Two of the hardest decisions you will have to make as a parent are 1) putting your child in daycare and 2) finding the right daycare for your family.
Some negative reports in the media have helped form opinions that daycares may be unsafe for your children. Because I work in daycare, I have firsthand knowledge of its many positive aspects.
For one, many people who work in daycare are there for the right reasons — for the love of children. We understand that it is tough to leave your child in daycare, especially for the first time or after spending a lot time together as a family during the summer.
Our goal is to make you feel comfortable, and we do that by making daycare feel like a second home for your child. We care for your child as if he or she were our own.
Your child is running around, playing, laughing, and smiling and we are happy to share those moments with you and ease your mind.
Fostering fun and friendship
We create weekly plans that provide your children with activities that are fun and educational, based on their age group. We not only want to be their daycare provider, we want to be their friend. We want your child to like us and trust us.
Building trust with parents
We ease parents’ minds and build trust via good communication. We share our personal phone numbers so the parents have that connection with us. If a child has a rough drop off, or if the parent is just missing the child, we will send pictures of their child playing or give them updates.
Your child, at some point, will have a rough drop off. I promise, though, that after you leave, he or she will accept the separation and soon will be fine. Your child is running around, playing, laughing, and smiling, and we are happy to share those moments with you and ease your mind.
Involving the families
At the daycare where I am employed, we organize events and activities that involve the families. These include Muffins with Mom, Donuts with Dad, Night with Santa, and a family carnival.
“It is important for the parents and daycare providers to work together to give the children the best experiences possible,” said Kim Turlington, director of Hilton Community Childcare. “When we work together, the children feel safe and loved, and the foundation for a successful future is put in place.”
The best advice I can give parents is … trust your instincts. You will know which daycare is the best fit for you and your child as soon as you walk through the door.
For information on local daycares, visit the website of the Office of Children and Family Services at ocfs.ny.gov.
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