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Would you ask?

NithyaVNithyaV member
in Working Moms

My DD is in a center daycare.  Their ratios are 3:1 for infants and 4:1 for young toddlers.  In the infant room they split the kids up to "younger" and "older" - there's a wooden gate.  The "older" tend to be 1+ years old - they are eating the food provided by the center for lunch/snacks and get cow's milk.

I go at lunch to b/f DD so I see the room when it's at its "max" (aka all the kids that are going to be there are there).  Today, I noticed that there were 2 teachers and 6 "young" infants - so the ratio was good.  On the "older" infant side, there was 1 teacher to 4 kids. 

Should I ask the director if those kids are considered young toddlers?  My DD is on the young infant side (obvi) and I don't want to be one of "those" parents but we pay a pretty penny for this daycare, and I want to make sure they are abiding by the contract.  The kids on that side seem fine except sometimes before lunch is served, they all have a simultaneous meltdown b/c they are hungry.

Sorry it's long - I'm a new daycare mama.

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Re: Would you ask?

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    jf198400jf198400 member
    Legally most ratios are for under 12months, and then over 12 months, so as long as all of those children are 1+ years old, they are most likely in ratio.  It doesn't hurt to casually ask about it though.  Especially since daycare tuition tends to go down as ratio goes up.
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    ASmallWonderASmallWonder member

    imagejf198400:
    Legally most ratios are for under 12months, and then over 12 months, so as long as all of those children are 1+ years old, they are most likely in ratio.  It doesn't hurt to casually ask about it though.  Especially since daycare tuition tends to go down as ratio goes up.

    This.  You could ask the director for details on the next room up just because you want time to see how it differs from the current room when it's time for your LO to move up. 

    Formerly known as elmoali :)

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    NithyaVNithyaV member

    Thanks - I'll add that the director had told me in the past "young toddler" are for those kids who are only taking one nap a day, can nap in a cot (v. a crib) and only eat solid foods.  The "older infants" is a new thing they are doing to transition older babies to the toddler rooms and also b/c "older infants" need different types of interaction than say, a 6 month old.  These babies are all in cribs still but are eating solids. 

    And this isn't a one time thing - this is how it always is in the room.  DD is only 4 months

    I'll prob keep my mouth shut for now (esp. since I did just fill in a survey with other constructive feedback that is more applicable to my DD) - maybe as she gets older, I'll mention it  - she has a long way to go before she's an "older" infant. 

    Thanks for the advice!

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    MrsBalletStar05MrsBalletStar05 member

    12+ months is considered a toddler.  I would say they are within ratio.  They are smart to separate them from the slightly older toddlers, IMO because they do have very different needs.  

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    alstumb@gmail.comalstumb@gmail.com member
    At the daycare I work at, the ratio for all infants is 4:1 and for toddlers (15 months and up) is 5:1.
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