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Missouri Babies
Daycare questions
Hi! I am new posting to this board, but am hoping this is the best place to get some help with daycare questions.
I am late in getting started on this, since my baby is due in January - but I need to get working on daycare.
My work has a daycare center on site, which is my first choice, but I think I need to educate myself and look at several options. If anyone has some insight on how to start or any answers to the questions below - I would really appreciate the help.
1. Good recommendations for daycare in SKC, or S Overland Park.
2. Avg price of daycare for one infant in the KC area (both center and home care)
3. Good ratio of teacher/child.
4. Specific things to look for, questions to ask when interviewing centers.
Thanks!!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Daycare questions
Hey!! I'm soooo happy to see you on here!!!!!
I don't really have any answers for you (Bennett goes to an in-home babysitter), but I just wanted to tell you that
1. Don't have any recs for the area you're looking for. Good luck! I know it is a tough decision.
2. Most of the places we found in the LS area were about $210-260/wk, I think? We only looked at centers, though.
3. I think 1:4 is the state regulation for infants.
4. Look for: cleanliness, safety, # and age-appropriateness of toys/books, size of the room (I went into one daycare where I couldn't even open the door fully because all the kids were in jumpers or exersaucers and the room was so crowded. It just screamed FIRE HAZARD!), how the staff is interacting w/the kids, # of kids out playing or being held vs in cribs or exersaucers, etc. (this will vary based on time of day), how well the staff seems to know the kids (I was really impressed that our daycare's director knew most or all of the kids by name as we toured the classrooms).
Ask to tour not only the infant room but also at least the next classroom up. Some of the other stuff we asked about were wait list, staff turnover, particularly in the classroom that your baby would be in, staff qualifications and continuing education, if the center is accredited, what linens you vs the center provides (some have you provide crib sheets), how often they wash the toys, whether food is provided by the center or you when DC is old enough for solids and if provided by the center, is it extra $?.
1. We are in the Northland so I can't really help.
2. We pay $285 for 3 days a week but we have a funky schedule so we had slim pickens for a place that would work with our rotating schedule. It is also a Montessori center/school and not inhome.
3. I agree that 4 kids to 1 adult is right.
4. We toured the entire center, I liked seeing how the entire staff worked with the kids and the programs they have. We asked a TON of questions...but I am a major question asker so keep that in mind!
Some ? we asked included:
CPR training, education and Montessori training, staff turnover, what they did with problems and accidents, immunization requirements, if they will work with parents on schedules and such (for us it was getting her to nap in her crib and doing her eye patch time during the day), how they handle dispensing medicine, emergency pick up procedures, security of the area, background checks on staff, references, when the baby moves up to the next "room", do we bring food, do they prepare bottles, wash bottles, how clean they are.
We also watched them interact with the babies, watched them change a diaper (how safe were they on the changing table, they used gloves!), what kind of toys do they have.
Sorry, I wrote a novel!
I'm late on answering but my DS goes to a center in SKC and we lovelovelove it. PM me if you want the contact info.
2. The infant room at our center is $250 a week, there's another place close by that was $200 (I think) but it gave me the willies.
3. 4:1 is the state ratio but 3:1 is awesome.
4. Ask about safety and emergency procedures (fire, tornado, etc). What days are they closed, inclement weather policy (call parents, local news, etc). What is the policy about other people picking up your DC, staff turnover, what do you have to provide daily/weekly/monthly. What kind of info do they give you about your DC's day?
We take Sammie to Smithville Montessori (right off 169 before you get into Smithville, behind the major mall). We really love it there! We actually know one of the ladies in the infant room so that helped our comfort level too!
Just Like Home in Smithville has a good rep but I believe they didn't offer funky part time schedules which is why we didn't pick them. I used to go to ABC 123 when I was a child but I don't think they take non-potty trained kids.
I hope that helps! If you have any questions about SM, just let me know..either on here or email me at jennie748 at sbcglobal dot net
I'm way late in replying to this. Sorry about that.
1. We live near old Overland Park, so most of my recommendations are for that area. I'd recommend going to the KACCRRA website (www.kaccrra.org) to look for in-home providers. You can also check out NAFCC for in-home providers, but do know that there aren't very many NAFCC-accredited providers, so the ones who are accredited are awesome, but also pretty pricey. Based on our visits with quite a few providers, I think licensed providers are higher quality than registered. If you are looking for a center, pick one that is NAEYC accredited (www.naeyc.org).
2. We've seen prices ranging from $140 per week to $250 per week for in-home care. Most of them are more between $175 and $200. Center-based care seems to be more expensive -- more between $200 and $250 per week.
3. The teacher: child ratios are pre-determined by the states. Kansas requires a 3:1 ratio, while Missouri allows a 4:1 ratio. You might find that care is a bit more expensive in Kansas than Missouri and this is because of the different ratios.
4. I actually wrote a blog post about this very subject and you can read it here.