The truth is, as a parent, you have other obligations than just watching your child throughout the day. You may need to go to work or need some time to catch up on housework and daily chores. That is where daycare comes into play. Daycare is designed to provide your child with a safe and structured environment where other responsible adults supervise them. When looking for a daycare center for your child, there are a few traits and things you will want to pay special attention to.

Notice How the Staff Interacts with the Children

When you are visiting the center, pay attention to how the staff interacts with the kids. Are they standing over them, dictating what they should be doing? Or are they sitting at the table with the kids, helping them eat, and sitting on the floor, engaging in imaginative play with them? You want to look for an environment where the adults engage with the children at their level, and one-on-one, throughout the day.

Check-in About Childcare Philosophies

The truth is that there are lots of different ways to raise children. You are going to want to look for a daycare that supports your parenting philosophies and ideas. They may not do everything exactly as you would, but you want to look for a center that does things, at least in a way that you agree with. 

Find out if screen time is used at the center. Find out how children are treated when they do something incorrectly. Find out how nap time is handled. Look for a center where you like the way they handle the children and nurture their growth.

Learn About Communication Policies

When your child is small, you will rely on the staff at the center to keep you informed about what happens to your child throughout the day. Find out how they will communicate with you.

For example, many centers have programs where they will log when your child naps, eats, and what they do throughout the day. You can log into the program throughout the day to see what is happening with your child. This will also allow you to stick to a similar schedule with your child when they are not in daycare or identify if there are sleep or bathroom issues you need to be aware of.

You should also give yourself time to talk to your child's caregivers when you drop off and pick up each day, even if only for a minute. Look for a center that fosters communication between caregivers and parents.

When looking for a daycare for your child, look for one that encourages one-on-one and child-level interactions. Look for one whose childcare philosophies align with your own. Look for one that has open communication policies that will allow you to keep up to date on what is happening with your child when under their care. Finally, always go with your gut feeling when choosing a daycare center for your child. 

For more information about choosing a daycare center, contact one like A Mother's Touch Child Development Center.