It’s a normal feeling for parents if they don’t want to leave their baby in someone else’s care especially if it’s their first child. However, there are times that it can’t be avoided especially when you’re working. There’s no need to worry though because there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to child care. A day care facility is one of the best options you have. Aside from regular care, your child can also enjoy lots of benefits such as socializing with other kids and having more fun. Here are a few tips on how to pick the best day care centre for your little one.
Research
First thing you have to do is to get recommendations from relatives or friends regarding the best day care centre they have tried. List them down and do some research on them online regarding their facilities, services and reviews from their previous clients. With this, you get to have an idea on where it is best to enrol your little one.
Phone Them
If you have a shortlist of your potential choices, call them and ask for some basic questions. The more accommodating the staffs is over the phone, the better. Scratch them off from your list if no one responds or if they aren’t accommodating.
Visit in Person
Aside from interviewing them over the phone or checking out their website, one of the best things you can do is to visit the day care centre personally. You get to check the place and their facilities in person so you’ll know what to expect. If you feel unsure about the place, then it might not be good for your child too.
Do an Unannounced Visit
Another good thing to try is to visit a day care facility unannounced. This way, you get the real picture of what takes place naturally in the centre every day. You may want to remove a centre from your list if they don’t allow any kind of unannounced visits.
Basic Factors to Consider
If you already have a shortlist of two or three day care centres, make sure to consider these factors first to choose better.
- Cost – Enrolling your child in day care surely comes with a price. If the facility is out of your budget range, then it would be better to remove it from the list.
- Accreditation – A certified day care centre somehow gives you an assurance that they have passed the safety and health standards.
- Numbers of kids – Little children require lots of attention so make sure to consider the number of children a staff takes in a session. For babies up to 12 months, a staff should only look over a maximum of three kids. Toddlers up to 3 years old are not as needy as babies so a staff can watch over 4 kids at most.
There’s nothing wrong when you enrol your little one in a day care facility. Aside from the assurance that they will be taken care of, you child also get to learn more about the world outside home.
