Daycares Essay, Research Paper

Choosing what’s best for you and your child

Having a young child is a miracle to any parent, but they can also be very stressful. Parents are constantly worried about taking the right decisions that will benefit their child. That is why choosing an daycare for their child is a difficult choose that will or will not affect their child in the future. Many parents are not aware of the benefits that daycare have to offer to their child, as well as the differences between day cares and nurseries. It is very important for parents to realize that day cares are not for babysitting but are intended for the child to learn , as Leslie Williams , a Columbia professor of educations “Children need to be learning.” Simple games can play a significant role in this learning process. A good daycare is a key to a child’s development. They are structured to encourage a child to mix with others but also to acquire skills that will be useful in elementary school. Many parents believe that their child will get ahead start by forcing them to learn faster, which can set up unreal expectations. The most important aspect of daycare is that the child may acquire social skills. Not all children are fit for daycare’s, many already acquire the social skills through their busy active family. They are constantly interacting and learning during these activities.

A parent must distinguish which is better for the child, a daycare or a nursery. There is a distinct difference between these two, being that nursery schools are generally licensed to operate only six hours a day- holding morning and afternoon sessions. Daycare centres, offer full day programs including lunch and nap time. In order to have a successful choose in choosing a daycare, the parent must be willing to research by asking many questions. In order to find a successful choice these steps should be taken into account Parents must decide what kind of daycare they want – are they looking for a homelike atmosphere or a centre. The most important priority is that the centre is safe. Are there any physical dangers such as open windows or sharp objects? Have there been complaints of abuse? The research doesn’t end when the child is in placed in the daycare- parents should drop by the centre unexpected once in a while, to make sure everything is all right. While most daycare centres are safe, parents should prepare for the worst by knowing common signs of abuse. Symptoms like bed-wetting or bruises could mean children are being mistreated.

Parents must find an environment which should be safe and at the same time educational. What play and learning materials are available? It is important that there is enough staff and they should be well trained, no parents wants to feel that their child is being neglected. Is the centre licensed? Parents should spend several hours visiting centres so that they may be aware of the daily routine. Parents should make sure children seem to be enjoying their activities. Some daycare centres, are teaching the basics of reading and math to preschoolers. But many other centres reject this approach, since they feel that this puts too much pressure on the child and turn her off school altogether.

For all ages, materials and toys should be on low, open shelves so children can decide for themselves what to use. Better still is evidence that children are incorporating materials into creative projects. Family daycare usually has the sort of toys that are available in a house with a lot of children rather than the broader variety available at a larger daycare center. To take advantage of the materials, a daycare centre needs a well- trained staff. Ideally, the staff should have specific training in working with children of the age they are caring for, this is due to the fact that children change dramatically in the years up to age 8.

The teachers should be changing the environment every day by putting out different materials, this allows the child not to get bored but yet learn. Children in full-day programs must have a rest period of about one hour a day, educators say. Check where children sleep and how many rest breaks are scheduled. A daycare centre should provide cots or mattresses and require that parents provide linens for each child to prevent the spread of disease.

Teachers are the main goal in success, they are the ones who should be helping the children learn to accomplish everyday tasks. It is important that the staff enjoys being with the children Parents should ask how long the teachers have been working at a centre and how much they are paid, because low pay means high turnover among daycare workers. It is also important to notice how the teachers interact with the children and how discipline is handled.

Safety is a major concern for parents when choosing daycare. Best is when centres check job applicants for criminal offense histories. Staff should be checked for communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, and should have up-to-date vaccinations. The physical structure of the daycare centre needs to be safe as well. Parents must observe every object in the room and conclude whether it is indeed safe. These are only few points that a parent should be considered when choosing a successful daycare. Parents have to be matchmakers. Only the can protect their child’s interest.