I was three months pregnant when I realized, after talking to other mommy friends, that I was already way behind on my search to find a daycare for our baby, who was still about the size of a lime in my belly.
My husband is a teacher and even though I would've done just about anything to be a stay-at-home mom, we quickly decided that trying to survive on just his salary would be out of the question.
It didn't take long before I realized that choosing the right daycare is a lot like choosing a car. You can go with the luxurious model; a very reputable daycare that only serves organic food and promises to teach your child four languages before they reach kindergarten, or you can choose the used model, which in my case was the woman in our neighborhood who had an in-home daycare and the cheapest rates in town, but didn't really sound believable when she said she was licensed and CPR certified.
We knew our child would be very comfortable in the pricier daycare, but while it was cleaner and much more focused on development and education, it had rows of cribs where babies spent much of their time. The woman with the in-home daycare, while not up on all of the latest trends and who probably hadn't read the latest studies on sleep methods, treated every child like her own.
So in the end, after visiting both places and getting advice from many family members and mommy friends, we decided on the in-home daycare in our neighborhood and we couldn't be happier. Not only are her prices hard to beat, but she loves our son and gives him the care and attention we would expect from someone who spends just as much, if not more, time with him than we do.
My advice to all new moms who are looking for the best daycare for their child is, to do the research, get lots of recommendations and at the end of the day, always go with your gut and who you think will best watch your child. Remember the more luxurious cars on the lot may look nice, but there are always older models out there who may surprise you and really stand the test of time.
If you're looking for a daycare, here are some questions you should ask:
- What is your supervisor to child ratio?
- Where do the children sleep?
- Do you provide food or snacks?
- How do you separate different age groups?
- Is there a contract that we need to sign?
- Are you licensed and CPR certified?
- What do you do during holidays or if you want to go on vacation?
- Is there a backup sitter that you recommend if you become sick or have to close?
- Do your rates change? If yes, how much notice will you give?
If you have any comments, questions, or story ideas, please e-mail: kewarthan@gmail.com
http://www.examiner.com/x-16116-Indianapolis-New-Moms-Examiner~y2009m7d15-Choosing-the-right-daycare