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For those of you using day care

RsgrlRsgrl
in 3rd Trimester

I posted this on 0-6, but thought I'd ask here also.

Hi ladies!  I'm hopping over to ask for your suggestions/advice.  DH and I are going to look at our first day care tomorrow.  We would be put on their waiting list (we're due with our first baby in July) if we like them.  Care for our baby would start at about 6 weeks of age.

I'm wondering what types of questions I should ask or what things I should be looking for.  I have gotten great feedback from other people about the place so I am excited to see it.  I just want to make sure I'm not being blind to something that is important - we're so new to all of this stuff!

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

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Re: For those of you using day care

  • njkittynjkitty
    thebump has a list somewhere, but i found that you really do get a feeling when you walk in and you'll know.... things like employee turnover, training, are teachers BS child ed or are they assistants, etc.  also, how flexible are they?  vacation time? sick policy?  have fun!
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  • TennisWife815TennisWife815 member

    You look great -- its been 100 years since I've seen you!

    The big questions we asked were:

    Infant to Staff Ratio (NY legal is 4:1)

    Certifications of Staff

    Are at least two people on staff able to dispense medication? (nebulizer, epipen, and even tylenol cannot be given out without someone being certified)

    How bottles are warmed

    How toys are sterilized?

    Sick policy

    Do people have to wear booties when they walk into an infant room

    Any extracurricular (one of ours had music, A&C, and gymboree)?

    How is it determined when they switch rooms? (some do it based upon school calendar, others have their own calendar, and some base it on skills)

    Check to see how the rooms are organized with floor materials (e.g. infant rooms should be totally carpeted)

    Does every child get their own crib? cubby in fridge??

    What do you need to bring with you? (extra crib sheets, clothes, formula, diapers, etc.)?

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  • RsgrlRsgrl

    Thanks ladies, I appreciate the help!

    Tennis, it has been forever.  How are you?!

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  • angeltexangeltex

    Check to see if your state has a website that lists past violations and other information about the day care.  Texas Department of Family Protective Services offers this information.  It helped a great deal in deciding on a daycare center for our DD.  I didn't discover this site until we had gone through several centers. 

    Ask the following:

    Extra tuition for summers

    What to bring?

    Do they provide a daily report?

    Staff to child ratio?

    Staff training?

    Door security (is it coded with a different code for each parent)

    Sick policy

    Vacation policy

     

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