What to Expect the Toddler Years (285 page)

Television viewing should
not
be a regular part of the day; though half an hour to an hour a day of shows carefully selected for appropriateness isn’t terrible, the television should not be on all of the time (either for the children or the child-care provider to watch).

Availability of back-up
. Is there back-up if a child of the caregiver or the care-giver herself is ill?

Insurance
. Make sure the caregiver’s home insurance covers injury to any child in the group while in her care.

References
. Be sure to check these personally; do not rely on written references (see page 811). Make sure they include parents who’ve had children at the facility in the recent past, as well as those who still have children there.

Once you’ve located a family day-care center you think will serve your family’s needs, plan to spend a few hours observing the group at a time when all the children are present. If the care provider won’t allow you to observe, don’t even consider placing your child there.

Locating possibilities.
Again, your child’s doctor, parents of other children, friends, and neighbors may be able to provide good leads as well as recommendations. There may also be a local organization that can provide the names of registered day-care or preschool facilities, or you can contact NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children; see above box). If you’re really lucky, you won’t have to look very far—your employer will supply good-quality on-site day care (see page 809).

What you need to know about a day-care or preschool program.
Quality varies considerably from program to program; it may take time and effort to find the one that’s right for you and your
child. Consider the following when making your choice:

Is it licensed or registered?
Ask to see a current license or registration; if the facility is not licensed, check with your state or local government to see if such licensing is required. Also ask if the program is accredited by any outside organization. The National Association for Family Child Care and the NAEYC both set standards more rigorous than state or local standards. For a list of their accredited programs, contact the organizations directly (see box, facing page). Regulations vary from state to state, but the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) provides guidelines parents can use to evaluate and choose child-care options:
www.healthykids.us
.

The safety and health policy.
Are safety precautions taken—are outlets covered, toys age-appropriate, stairs gated, playground equipment in good repair, and so on? Is there good ventilation in the facility? (Don’t be fooled by air freshening sprays; check for vents.) Are there smoke detectors (ask to see latest inspection certificate), fire extinguishers, window guards (if necessary), and easy egress (with exits clearly marked), in case of fire? Is the parking lot safely away from the play area? Are certified car seats used on field trips? What safety precautions are taken when children take walks outside the school grounds? See
Chapter Twenty-one
for more on making both indoor and outdoor spaces safe for toddlers.

Are workers trained in first aid, CPR, injury prevention, and infection control? Are emergency numbers posted near every phone? Is there a written policy outlining what to do when a child is ill or injured (ask to see it) and a place that is safe and yet separate from other children where sick children can await their parent or caregiver? If your child must take medication, will the teachers administer it? Is a medical consultant available or at least on call?

Is an effort made to reduce the transmission of infectious organisms? Are toys frequently washed (soft toys in the washing machine, plastic toys in the dishwasher or in hot soapy water)? Are wet surfaces (such as a water-play table), which are most susceptible to germ growth, kept clean and disinfected? Are workers fastidious about hand washing, especially after diaper changes, helping a child at the potty, coming in from outdoors, and cleaning up vomit or blood, and before handling food? Are children expected to wash their hands before eating, after using the toilet, and after playing outside? Is a separate sink used for hand washing and food preparation? Do the same staff members change diapers and prepare food? (It’s better if they don’t.) Are diaper changing surfaces cleaned after every use? Do children in diapers wear clothes over them? (Contamination of surfaces may be greater if kids wear diapers alone.)

Are the bathroom and kitchen well maintained, with high hygienic and safety standards? Ideally, each child should have his or her own potty chair or seat brought from home; communal seats are difficult to keep sanitary. Are hazardous materials, such as cleaning solutions, inaccessible to children? Does the garbage can have a foot pedal so both the staff and children don’t have to touch the lid?

Scheduling
. Can the available options meet your family’s needs? You may need full-time care, or you may just want to start your toddler with a couple of half-day sessions a week and work your way up to five half-days. Most day-care programs and some preschools offer full-day sessions and before- and after-school care to working parents. A full day is not necessary, however, if someone is at home to care for the child. If
you sometimes require early drop-off or late pick-up, are these options available at a reasonable additional cost?

Cost
. The cost of quality day-care programs and preschool programs can be staggeringly high, especially when all the extras are added in (be sure all costs are quoted, including any materials fees or charges for late pickups). Costs can be considerably lower if a program is subsidized (by either the government, a corporation, a house of worship, or another service agency), or if the program is run cooperatively (parents all take turns as classroom volunteers or teaching assistants to keep the personnel costs down). A cooperative arrangement can work well for many families, but isn’t ideal for very dependent parents or very dependent children (clinging on either side can interfere with normal social interaction and parental responsibilities). Co-ops, of course, are unrealistic for those parents who don’t have a flexible schedule.

Entrance policy
. Does your child have to “pass” an entrance exam and interview? How much pressure will there be? How much competition? Is it worth it? (See page 818.)

Teacher-child ratio
. The ratio recommended by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) is: under 24 months, one adult to three children; 15 to 30 months, one adult to four children; 31 to 35 months, one adult to five children; and for three-year-olds, one adult to seven children. The NAEYC recommends one adult for six to nine 36-to 48-month-olds and for three to six 12-to 36-month-olds.

Teacher turnover.
Ask how long each of the teachers has been on the staff. A high turnover rate raises questions about the quality of the program and continuity of care for the children in attendance. It also makes it difficult to assess the present program by talking to parents whose children attended the program in the past.

Staff qualifications.
The director should have teaching credentials and a degree in early-childhood education. Ideally, teachers should be trained in early-childhood development or education. Unfortunately, many have no training, and most states don’t require teacher training for day-care or preschool accreditation. All programs should run criminal background checks and thorough health checks on prospective teacher candidates, but not all do.

Physical plant.
Is there enough space? (The NAEYC recommends 35 square feet of child-usable indoor space and 75 square feet of outdoor space per child. Many programs do not meet this standard.) Is there an ample selection of toys? Are toys safe and age-appropriate for even the youngest in the room? Are they up-to-date and in good condition—or are puzzles missing pieces, dolls missing heads, and cars missing wheels? Sit on a toddler seat to get a child’s-eye view of the room. Is there enough light, a good level of activity (energetic but not frenetic), a comfortable noise level? Are there enough supplies, play areas that encourage imaginative play, natural science materials? Are there lots of pictures on the walls (hung at a child’s eye level), and art work that isn’t uniform or too neat? (Plenty of individual creativity should be evident.) Is there enough space for afternoon naps—does each child have an individual bed, mattress, or mat to sleep on? Does each have a cubby or another space for personal belongings? Are toilets and sinks child-size or made accessible with the use of sturdy step-stools? Is there a safe playground on the premises or a short, safe walk away? Be sure the play area meets the safety standards on page 646.

Staff-parent interaction.
Are there regular parent–teacher conferences? Beyond these, can special consultations—either in person or by phone—be arranged when needed? Is there a memo board or other system to facilitate daily parent–teacher communication (especially important in all-day situations)?

Food and nutrition policy.
Do children eat food brought from home or is it prepared at school? If food is prepared on-site, what is it like? Is it nutritious (see
Chapter Eighteen
)? Are food safety rules observed (see page 527)? See what meals and snacks look like and how they’re prepared; taste them, too, if possible.

Toileting policy
. Are children who are still in diapers welcome? Day-care programs generally accept children in diapers, but many preschools do not. If your child is in the midst of or about to begin toilet learning, will the staff cooperate in the process?

Evaluating the program.
To assess any program, you need to use your eyes, nose, and ears, as well as your good sense:

Ask the director about the program’s philosophy. A good program is mostly free play, interwoven with noncompetitive group activities, such as circle time, sing-alongs, story time, and playground visits. There should be no pressure to sit still and quietly listen for more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time, and no pressure at all to perform academically. The teachers should, however, have some sort of written daily plan for play and informal learning; ask to see a sample.

The program that’s right for your child will depend on your child’s personality. Some children do well with a program that has very little structure, others need some structure, still others need a highly structured (but not overly rigid) program. A very active child needs a place with a lot of freedom to move around but may also need clearly defined limits; a quiet child needs small group activities with lots of individual attention and encouragement to strike out independently; a very curious and bright child may need extra stimulation and challenges. Children for whom adjusting or making transitions is difficult need a flexible preschool program (such children may need to have a parent stay for a few days—or weeks—to help them over the initial adjustment period, or may need special help with transitions from one activity to another). For a child who is sensitive to noise and over-stimulation, a relatively quiet atmosphere is preferable (though no day care or preschool will or should be completely quiet), with corners where the child can go to escape the excitement. If very bright and busy surroundings (colors, shapes, patterns) tend to overstimulate your child, select a school that has a more subdued decor.

Ask about the educational aspects of the program. A good program will stimulate a child creatively, intellectually, physically, and socially with a balance of free play, outdoor play, and group activities, but will not set out to teach the three R’s. Be wary of schools that promise academic achievement. Young children do not need a formal academic program, and burnout is a strong possibility when children are pushed to learn too much too soon; see page 454. There should, however, be plenty of informal hands-on learning experiences and enriching exposure to the alphabet, numbers, music, literature, art, and science. Television viewing should not be a regular part of the program, though occasional viewing of quality DVDs may be appropriate.