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Better Planning: Child Care Tips From The Frontline

Hello. I'm a mum with seven children under ten years of age. As you can imagine, all aspects of child care have become the centre of my life. Finding child-friendly products, appropriate play groups and suitable child care facilities are challenges I face on a daily basis. Of course, I'm much more relaxed now after seven children, and I know exactly what products, play groups, and facilities to look for. I figured that other parents might be able to use some of the hacks I've learnt along the way. I hope you find my entries entertaining and informative. Happy parenting!

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Better Planning: Child Care Tips From The Frontline

4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Child Care Center

by Soledad Gomez

No one can love your child the way you can. However, you may not have the time to always be there with your child. Your child should interact with other kids and have a healthy social life. The people and environment your child interacts with during these crucial early years matters. The child care centre you choose needs to have the right training, certification and licenses. Here are a few more things to consider when choosing a childcare centre for your child. 

Location

The location of a child care centre is extremely important. Choose a child care centre that's close to where you live. This will allow the child to still remain within a recognisable distance from their home and help them feel safer. Also, many of the children in that child care centre will be from the same locale. Many of them may even be familiar to your child. 

Hours of Operation

Most of the time, you need a childcare centre to allow you to go to work during your working hours. Ensure you ask about the hours of operation and make sure they're convenient for you. A convenient childcare centre should be open early enough and late enough for you to go to work and close late enough so that you don't have to rush from work. When making this decision, consider who in the family will be responsible for pick-ups and drop-offs. 

Meals and Snacks 

Does the child care centre offer your child meals and snacks? If you don't want the childcare to provide your child meals and snacks, do they accommodate children who bring their meals? You need to ask all these questions before you settle on a child care centre. If you settle on one that provides meals and snacks, you should familiarise yourself with the menu and give information on your kids' allergies in advance. 

The Ratio of Staff to Children

The more children a staff member has to look after the less the attention a child is likely to receive. To ensure the safety of the children in the centre, the ratio should be in adherence to the law, and it wouldn't hurt if the staff members were in a surplus. Don't just ask questions about the staff-to-children ratio; visit the prospective child care centres during their hours of operation to confirm how many staff members are caring for the kids.

Be as thorough as you need to be when choosing a child care centre for your child. Consider these factors to ensure your child is safe as you go about your busy schedule. 

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