What to look for with daycare?
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Printed Date: 11 October 2025 at 11:47am
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Topic: What to look for with daycare?
Posted By: cuppatea
Subject: What to look for with daycare?
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 9:25am
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Ok. I am thinking that when I start working again it may be too much of a strain to try and solely work round DH's shifts and that to take some of the load and stress away it might be better to put DS into childcare for perhaps a couple of half days a week.
I'm wondering for all of you that have put quite a young bub into daycare what do think are the most important things to look for. So far all I am thinking is to drop by unannounced so that I get to see what they really operate like. Thanks ------------- 
 
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Replies:
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 9:58am
What are the carers like, what is the sleeping arrangements like? At the daycare/preschool we went to, the sleeping room could be shut off so that the babies wouldn't be woken by the older kids. But they had no monitor and even though the babies were supposed to be checked every 10 minutes and written in a book, I never saw it happen until after I had been there 6mos  So I thought that was really slack.
I also think it's important to look at general noise level. Some days can be ritorious but others quietish. I don't mean all the kids have to hush but if you have your kid in a place where half the kids are crying or yelling, that's gotta be a horrible place to stay. -------------  |
Posted By: james
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 10:53am
is one or two carers for the little ones are they in the same room as the older ones ummmmmmmmmmmmmm hope that helps ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 11:13am
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I've worked in centres so feel free to PM me if you like. I would look at the interaction between staff and children first and foremost. At his age you really want nurturing teachers that are going to respond to Spencers needs. Look for a centre where the staff get down to the childrens level and give the babies lots of cuddles. For example, mat time for under two's would consist of one teacher reading books while toddlers and babies sit on the teachers' knees listening or having a cuddle. Other toddlers are pottering around nearby playing but usually listening. Look at teachers working with older children and how they interact with them. They should be encouraging rather than directive. Watch out for ones that 'finish' a childs art work.
Find out how many of the staff are qualified and how long they've been working there (all new staff usually means a bad working environment). If you are swayed by nice looking equipment find out how often its used. I worked in one place that had a nice sandpit under a shadecloth but the head teacher wouldn't let us open it up because it was a hassle cleaning up the kids afterwards. Look for signs that painting, sand pits and water play are a regular part of the days activities (paint stained clothes and sand on the floor are a dead giveaway). Finally, check out the menu if meals are provided. If they take the time to boil up a big pot of veges for little ones its a good sign. If they dish up sandwhiches or spaghetti on toast everyday you have to wonder what else they are skimping on. As for dropping in announced, centres are usually so busy they don't have time to clean up and set up something specifically for show when a prospective parent comes to visit so I wouldn't worry about it too much. If you go after lunch often the children are sleeping and you will have more time to talk to the teachers and view the centre. It is worth popping back into your chosen centre during the morning just to observe the days running though and for older children, give them a chance to be familiar with it before they start. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 11:20am
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Thanks for all the advice Jaz that's great. Am really in two minds about using DC, on one hand in would be nice to get a small break especially when I add work into things but on the other hand i'm really reluctant to hand him over to people I don't know.
Will help if I can really check them out. -------------
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 1:03pm
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What about putting in someone else's home for the odd morning, a friend of yours who already has preschoolers? Friends of mine are doing that at the moment and it seems to be working well. The being-cared-for girl is 2 and the other one is 1. ------------- |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 2:15pm
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It's pretty much already been said but definately thing slike ensuring good teacher child ratios especially for the little ones.. ours i think hired more staff so the bubas could have more one on one care when they had a few there at a time, ours also had a variety of little playgyms etc and baby stuff that they could alternate so that babies weren't stuck under the same things, they'd hang different things on them too, spend time with them. They gave them the same opportunityies as bigger kids, ie sitting in a bouncer next to the kids at mealtimes so they felt included and once old enough having rusks etc or fruit at that time so they learnt routines.
Sleeping arrangements.. check those definately. For ours it is someone specifially on sleep room, they spend the day in there basically, if there's a little baby asleep they are in there, and the baby is checked on every 2 mins, as in they go up and check to see if baby is breathing etc. once they are older, and at end of the day, they have a timer set so that anyone sleeping is checked on at least every 3-5 mins. Another thing to check is their policy etc on how babies are fitted in. The one thing we had a problem with when ayja started at 11 weeks old, was fitting in routines. I had her nicely in an hour-turn-around routine, and i would go sometimes to feed her and she'd just been put down or be sleeping etc and she'd miss my feed, or be still awake and too tired to feed etc, because she was a bby that would cry a little to get to sleep for a couple of mins they'd not put her to bed cos she might wake others.. really i felt (probably biased) that the little baby should really be the one that has it's needs put a little further ahead. Jaz has covered lots though, definately look for signs that the children there are generally happy and listened to and kept stimulated. The other thing i think is important while they are still little is that the really little ones are able to be separated.. ours had a little string of fences (kinda like theones that they use as building/road contruction sites lol) that they used to cordon off the bubba's area so that the babies could see and hear what was going on, but so that toddlies couldn't just go and hurt them and do things to them all the time. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 7:47pm
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Cheers for all the advice, I will compile a list of things to look for and questions to ask.
Busymum, we don't have any friends in our immediate area, they are all in Christchurch so would be about an hour round trip to drop him off anywhere, plus we are first to have kids out of our friends. I have met other mums through antenatal but most of them are too far away and are in the same situation with needing to return to work and because of the distance it is too difficult to do a childcare swap or anything. ERGHHHHHH wish we didn't both need to work. -------------
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 8:32pm
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When I went looking with Andrew my main thing was the interaction. I was really dissapointed with one daycare in Palmy who as soon as we walked in the door and meet her she told us their dissapline policy first (WTF?!?! Andrew was only 5 months old) I was really dissapointed and have since told a lot of people in Palmy not to go to that daycare. The daycare we chose to but Andrew in showed us everywhere and we were introduced to all the staff (which was really nice) and even thou we went to look at the nursery we were showed the pre school as well. A good time to go is about 10am, that time there is activities going and its not a time of the day that the children would be eating or sleeping so you can check out those area's. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 22 October 2007 at 8:33pm
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And check out their ERO report as well, that will give you a few ideas about the place as well. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:18am
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Cuppatea, I have been wondering the same things. I just flicked through a couple of books lately that have me doubting the whole idea too and whilst I dont mean to put you off maybe you might like to read them for another perspective. They were Raising Boys and Raising Babies. Both by same author (sorry cant remember his name) but they say that its not the greatest for boys to be in childcare under the age of 3 as they suffer seperation anxiety more than girls. Then they get agressive and get labelled as such.
Got me thinking that it did make some sense but I also wonder if a half day here or there would be ok. Like you I have no family nearby to drop him off too and dont like the idea of leaving him with friends as I dont want to impose. Maybe its me that would have the seperation anxiety  I was hoping to work around DH's work so he could be home when I work but apart from a Saturday I cant really do a week day.
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Posted By: Faraway
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:28am
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Remember you always have the option of in-home care like Porse or Barnardos too. I think the carers are restricted to 4 children and only 2 under 2 but you could find this out.
If you want to go with a regular daycare I would ask whether they support cloth nappies. That has been our first question and with the ones that said no, we just said thank you but it is no point you showing us around (we have invested FAR too much money to buy sposies for daycare use!) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:35am
Yes I think that is half my problem as well, I don't want to entrust him to anybody else, cos he's mine, all mine!!!! -------------
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nzpiper wrote:Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:38am
That was a good thing the books said. Boys have 2 stages 0-6yrs he is mum's (all mum's!!!)6-14 he needs dad (with mum close by ) and then after 14 we are meant to step back and get him a good role model "mentor" to stop him using his peers as mentors.
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:51am
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Oh easy peasy then -------------
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:53am
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Must be because so many people get it "right" NOT!
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Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 9:53am
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both of mine are in daycare now and both love it. Kobe has been in since he was 1yr, i thought it was important for him to socialise with other kids away from me plus i had to go back to work and we have never had any seperation anxiety problems at all. Addison went in when she was 5 months old but I found it really hard and she just wasnt happy so took her out. She started again a few weeks ago because everytime we went to get kobe she wanted to stay and play and so thought maybe its time for her to go herself and she loves it. this morning there were no tears or anything.
Cuppatea which preschool would you be looking at? Which area are you in? |
Posted By: CuriousG
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 9:56am
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I would highly recommend ABC ChildCare centres - I send Charlotte there, and have done since she was about a year. She LOVES it!
They are good because they separate the under 2's from the older kids for the majority of the day and the day is structured. They are an Australian organisation and are very meticulous about safety (you have to fill in a million forms but its so worth it!) I think it is harder for the parent really, I was a mess at first but now, because I know how much Charlotte loves it there (she is itching to go back on a Monday morning!) I am completely relaxed about it. One thing tho, they do say that they try and stick to your child's routine around sleeping etc. BUT you have to realise that the routine will change - I mean, do you really think they will want to sleep at 10am if the other kids are painting? I dont think so! So if you have the frame of mind that if they sleep, they sleep but if not, thats ok, then it will be fine ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 10:01am
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I'm in Kaiapoi, I'm not sure yet, there are about 5 that I know of in town. One is very new and is right at the end of my road so was gonna have a look at that. But with it being new it wouldn't have a running history, all the staff will be new etc. Another one was advertising taking kids on a casual basis which would be good for us as each week will be different depending on DH's shifts. But if they are having to advertise this it makes me wonder why. Does no one want to use them?
There is actually a preschool right across the street from me, but I think they only take 3 & 4 year olds, have never seen kids younger than that going in there. -------------
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 10:03am
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Thanks georgiaB, the one that has just opened is an ABC centre, so will definately go and have a look.
I don't think I would mind so much when he is a year old as he would be interactive with the other kids, its just with him being so young I would like him to have the same attention he gets at home. -------------
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 10:22am
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Have you thought about home based care, where they only allow 2 under 2yrs, a more one-on-one environment may be more suitable than a daycare. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 10:25am
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Yeah I'll have a look into that and see if there is anyone in my area -------------
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Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 2:03pm
I'm going to pop down to our local ABC Centre now after reading this 
I just checked their website and it looks pretty good, they also allow them to go a couple of sessions a week (Mum looks after her when I work so I don't need a daycare, just social interaction for her) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
 
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Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 3:01pm
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OK I'm back and it was the loveliest Day Care I've seen yet! (you weren't wrong about the millions of forms either! LOL)
We're booked in for 3 introductory sessions (as long as we like, when ever we like ) just to make sure Caitlin is happy there as most important.
Lots of teachers for the littlies (3 to 1 I think it was). There was one little girl who woke up crying and one of the ladies there was in the sleeping room like a shot and gave her lots of cuddles etc and there was one who woke up saying he felt unwell so the lady I was talking to sat him on her knee and gave him cuddles and checked him over whilst she was talking to me. I just got a really nice feeling about this centre 
Now to cnvince DH to part with $32 a week ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 3:20pm
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How many hours do you get for $32? Think I might go check out the ABC in town tomorrow -------------
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Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 4:01pm
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If your talkign about the new ABC my half sister runs the nursery there and I would highly recommend it.
Although that one doesnt have a history I have had heaps of friends and family who have used ABC and have never had any problems. If you want any more info about that one though I can ask my sister for you but I know if it was closer to me I wouldnt have any hesitation in putting my kids there. |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 4:08pm
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Cheers my2angels, think I am gonna give them a ring tomorrow and see if its ok to pop in and have a look around. Would be really handy as they are a 5min walk away, everyone seems to be recommending the ABC centres highly which is encouraging -------------
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Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 4:41pm
| I would just drop in so you get an idea of how things are when they arent expecting anyone to be popping in (it is ok to do this, you dont have to make times). My sisters name is holly, keep an eye out for her if you do go in. |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 4:56pm
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Yeah I will have to just drop in, can't find a phone number for them anywhere. -------------
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Posted By: Two Blondinis
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:01pm
7.30 to 12pm, morning tea and lunch included. I think it's a bit expensive considering when she goes to Montessori for a full day it's only $45, but under 2s are always more expensive. We'll have a look at the budget and decide from there ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 23 October 2007 at 8:27pm
| thats a bit more expensive than down here. we are $25 for half day and $36 for a full day and Im pretty sure my friend pays a little bit less at ABC |
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 24 October 2007 at 10:59am
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Well I went to have a look around and i'm very impressed. They only opened yesterday and the kids don't start properly till next week. There were some there with their mums just getting use to the place.
Everyone is segregated, there is a room for 0-1yr olds, a room for 1-2yr olds, a room for 2-3yr olds, 3-4yrs and 5yrs. Each child goes into which ever room is right for them, so is not strictly on an age basis but more what developmental level they are at. There is one lady employed for the little ones at the moment and so far they only have one baby ready to start next week, they get more staff when they have more. She was really lovely and seemed totally focused on babies and came across as very loving and patient and genuinely cared about his needs/welfare etc. They are happy to deal with cloth nappies too. I have a massive booklet of stuff to look through and forms to fill out if we decide to use them, which I think we will. Will be better to take some of the strain off so that Spencer gets quality time with us rather than us being overtired and grumpy. Am gonna go in again next week and see them when they are up and running properly, she said I was welcome to hang around and just watch them operate. Now for trying to work out which half days and re budgeting, its an exciting life that I lead -------------
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