| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Selecting A Quality Day Care Center
Many working families choose a commercial or individual day care center to care for their child during the workday. We've listed important aspects of a daycare center's environment to evaluate when making your choice:
Sick Policy. Most daycare centers will require that a child sent home with a fever or after a bout of nausea or diarrhea be kept home for 24 hours. While it inconvenient for working parents, it is the safest practice to prevent contagious illnesses from spreading within a classroom. Some centers may have a separate infirmary and onsite nurse or share the operating costs with other centers in the area. Discipline, Biting and Dismissal Policies. Find out how the center handles discipline and what the process is for misbehavior that affects other children, such as biting or hitting. As if there is an escalation process, what the coaching and dismissal policies are. You will want to know both sides in the event your child is the aggressor or the victim. Feeding. Some centers serve prepared food and some have families bring lunches and provide morning and afternoon snacks. Find out if the daycare providers will heat up food in your child's lunches, if there is a refrigerator available, if they provide milk and filtered water for drinking and what kinds of snacks are served. Supervised Lunch and Snacktime. The center you choose should support your nutrition preferences and provide healthy options served in a clean, supervised environment. Staff should use the opportunity to teach manners and model good eating habits. Ask about the center's policy on sharing food at the lunch table if your child has allergies. Toilet Training. Some centers will help potty train your child, others require that the child be fully potty trained by a specific age. Your center should reinforce good bathroom habits, including wiping, flushing and thoroughly washing hands. Some centers also add brushing teeth to the regular routine. Napping. Most young children benefit from regularly scheduled nap times during the day. Most centers will have young toddlers take a nap in the morning and one in the afternoon. Older toddlers and preschool age children may have one name in the afternoon after lunch. Ask whether you are responsible for bringing bedding or if it is provided. In the latter case, your child should have his own dedicated linens that are laundered each week. Parent Visits. Parent visits should be welcomed throughout the day, whether announced or unannounced. There should be observation windows available for you to observe your child's day or you should be welcomed into your child's classroom. Schedule. Hours of operation often play a key role in whether a center is acceptable simply by default of being available when you need them to be. Some centers have two tuition schedules, one for standard daycare (i.e. 9am - 4pm) and extended daycare (i.e. 7am - 6pm). Ask what the late policy is, whether you will have to pay on pick-up, if that payment must be in cash, etc. Safety and Peace of Mind. Does the center have controlled access, with locked doors after the usual drop-off times? There should be a sign-in/sign-out process to account for each child. When you register, you should be asked to supply emergency contact information for yourself and partner, two people who can be contacted and take your child if either of you are not available. Some centers will also ask for an out-of-state emergency contact in the event of a regional emergency, like an earthquake. Emergency Plan. If your area is prone to natural disasters like flooding or earthquakes, ask about your center's emergency plan - how they will notify parents, where their evacuation location is, if there is a lockdown procedure. Daily Status Reports. A daily status report will give you detailed information about your child's day, including feeding times, diaper changing information and activities during the day. This is especially important for infants and young toddlers. Classrooms. Children love rooms that are bright, cheerful and full of visual stimulation created by creative artwork, children's projects and family pictures. Classroom curriculum. Each classroom should be equipped with age appropriate activities, equipment and toys to stimulate your child's development in fine/gross motor activities, sensory and cognitive skills, language development, number concepts, music and art. Bonuses and Special Touches Emailed Progress Reports and Photos. Many daycare centers are now emailing daily progress reports with information about activities and care routines like eating, napping and diapering to parents. Some centers also take photos of your child during the day and post them to an intranet you can access securely with a username and password. Extra Curricular Activities. On-site enrichment classes are usually an additional charge to the monthly tuition and can take place during regular school time or after school so parents can partake in the experiences with the child. Activities can include dance, gymnastics, martial arts, Spanish, basketball and computers. About the Author
MORE RESOURCES:
Parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What Is Homeschooling And How Do I know If Its Right For My Family? Do you know what these famous people have in common?Alexander Graham BellGeorge PattonAlbert EinsteinBenjamin FranklinWinston ChurchillAgatha ChristieGeorge Bernard ShawWill RogersIf you guessed that they were all homeschoolers, you'd be correct. This is a very short list of famous and successful people who were educated at home. How to Assist Troubled Teens What parents of a teen haven't wondered where their sweet child went and who the angry and rebellious child is that took his or her place. After all, adolescence is a time of change. Tracking Your Child Progress As a parent, you can learn a lot about your child's learning and watch for signs of possible problems. Here are some things to look for and to discuss with his teacher:Starting at age 3 or 4:Does your child remember nursery rhymes, and can he play rhyming games?At about age 4: Can your child get information or directions from conversations or books that are read aloud to him? Kindergartners:Is your child beginning to name and write the letters and numbers that he sees in books, on billboards and signs, and in other places?At age 5:Can your child play and enjoy simple word games in which two or more words start with the same sound? For example: "Name all the animals you can think of that start with d. How Well Do You Know Your Child? Do you think you really know your child? I don't mean know what he/she likes and doesn't like, but to know him/her well enough to understand his/her challenges, to appreciate his/her strengths and weaknesses and to help him/her develop his talents. Knowing your children can help increase their chance for success in the future and improve your relationship. How Do I Get My Child to Read? Well first off, please to don't institute the ½ hour of mandatory reading that so many schools and parents are so keen on these days. You want to encourage a life-long love of reading and frankly you would be much more likely to succeed by banning reading in your house then by turning reading into yet another chore that needs to be done. Advantages of Using a Board Certified Pediatrician When a child is born, a new number is added to the parental speed dial. When a child wakes his parents up in the middle of the night, there is one person that they know they can turn to for the answers. Ten Ways To Become Your Teenagers Best Friend Best friends! It may seem impossible to believe, but today's teens do want to consider their parents as friends, even though they think we could never understand the realities of their world. They are also interested in what it was like being a teenager during the Stone Age. Hiking with Children There is nothing quite like hiking with small children. The thrill of introducing these young ones to the wonder of nature is matched only by their eyes as they take it all in. The Reticular Activating System, and its Role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we began to introduce the reader to the system in the brain known as the Reticular Activating System. The Reticular Activating System is the "attention center" in the brain. You Want Whaaat??? Not too long ago my teenage daughter approached me with a very special request.. The Worlds Greatest Dad You are in the final round of your favorite game show. The category is "Fatherhood". Home And School Education - Your Kids Can Benefit From Both! Once, as a Learning Support Teacher, I made my way down to the annexe that housed the school's History Department.The annexe was about 100 metres from the main school building, down an attractive, leafy hill. Childrens Allowance When we consider that the word allowance means, "allowing for," it puts that "A" word into better perspective.Children will need access to their own stash of cash when they reach a certain age. Parenting Your Teenager: How to Say NO! Q: Whenever we tell my daughter "no," she just bugs and pesters until we give in. I know it's wrong to give in, but she makes things so unpleasant that we give in just to make peace. Parenting Secrets Revealed So your little Susie wants to join a competitive gymnastic club? You conclude that this is going to be great fun! Maybe, you even think this is just the ticket your bouncy little girl needs to get rid of her pent-up energy while meeting other little friends. Initially, all seems well as you proudly watch your Susie happily striving to achieve equilibrium success. Surprising Fun Solution to Kids Moods and Attitudes As a parent, are you at your wits end? Does your child control you? Does your child act up in public? Does your child ignore you, whine, argue, show disrespect, have "moods" or "attitudes", throw tantrums, and drive you crazy? If this sounds familiar, you aren't alone. Parents across the country face the same problems. Dad, Go Ahead and Cry She slipped her small, soft eight-year-old hand into mine. Her face was lit up with joy. Mommies and Me Special Time Creating and making special memories with your child is very important, especially for your child's development.Special memories also help build a relationship with your child that will last a lifetime. More Water, Not Less, Will Help End Bedwetting Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are so busy playing they sometimes 'forget' to drink. Building Teen Character: Part-Time Employment The teenage years are a crucial time in a child's life. They are not children anymore, but they are also not adults.
|
Catalogue 4 Shopping UK offers thousands of low priced, top brand products in a variety of categories including fashion clothing, sportswear, DIY, electrical for home and garden. Remember it is often cheaper to shop via catalogue4shopping.co.uk than going direct, so bookmark us now (Ctrl +d) Enjoy your shopping. |
.jpg)