You’re not alone if the notion of leaving your child with someone else all day, every workday, makes you desire to never leave your child at all. It’s a major decision, particularly if it’s your first child.

 

If you do plan to return to your 9-to-5, you’ll be in good company: More than 70% of all main caregivers, according to some estimates, work outside the home. That means there are a plethora of quality child care alternatives available, ranging from nannies to babysitters and beyond.

 

Daycare, whether in a group centre or at your house, is one of your finest possibilities. Many facilities such as preschool in miami lakes provide excellent care from certified, trained caregivers in a setting where your child can socialise with other children her age.

 

From the benefits and drawbacks to questions to ask potential providers and what to look for while visiting a daycare facility, here’s everything you need to know about daycare.

 

Types of daycare services

 

A daycare centre is a place where parents send their children off for the day, usually for the entire day, alongside other children of various ages. There are a few options available to you:

 

Group daycare: These facilities are state-licensed and normally operate in the same way as a school, with children of various ages being cared for in groups. Some of these are managed by the businesses themselves.

 

In-home daycare: This type of child care is run out of the provider’s home, typically while she is also caring for her own children. Because not all states require in-home daycare providers to be licenced, make sure you learn about the regulations before entrusting your child to them (or while researching your options).

 

The advantages of daycare

The best daycare in Miami can provide a number of substantial benefits:

 

  • Continuous care: Most child care centres provide care from birth to toddlerhood, and in some cases even beyond.
  • Education: A well-organized programme will cater to the development and progress of your child.
  • Socialization: Your baby will have plenty of opportunities to interact with other children.
  • Daycare is less expensive than hiring a nanny if you want to return to work and need someone to look after your child while you’re gone (although a nanny may be more cost-effective if you have multiple children).
  • Reliability: To accommodate a variety of parent schedules, most facilities stay open for around 12 hours.
  • Staff is trained and licenced, which is unique to group daycare. There is always a sub since there are multiple caregivers.
  • Home daycare differs from group daycare in that there are fewer children, which may imply more personal attention and less exposure to illness.

 

Daycare’s drawbacks

There are some disadvantages to putting your child in daycare, such as:

 

  • Cost – While daycare centres are less expensive than private child care, they are nonetheless costly unless the government or your employer subsidises them.
  • Infection exposure: Because they are exposed to more children, babies may become ill more frequently than children in other child care settings – however, this is only a foreshadowing of what is to come in preschool. Early germ exposure, in fact, may help to strengthen a baby’s immune system (which may mean fewer colds and infections later on in childhood).
  • Group daycare: If the centre follows a public school calendar, there may be less scheduling flexibility than in a more informal setting, and the centre may be closed on holidays when you’re working.
  • Home daycare: Some providers (such as those run by religious organisations) are unlicensed and do not require childcare training, which means they are not regularly evaluated for quality and may not be bound by group size, caregiver-to-child ratios, activities, or materials. In addition, if the infant caretaker (or one of her children) becomes ill, there is typically no backup caregiver available, therefore you’ll require an on-call sitter (or a very understanding boss).

 

What to Look for When Choosing a Day Care

You may need to give yourself a little more time to choose a daycare depending on where you reside.

 

It’s a good idea to start looking for a job at least two months before you want to return to work; if you live in a big city, you might even want to start looking before your kid arrives. Here are some steps to follow:

 

  • Do your homework. Get referrals from other parents (at work and in your social circle) as well as your paediatrician. If you don’t know any other parents, ask those you encounter in the waiting room of your OB-GYN or paediatrician, the playground, or a mommy-and-me class. You can also look for daycare reference services online or contact the state regulatory agency.
  • Centres for interviews Over the phone, contact screening centres and in-home daycare providers (see questions below). If the centre’s hours are inconvenient or the personnel is unresponsive, cross it off your to-do list.
  • Visit the centre in person to get a better idea of what it has to offer. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, go view it in person to determine if it meets all of your requirements (again, see below). Then go with your instincts: if something doesn’t seem good to you, it’s probably not right for your baby.
  • References should be checked. Call old and current clients to find out how pleased they and their children were with their experience. Don’t rely on the glowing letters of recommendation that providers may provide, as enticing as it may seem. Editing letters is simple (or even forged).
  • Unannounced visits are welcome. Consider going by unexpectedly on another day before making your final decision to get a better sense of what the group daycare centre is like when the staff hasn’t been prepared. You may wish to cross the centre off your list if it does not allow unannounced visits of any kind.
  • Inquire about their credentials. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) sets even higher requirements for group daycare centres, including a good adult-to-baby ratio, low caregiver turnover, and a philosophy that promotes the health, safety, and development of children in their care. If a provider is accredited by the National Association for Family Child Care for in-home daycare, it has met higher criteria.