calling in-home daycare providers

muybueno · April 2016

And I guess also those who take their kids to an in-home daycare.

Long story, short: My boys' nanny just informed me that she's pregnant, due just three weeks after me. I was planning on using her during my maternity leave but know I don't even know if she'll be coming back to work after her maternity leave. So, I'm looking for other childcare options for my boys, who will be 2 and 4 when this baby arrives.

I know of an in-home provider a few blocks from my house. She gets great reviews on our neighborhood chat board. She takes 12 kids from ages 18 months-5 yrs. She has a teacher's helper. I have an appointment to visit her house later this week. What am I looking for? What questions should I ask (besides the obvious like cost and start date)? Other tips?

This would be my first time interviewing an in-home provider, so any advice is appreciated. Follow up post coming soon: What happens when your nanny gets pregnant?

TwandaFTG · April 2016

I don't have an in-house provider but I would ask how:

she entertains such a wide age group

how she separates the bigger kids from the infants

Also, how much tv is being used

if she is up to date on your local jurisdictions child care safety laws.

What meals are served and how balanced are they

In my one of my groups (can't remember it was here or 014), a 5 year old just cut several kids' hair with some scissors. So that is what prompted many of my questions here.

shevaCC · April 2016

Wow, that's exciting, but also really stressful.

I would want to know what happens when she's sick and what are her ratios. What are the hours, the pay structure, and how flexible she is if schedules change. What symptoms do they send kids home for and how long do they need to stay out of daycare? Are the other kids there fully vaccinated?

What does a typical day look like for a 2 year old? A 4 year old? What kinds of activities, enrichments? Do the kids watch tv? If so, how much and what programs/movies? How often do they go outside? What about in winter?

Are meals provided or do you need to pack them? If she provides them, what did she serve last week?

Discipline? How does she handle a 2 year old who hits/bites? A 4 year old who refuses to listen? Potty training -- what age and does she assist/take the lead?

That's what's coming to mind right now.

shevaCC · April 2016

Also, how many current kids are close in age to your kids? Especially your 4-year old.

Elev429 · April 2016

We use an in home provider that we absolutely love.
I would ask what the schedule looks like on a daily basis.
Contact info for other parent to get a reference.
What meals/ snacks are provided.
What certifications she has.
How often she is inspected/observed.
How many day off she takes per year. And if you have to pay when the center is closed.
Names of anyone who resides in or gas access to the premises.
If she is insured.

We had a really awful experience with our 1st sitter. I always had a weird feeling about that situation but let others convince me I was being too protective. Do not ever 2nd guess your intuition!

muybueno · April 2016

Really helpful, ladies.

In-home providers use TV? I wouldn't expect two adults to have to use screens to entertain kids. I wouldn't have thought to ask that. Great advice!

TwandaFTG · April 2016

Like I said I use a center but my thinking is there may be more screen time at some in-house centers. A FB friend's dcp posted a pic of the kids all lined up on a couch watching a movie. First off, what voodoo is she using to get all kids seated at once and secondly it may have been a rare occurrence with the movie watching but I side-eyed the post hard bc it made it look like that is what THEY do on the regular.

But I the other posters had good points about their vacations days and sick days. But since you have been using a nanny is might not be too far off from what you are use to.

Good luck and keep us posted!

muybueno · April 2016

@Elev429 How does your provider handle naps? My boys are BIG nappers but they sleep in the pitch black rooms, alone, with a sound machine on, and their stuffed animals. I think a group nap situation would be really difficult for them to adjust to.

MollySm · April 2016

I used to be a nanny, but now run an in home daycare.

I would definitely ask about TV. I never use it here, but I know some bigger centers and some in home daycares use it.

What happens when the owner is sick/vacation? What is their sick policy for your kid?

How much outdoor time? How much free play time? How much art/music? If there's structured time, what types of activities do they do (worksheets vs more research based activities)?

Do they do water play/kiddie pool?

How are naps structured?

What do they eat and drink?

That's what I came up with off the top of my head.

MollySm · April 2016

Oh yes, certification, any schooling she has, etc.

muybueno · April 2016

muybueno said:

@Elev429 How does your provider handle naps? My boys are BIG nappers but they sleep in the pitch black rooms, alone, with a sound machine on, and their stuffed animals. I think a group nap situation would be really difficult for them to adjust to.

@MollySm - same question to you, regarding naps.

shevaCC · April 2016

My kids go to a center, and both centers we've gone to do naptimes similarly. They have mats on the floor in each classroom and all the napping kids nap at a set time (currently from 1-3pm). In the youngest classrooms, they help the kids get settled to sleep by rocking them, rubbing their backs, whatever they need. Often one loud kid will wake up a number of others and end naptime earlier than planned, but so it goes. As for the environment, they turn out the lights, close the curtains, and turn on some soft music, but it's far from pitch black.

Our center has them stop napping when they switch from the "nappers" class to the "pre-K" class (typically around age 4). Everyone in the nappers class has to lay down quietly during nap. In the pre-K class they ended up having a few kids take naps at the beginning of the year and had the rest of the kids read stories/color/do other quiet activities during naptime.

MollySm · April 2016

I run a small in home daycare, so my kids all do naps (or quiet rest if they have stopped napping) in a room alone. I prefer it for my kids, so that's how I do it here. I have video monitors set up so I can see in each room. Kids can nap at whatever their home normal time is, though with older(one nap per day) kids I do try and coordinate their schedules, as long as the parents are okay with it.

I know that it's not possible for bigger daycare centers, and I would assume the same is true of larger (and some smaller) in home daycares. In those cases they usually do mats all in one room for kids old enough to be out of cribs, and at least one adult sits in the room to keep things quiet. I'm sure it's a transition for kids who are moving from a home environment, but tons of kids go to large daycares and handle the change just fine.

Elev429 · April 2016

@muybueno right now they all nap in the same room with their sleeping bag, stuffed animals if the use one and relaxing music on. She does have 2 extra rooms for when they all were requiring different sleeping arrangement.

Elev429 · April 2016

What state are you in? we are in WI and the state has this young star program. Basically the more education, certifications etc the dcp has the more stars they earn.

muybueno · April 2016

Elev429 said:

What state are you in? we are in WI and the state has this young star program. Basically the more education, certifications etc the dcp has the more stars they earn.

Texas

MollySm · April 2016

Did you visit? How did it go?

muybueno · April 2016

@MollySm work got crazy so I rescheduled for next week. I'll update.

MrsBigTime · April 2016

muybueno said:

muybueno said:

@Elev429 How does your provider handle naps? My boys are BIG nappers but they sleep in the pitch black rooms, alone, with a sound machine on, and their stuffed animals. I think a group nap situation would be really difficult for them to adjust to.

@MollySm - same question to you, regarding naps.

It boggles my mind that my daughter can sleep at daycare when she is such a particular sleeper at home. Somehow, she is able to sleep in the common room at daycare with other kids around...she's never done that at home!

msu_gal · April 2016

@MrsBigTime aww..she's beautiful! I wish all the current mommies would put more babies up for us first timers to ooh and aah over

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