The decision of leaving your child with someone else all day as you have a job to go to is by no means easy. The only way you can think of doing it is when you know that the child is going to be in safe hands. This is the exact reason why the availability of a daycare is an important criterion when it comes to the choice of school.
There are many factors to look for when it comes to choosing the right day care:
SafetyNo marks for guessing that the safety of the child needs to be on top of your priority list. To this end you need to not just look at the infrastructure but also the availability of trained personnel. It will be a good idea to stop by at the time of dispersal to see the safety protocols being followed. Availability of CCTV cameras is yet another aspect to check for.- Teacher-child ratio An important aspect to consider is the child to teacher ratio. A day care with a lot more children than teachers and nannies can handle, is a strict no-no. It will be a good idea to also meet the teachers to understand their level of competence as well as empathy.
- Food If the daycare is proving meal-support, it will be prudent to get into the details to see what kind of menu-planning do they have. You sure do not want to opt for one where junk food is included in the menu. Also, if your child has any food allergies, are they equipped to customize the menu, is a question that you need to ask.
- Well-developed program Last, but definitely not the least you want to check if the day care has a well-developed program to cater to the child’s holistic development. Surely you do not want to go for a daycare that offers homework support alone. Instead, you want a program that focuses on developing the child’s socioemotional skills that more than anything else, are a predictor of success. A well-planned program can go a long way in supporting children with their social, emotional and behavioral development. Simply put, your child is always learning, and the daycare program you choose must encourage that learning.
The above homework done, you know that your child is in good hands in your absence. Here’s to raising a resilient generation!
