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March 2012 Moms
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day care?

MariJ1008MariJ1008 member
in March 2012 Moms
This afternoon I am going to visit a few potential day cares. DS will be going next month.This is my first time going through this process, so any tips on things I should look for or questions I should ask?Thanks in advance
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Re: day care?

  • krispy83krispy83 member

    BabyCenter has an awesome list of questions to use for a potential day care interview.  It's VERY comprehensive.  I based my list off of that but didn't use them all (it's something like 9 pages of questions and many of them either didn't apply or felt repetitive) but it gave me a great idea of what to look for, etc.

    The most important things are to see if the kids seem happy and if you are comfortable.  Trust your instincts!  And good luck!

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  • aeh72aeh72 member

    I agree with pp's suggestion about Babycenter's list of questions - I used that too to help me get my head around what to ask/look for.

    Aside from asking about the basics - e.g., feeding, changing, the safety of the facility, hours, policies, etc. - the other thing I tried to get a feel for is what do they do with infants all day - especially ones in this age group that can't really do a whole lot yet because they aren't crawling or walking.  I did not want them sticking my kid in a bouncy seat or swing all day. (I looked at several places and I definitely got that vibe from a couple of them.) I wanted to make sure they were doing activities with him that would keep him engaged and help him develop.   And, the gut instinct is important too.  It's a cliche but I truly knew the moment I found the right daycare.  I immediately had a sense that the people who would be watching him were very nuturing and would make sure he felt safe and loved. 

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  • MariJ1008MariJ1008 member

    Thanks! I just printed out that list of interview questions. I definitely agree with finding out what activities they do with 5-6month old, since he does not crawl yet...he barely sits up on his own yet. I don't want him in a bouncy chair all day; actually he would just be crying the entire time, because he does not like to be in the same space for very long. He is very active and likes to play. So I will definitely look for that and ask them.

    thanks again!

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  • Sparks in training!Sparks in training! member

    What other ppl said!

    Oh ...I would recommend getting one close to YOU at work. Usually MOM is the 1st one called if lo is sick and Nice being able to see them on breaks

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  • MariJ1008MariJ1008 member

    Thanks for all of the tips ladies! My first experience with looking at daycares and doing interviews went well! We saw a few places yesterday and were able to find one we really liked and it had everything we were looking for. So I feel so much better, I know it will still be difficult when the day comes to drop him off; but I know we picked the perfect place for him. it was really important to me to find a place that was very interactive with the infants, instead of them just laying on a pillow or bouncy chair all day. Jonathan is super active, and loves to play!

    You guys were definitely right when you said trust your gut instinct...SOOOOO TRUE! One place, I knew right away I didn't like and the tour lasted 10 minutes, got a brochure and walked out. The place we picked, I liked right away!!

    I wish I could have chosen a daycare that was close to work, because I would love to go visit him during lunch..I get a 1hour lunch break. But we both work downtown chicago, and the daycare in downtown area is so outrageously expensive, there is just no way we could afford it. But I feel really comfortable with the place with picked that is close to home, and we have more family that lives close to the daycare as well, so if someone needed to check up on him, they can =) And my boss is very flexible with me, so she is letting me change my schedule to work an earlier shift, 730-330, so I can get home earlier to pick up Jonathan =)

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  • aeh72aeh72 member

    I'm so glad you found a place you liked - that's great!  That first day will be tough, but it will be tougher on you than it will be on him.  And, I think you will find that because you feel so good about your choice, that second day and the days that follow won't be nearly as tough as you think they might be.  Good luck to you! :-)

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  • MariJ1008MariJ1008 member
    imageaeh72:

    I'm so glad you found a place you liked - that's great!  That first day will be tough, but it will be tougher on you than it will be on him.  And, I think you will find that because you feel so good about your choice, that second day and the days that follow won't be nearly as tough as you think they might be.  Good luck to you! :-)

    thanks! I am excited for him to play with other kids and learn and grow!

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