Submitted by Dan Gilbert on behalf of Primrose Schools. Parents trust Primrose to care for and educate their children away from home through innovative day care. Dan has written a number of articles on topics varying from bilingual learning to teaching the importance of volunteering.
From infancy until around five years old a child’s brain is rapidly growing and developing. At this stage of development, children are able to learn and thrive on the answers to their curiosity. As a time when children have the most potential to learn, parents need to take appropriate measures to find the right child care program to provide the best environment to encourage growth and education.
Before it is possible to make the important decision of a child care program, parents need to find out what options are available in their local area. Depending on the area, parents might end up bogged down by multiple selections or they might have a limited number of potential programs. Asking friends, family and co-workers for suggestions can help narrow the choices.
After learning about potential options and making a list of a few suggestions, parents should arrange to visit the location or ask about a tour. When visiting, parents should pay attention to how they feel about the area. If anything makes a either parent feel uncomfortable, whether it is the greeting or the way the area smells, parents should eliminate the program. The people in the program should be partners for parents and should never make a parent feel uncomfortable or doubtful of their abilities.
During the tour parents should ask questions. The questions give a further impression into how the program works and what goals are set for the children. Parent should always ask about accreditation of the program, the qualifications of the teachers and staff, what measures are taken during common emergencies, whether someone is qualified to perform CPR on children and if the staff is qualified to issue first aid in an emergency.
Parents should also ask about the educational goals of the program. Determining what is taught in the program, whether it is based on research and how it can help children with the transition into kindergarten and elementary school can sometimes make a difference in how the parents feel about the program.
When looking at the educational information, parents should also note whether the children in the classroom seem happy, excited and organized throughout activities. Happy classrooms suggest that the children are learning well. The organization of the classroom and the methods used to instruct in the classroom are also important factors in determining if the classroom promotes a strong learning environment for children.
The educational center’s policies are as important as the educational policies. Parents should find out how the program plans to communicate with them in case emergencies occur. The policies on child safety are also important factors in determining whether the program will feel comfortable. Finding out the policies on sickness is another important factor in selecting a program. Parents should look at how the child care center will handle sudden sicknesses that occur in the classroom.
Beyond policies relating to children and safety, parents should also ask about payment options and the school’s licensing. These help determine the qualification of the school and whether it is an affordable option based on the family budget for child care.
Early childhood education and care is an important part of healthy development. Parents should always look for a program that meets their standards for education, safety, organization, communication and accreditation before selecting the program. Since the program is the foundation of a child’s entire educational career, parents should always keep searching until they find a program that feels right, meets their standards and offers more than the minimum expectations.
