day care questions (long, sorry)

thank you so much for the encouragement on the day care issue. thank you thank you thank you. i really do appreciate each comment even though i am not acknowledging you all by name (as some people email me instead of commenting). honestly, truly, thank you.

as i mentioned i went with an exhaustive list of questions for our day care provider. i didn't know what to ask and my mother suggested looking online for some ideas. my list of questions was created from about 20 different websites. most suggested the same kinds of things but each had something different. keep in mind that this is for a small, in-home day care for an infant, not a large 70-child preschool-type setting. i deemed some probably "typical" or "essential" questions as not relevant to my situation because of that.

ask for a tour of the home/facility where the kids are. our provider's home was very clean and well-kept with a well-kept yard, on a small cul-de-sac off another street, which was off a "main" street. i didn't see a television where the kids were but i saw lots of age-appropriate toys that would stimulate learning and creativity (blocks, dress-up clothes, legos) and lots of books, which was very encouraging to me.

when you talk to someone, you want to know what all is included. you want to know what you must bring/provide. diapers, likely. how many bottles? et cetera.

you also need to know how compensation is handled for vacation or days your kiddo is sick. most places give you "time off" for vacation, but you usually still have to pay if your child is sick (unless hospitalized). often day care providers will take vacation time themselves when you generally do not have to pay. what are the hours? what holidays is your provider closed?

sometimes it is inevitable that you will be running a little late from work. how does your provider handle late pick-ups?

what is your provider's billing policy? does she provide receipts for income tax credit?

you need to know when you must keep your child home when they are sick. sniffles? runny nose? is it okay for kiddo to come when she is no longer contagious, but still recovering and just needs quiet and rest? how does your provider handle medications if they are needed? what is her policy about "quarantines" and other sick kids? what is her policy when the provider is ill herself?

it's important to know what their philosophy and point of view/feelings are on infant and toddler care. you don't want your child left in a swing, bouncer, or crib all day or in front of a television. (in california swings, bouncers, and walkers are prohibited.) what kind of early childhood education does the provider have?

is the provider licensed? (not all of them are!) if so, for how many children? how many children does she currently take care of, and what are their ages? does the provider carry current insurance, and for how much coverage? can you see a copy of her license and insurance? are all the people in the home licensed caregivers and fingerprint-cleared? are all caregivers current on infant/child cpr and first aid? (in california all of this is required to be current with the license, but not all providers keep up on everything. it is a good sign of responsible business management if they do.)

will your provider drive or take the children anywhere during the day? if she drives, does she have a rear-facing carseat (for an infant) or do you need to provide that? can you see a copy of her current insurance? your caregiver should have adequate liability limits (i would personally be comfortable with no less than 100/300/50 in california), medical payments coverage (in california - in other states it is sometimes called personal injury protection - i'd be comfortable with no less than $5,000), and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages (should match the liability limits).

what kind of security/safety policies are in place to prevent accidents? are there any security/safety issues you should be aware of? (pets, pools, trampolines, stairs, et cetera)

does your provider smoke? does she have any health issues you should be aware of?

how are injuries and emergencies handled? who watches the children if the caregiver has a family emergency? what if you have a family emergency and need to come pick up your child?

can you come visit your child whenever you want to? this is important - your provider should have an open-door policy. anything but should be a red flag. your provider may have times that she request you take care when coming by (i.e. during naptime, so as not to wake the children) but you should not ever be prohibited from seeing your child unannounced.

what is your provider's discipline policy? what would your provider do if your baby cried inconsolably or would not stop crying unless held or carried? what is her procedure for putting babies to sleep?

what is your provider's meal policy? could you come and breastfeed on your lunch break (if feasible for you)? are there any concerns with provided breastmilk for bottle feeding versus formula?

if you are cloth diapering your baby, is your provider comfortable with that? you may need to provide a receptacle for the diapers during the day.

how does your provider communicate to you about your kiddo's day? what if you and she disagree about something?

references should be provided and if they are not, ASK. ask your caregiver to tell you about herself and her family. how did she get involved in child care?

tell her about yourself and your family. is there anything she wants to know about you?

you should get good answers to all your questions and not have to pry for this information. you should get a good feeling from the day care facility and not have any reservations. trust your gut! also, if this is a difficult but necessary thing for you to do, like it is for me - to put your child in day care - be honest with your caregiver about that. she should be sensitive to that and not take it personally. our provider commented a couple times that day care is generally harder on moms than it is on the kiddos. not only did i get a good gut-reaction from her, but this demonstrated to me that in being sensitive to my feelings and emotions and understanding that i didn't dislike her (just the situation in general), she would also be sensitive and caring to our daughter.

we are at: 32 weeks 3 days.