how did you know?