Section I: The Parents
The Parents
We all know that being a parent is one of the hardest yet most rewarding jobs in the world. It’s a job that does not come with a lot of hands-on training and, to most parents’ surprise, their children are not delivered with instructional manuals. It’s a role that comes with great responsibility and the weight of that responsibility may seem extremely overwhelming at times.
From the day your baby is born until the day they leave your nest, you will be making many difficult decisions for them and the choices you make can often have a huge impact on the life they choose to lead. Making the decision to place your child in daycare, whether by choice or by necessity, will be one of those difficult decisions. You are essentially deciding to entrust your child’s safety and well-being to another… in most cases, a complete stranger. This decision can be very scary and it is not one to be taken lightly or jumped into blindly. Your child’s first caregivers will not only be influential but also instrumental in shaping them into the person he or she will become. They will offer your child not only guidance in practical matters, but also help shape their morals, values, self-worth and self-esteem. Thus, it’s essential to become well-informed and choose those first care providers wisely.
What’s hard to understand is that while parents spend hours educating themselves and reading books on how to raise their children, they know very little about what constitutes a quality childcare program. Many parents will gladly hand their children over to a provider that makes wonderful sounding promises, while not really knowing the person nor whether those promises will actually be fulfilled. These parents will then go to work feeling worried and nervous about their decision, but few of them will know what to do differently.
By sharing our stories and years of experience in the childcare industry, we will open your eyes to the reality that exists behind closed doors in daycare centers and home daycares each and every day. By giving you a glimpse of your child’s day from a different perspective, you will suddenly think of questions you never thought to ask, and notice things you never thought to look for. You will also gain a greater appreciation for your child’s daycare provider which in turn will create a better daycare experience for you and your child. When it comes to finding the right daycare, knowing how to make educated and informed decisions is where the real journey begins.