North Lakes is home to many child care providers and thus choosing one to work with can be confusing for most parents. Child care is important because it allows you to work full-time, travel when you have to and free time for other important things you might have to do.
Choosing the right North Lakes child care is important because ultimately it influences your child’s behaviour because they are at a tender age. So what makes good child care services?
Things to Consider When Choosing Child Care
Commitment – One of the most important things to consider is commitment. The child care provider should be able to commit to the job for at least a year. Children get attached to their care providers and having a different one every time can really disorient them.
If you are working with a child care centre, ask them how long the care providers have been working for them.
Communication – It is essential for a care giver and a child’s parents to communicate regularly. As children grow, they undergo various phases such as teething that can affect how they sleep or feed. A good North Lakes child care is one that communicates with the parent on everything of importance.
They would want to know how the baby slept at night when being dropped off. They should know when the child is sickly or moody. All this would help them put the parent at ease and inform them on how the child is doing.
Safety and Security – Look around to see how secure the place is if you are considering a child care centre. Do they have a security system in place? Are there surveillance cameras? Is the building in top condition and organised on the interior?
Are the furniture baby proofed? If the care giver will be coming to your house, ask them pertinent questions on how they intend to keep your child safe.
Policies – Different child care givers and centres apply different policies in taking care of kids. Seek to know what their policies are in terms of discipline, feeding, access to TV or computers, sickness, and sleeping.
For instance, you can ask what they do in case a child needs to be disciplined. Do they use time-outs? Such policies should match with the policies you have been using with your child so that they do not see a drastic change.
Clean, Warm and Healthy Atmosphere – Children always play on the floor of child care centres. Therefore, cleanliness is of utmost importance. It keeps your child healthy and prevents spread of communicable diseases and those spread through germs. The centre should also be warm and comfortable for a child.
Stimulating Atmosphere – Children learn more through manipulation than they do through listening. This is why a good North Lakes child care is full of stimulating items such as pictures, building blocks, puzzles, books, balls, and so much more. The centre should also be spacious and have outdoor facilities where the children can run and play.
As a parent, never ignore your gut-feeling. If something feels off, it just might be off. It is recommended that you visit several centres and interview several North Lakes child care givers before opting for one.