Daycare... what do i look for

Hmmm random! I just tried to post in cloth nappies and this came up here. Sorry.

Edited by funlvn

I went looking when I was 8 weeks preg as I have to go back to work this July. I looked for Colour, warmth, hygiene, happy staff and most importantly, happy kids. The kids I saw were covered head to toe in blue slime but were in absolute bliss spelling out their names with their bodies on big bits of card board. The staff were invloved, interested, excited and laughing, I wanted it to be a home away from home and somewhere she could feel safe and secure when she was not with me.

Other places I saw were a bit too clinical and regimented. We're talking about babies and toddlers here. Education is important but trying to get a 6 month old to stick to rules and a strict routine just doesn't work for me.

Oh, and make sure you check out the sleep room and what the staffing rules are around it. The sleep room I saw was clean and warm with fresh blankets and sheets. No dust is a biggy too. There was a staff member sitting in their reading a book. They had a beeper on their belt which went off every 7 minutes if they left the room and they had to be back in the room before the beeper went off.

Also security. Can anyone walk in off the street? Our day care has a security lock which only the staff and parents have. No one can get in without the code which I also liked.

Here I was thinking it was Esther that had started this thread and I was rushing in to recommend our daycare which isn't far from her (which we LOVE)... never mind!

For us it came down to just whether it felt right or not. Don't get me wrong, it was hard leaving him there for the first couple of weeks, but we just adore the place, the setting and most of all the staff, so now it is really easy to leave him there and he loves going.

To be a bit more scientific about it, I guess what made it feel right for us was:
- low carer/child ratios
- the babies are assigned a primary carer so the same person almost always gets them up, feeds them, put them down etc so they're not just getting handed around from person to person
- they asked about our routines in order to fit in with them
- they don't leave the babies to cry
- they are open to my hippyish ways including being happy to use our MCNs and even going along with baby led weaning
- great indoor and outdoor play areas

Danaj wrote: I looked for Colour, warmth, hygiene, happy staff and most importantly, happy kids.

- that all sounds like us too!

Honestly our place could not possibly be better, they are absolutely perfect for us, so it's worth 'shopping around' to find somewhere that works for you. Explore the in home educator route too, that wasn't an option for us but if you live in town there are likely to be heaps of people near you and they are likely to be slightly cheaper too.

Oh and on the baby crying note .. when I was doing my visits with Isabelle .. there was a wee bub who had just started (he was about 7 months old) .. anyway he would cry when mum left .. and he was constantly carried and amused until he was calm.

On my first visit .. he was literally carried for an hour (bless him) and then the carer sat down and he would explore .. but be able to go back to the carer if he needed security .. I really appreciated the fact that they would help a child like that.

(not that Issy needed that .. she is quite a bit older and extremely sociable, but its nice to know if she has an off day that they will put in the time to help her through)

I've had the same thing happen to me when posting before - I think if you both happen to hit submit at exactly the same second it confuses it

JJ goes to Gumboots at the Helensville end of Peak Rd - we had to book him in when I was still pregnant though! We them there

A friend recommended Country Bears to us as well, they live in Riverhead and their two boys go there. We checked them out and they seemed really good too, if you decide that's a better direction for you. We decided on Gumboots cos it felt right, but I think possibly it was the miniature horses that tipped it over the edge for me!

This was a good post for me to read!

I work in Early childhood & am having a 'short' break before returning there with my baby.

IMO:

If you are checking out a daycare for your child, the ONLY really really important thing is that you are happy leaving your child there. Yes, the education part is important for older children, yes, you want to know they are eating healthy food and have qualified educators etc etc. But at the end of the day, our parents need to be confident and happy with the care we give their children.

I would suggest you go in and ask to just "hang out" there with your child. Get a feel for the place, see how the staff are with the children. If you feel comfortable etc. Try to go around mid morning if you can, as this is usually when all staff will have arrived, the children are busy and someone can sit and answer your questions. But pop in several times if you aren't sure...

Babies i think are hardest... I am not looking forward to leaving my wee man in the baby room - even though i will be in the same building and able to see him during the day! And I know all the caregivers really well.

From experience, if you have a good centre, the staff will genuinely love the kids they work with. I miss all my kids already! I left last monday, baby was born Tuesday night and i have been to visit them already & had lots of emails to/from my families at work. It does become like a family for the children.

Sorry, sleep deprived and rambling!

Tasha

Issy is Bear Park in Henderson, they have Bear Parks throughout Auckland though and I imagine they are all run in the same way .. so you might want to check out one in your area