I'm touring a center today that finally has an opening.
I'm curious about questions you wish you would have asked. Thanks!
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Turnover rate for teachers. I didn't even think of it but it has been a major issue at our daycare.
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Whether they own or lease the space, and if the latter, how much time is left on the lease. My DD's daycare is in the process of closing temporarily because they couldn't afford to renew the lease in the same space, and trying to find a new space didn't go well. They finally found one, but it's way too far away from us and it won't be finished for another 6+ months. I never would have thought to ask this question before, but having lived through it, I want to be as sure as possible that it won't happen again. DD had been with 6 of her friends since they were 3-4 months old and doesn't understand why everyone is going to different schools now, it's really sad.
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@catlady: Yes, this was a big issue we had with our first center and it was a big factor with why we love our current center. Also how many are just floaters versus full time teachers.
Another question would be how they dismiss staff during the day. Are staff on a set schedule (7:30-3:30) or do they have staff clock out as students leave (when they go below ratio).
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The closure policy...do they follow the guidance for public schools with respect to snow days, for example.
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@winter_wonder: I want to know about naps, how often the babies take them, if it's dark and quiet, where they sleep. I never thought to ask this! Also what types of the snacks, are they highly processed or healthy? The other big question is how much will they be held and cuddled? This is important to me now. I hate the thought of him sitting neglected in a jumper or something.
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@winter_wonder: their sick policy for kids and the way in which they notify parents if one child gets something infectious
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No help, just following so I know what to ask
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Do the kids move up from room to room as a group, or on their birthdays? One thing I love is that our kids stay together during the year then move up together as a group each September. It helps us really get to know other families!
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I should have asked about caregivers and smoking. Where is it allowed? Do they wash up after? Out of sight of the children?
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@PurplePeony: WHOA.
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@LovelyPlum: This is something I would LOVE in a center! Ours moves up (and I use the term loosely) around their birthday, but they didn't transition H until well after January. She turned two in October. I think and hope it changes once they get to Early Preschool.
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Good post! We are starting in about a month when DS will be 9 months old. When I was touring centers I did not like the ones where the babies slept in another room alone, even if attached. The center we are going with has one person in the room with the sleeping babies at all times. It's not as much of an issue now that he is 9 months but when I was pregnant I was terrified at the thought of him sleeping alone and not being checked on enough.
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cancellation policy.. some are two weeks notice, some are two MONTHS!
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I would ask about their holiday schedule. One place we went to took a week off for Christmas and a week off in the spring. Admittedly, they billed themselves as more of a school (with daycare hours) but we had come from another daycare that was only closed for one week at Christmas and the typical holidays so we didn't think to ask about other extended breaks during the year. The Christmas week break is not an issue for my husband but my year-end hours can be crazy so I would just keep that in mind if there are any periods of time where you really can't afford to go without care.
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@LovelyPlum: Similarly, I'd ask how often kids change rooms. My son has moved up after as little as 3.5 months in a room, and it's really something I wish I'd thought about when looking for childcare.
Honestly, I only thought about what daycare would look like for my son as a baby because he started as a baby. I barely paid attention to the toddler/preschool info at all because it felt so far away. Realistically, though, it's not and I wish I'd been able to think ahead a little.
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@wrkbrk: ours has this, but the teachers are closer to the kids than I was if she were sleeping in the bedroom at home and I were in the living room. Now, in the toddler room, they stay with the kids, which I like.
@Banana330: it's crazy the differences. We are locked in for the whole year once we sign the financial policy.
@gilmoregirl: oh geez, that's barely enough time to get comfortable in a place!
@avivoca: it's really nice. I like it a lot. The beginning of the years are crazy, but by the end, the kids are all friends. And now she's moving up again with the same 15 kids to the 2 year old room in September (all the kids are already 2 in the 2 year old room, already 3 in the 3's, etc).
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@PurplePeony: This happened to my coworker. Total chaotic scramble as all the families found new places.
I asked a lot of questions at both our daycares (former center and the one where we just started) and so far there haven't been any surprises or things I wish I had known about in advance. I also asked questions to probe a little into the issue of turnover (since that was crucial to me), asking if staff all got plenty of sick time and vacation time, and how long they had each been present in their current room and at the center in general.
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@LovelyPlum: moving up as a group was another difference we love. Our first center it felt like every 3-6months a group of kids was either leaving or coming or she was moving. She never bonded to any of the kids and we didn't know any of the families! We love our center now that does a school wide move up!
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