Going to visit daycares, need help

Re: Going to visit daycares, need help

• itsmyturn2 member

  April 2009

  I wished I had asked about things for when DS was older, at the time he wasn't born yet, so it was the furthest thing from my mind.

  I wished I had asked:

  - How and when do they transition DC to the next room? (I think DS was moved too early because they had new infants coming in).

  - How is the next room different from the one they start in?

  - What food is included?

  - How do they handle things like biting and hitting, both on an occassion by occassion basis and also when its a chronic problem.

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• Pesky member

  April 2009

  qualistar.org has a good list of questions and a checklist.  I asked about staff turnover rates, how long the teachers had been there, sick policy, sleeping arrangements, dealing with BM and homemade foods, what we were expected to supply, and just general gut reaction.  I agree that I wished I'd focused a bit more on the older classrooms and when transitions occur, how, how often through pre-school and visited some of the classes.  Turns out my DC does a transition week, which I've found at ages 1YO until 2 or so is just too short and worked better if the teachers okayed me bringing her in for a bit each morning for a couple weeks or so before her actual transition week.

  
  
  DD -- 5YO
  DS -- 3YO
  

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• Mango2

  April 2009

  You might also check out https://www.saferchild.org/askthe.htm.

   

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• KathrynMD member

  April 2009

  I would ask how they monitor the staffing levels - i.e. state mandates 3:1 ratio, but they have to maintain that at all times - so sometimes the director is in the room, sometimes its the 3 y.o. teacher, sometimes at night its one of the janitors. . .

  I would ask about turnover and what the different shifts the teachers work.  And, ask if the teachers transition w/ the kids (our DD will stay w/ the same primary teacher until she's 2 - which I really like).  I would also check out the energy of the place - I went to some daycare that felt very warehouse-y and everybody who worked there looked tired and beat down.  I Our daycare isn't perfect - see janitor comment above! but everybody is really nice and friendly and when we leave at night, teachers from other rooms lean down the hall to wave to my daughter and she just lights up at them.  I like that there are really calm older ladies there who are really good w/ the holding and rocking, but there are also younger women there who are really energetic with DD too.

  

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