Daycare Basics

Still Need a Babysitter?

Is there a "right" age for leaving your child home alone without a babysitter? Typically, if you will be gone for only a few hours in the daytime, any child over the age of 12 can safely be left alone, if only for a few hours. Overnight trips will require an adult of at least 18 years old to be present in the house in case of emergencies. Always leave an "emergency list" with the phone numbers of doctors, family members and poison control in an easy to find place, like on the refrigerator or a visible bulletin board. Make sure you walk through your house with your babysitter to show him/her where you keep medications and medical information for emergency situations. 

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With all the options available, finding the right daycare situation for your child may seem like an impossible task. The first step is to assess the personality of your child. Identify the needs of your child -- physically, emotionally, creatively, and intellectually. Screen any potential daycare facility with these answers in mind. Your child will be spending several hours a day (or more) in daycare, so the time should be spent in a healthy and stimulating way. Also, daycare often prepares preschool children for their future education, so a good balance of learning and play is ideal.

If you are looking at family homes as one of your daycare solutions, keep in mind that all 50 states have daycare requirements. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, home daycare providers often need to go through a background check and receive some training. However, only a few states actually inspect family childcare homes directly. Contact the National Child Care Information Center at www.nccic.org to find out if your child’s daycare provider is listed and in good standing.

The daycare vs. stay-at-home debate is one almost every parent faces at one point in their child's early life. Daycare can be expensive, so many parents opt to either have a relative or one of the parents stay at home (this is ideal if the parent is able to do work from home) or have someone come into the home to stay with the child for a few hours a day.

However, daycare can also be a great investment in your child's future. In the right environment, your child can advance his/her reading and writing abilities as well as develop social interaction skills that will be invaluable in years to come.

Always do background checks on any daycare facility you plan to send your child to. Here's a short list of vital information you need and questions to ask to ensure daycare safety:

• Find out if the facility is state-licensed.
• Have there been any violations at this location -- either structurally or concerning the staff?
• Are all staff members licensed to care for children?
• Does the facility do background checks on their employees?
• How long has the facility been active?
• Speak to parents who have children in the facility to get their feedback.

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