Parenting Tips

 
     What should I know about choosing Childcare?

The following questions are based on a Lifeline Television program interview with CDA Executive Director, Charlene Tressler. Charlene is also the Chair of the San Diego County Child Care and Development Planning Council.

Recently the media has been paying a lot attention to child care. Over and over, I hear that high quality child care is important for children’s well-being and development. Why is it such a critical issue?

Child care experiences have a powerful influence on the growth and development of children and they affect the adult the child will become.

Recently scientists have made exciting breakthroughs in how the human brain works and develops. Based on these findings - we know that the most critical periods for brain development are in the very early years. The brain actually builds itself - what a child hears, sees, touches, tastes and smells creates connections (synapses) between brain cells

Nurturing, supportive and consistent relationships early in life "wire the brain" for learning and loving.

Although one continues to learn throughout their lifetime, by age 10 the brain has formed most of the connections it will use throughout life. Consequently a child’s first and continuing experiences with child care influence how a child learns and develops.

Parents need to take time to find quality care – it’s a very important investment in their child’s future. They should take the time to explore the different types of care available such as – center-based programs, family child care homes and in home care – and then evaluate how each one would best meet the needs of their child.

Parents need to consider their child’s needs and their personality and temperament. Every child is different – as is every family. Is the child shy or outgoing? Does he demand attention all of the time or find it easy to entertain herself? Is he constantly testing the boundaries of a situation or more likely to approach a new experience cautiously? Does he catch every cold that goes around or seem relatively immune to passing "bugs?"

Another factor to consider is the developmental stage of the child. The needs of infant and toddlers differ from the needs of preschool or school-age children. Many specialists believe that infant and toddlers develop best in a smaller, intimate setting and that 3-5 year olds benefit from the social and educational opportunities available in a larger group setting.

When the child’s needs and personality are taken into consideration, it helps parents to decide between the many child care choices available, such as center programs, family child care in the caregivers home or care within the child’s own home.

As I mentioned before each child is unique - and has differing needs and the program they are looking for must meet the needs of their child. If one doesn’t look at a variety of programs – it is difficult to decide which program is the best for their child. As parents look at each type of program, what they are really doing is balancing or evaluating the caregiver and the environment against what they feel is the very best for their child.

Recent studies have been conducted to better understand what makes up quality child care. The most important quality indicators identified in these studies are related directly to the teachers or caregivers. The education and training of staff, the number of children for whom the teacher or caregiver is responsible for (staff to child ratio) – the ability of staff to build relationships with parents, and the capacity of staff to develop a child-centered program in a stimulating environment all closely interrelated indicators of quality

After the options of care are explored the next step is evaluating the quality of the proposed care. As parents look for quality they need to keep in mind that the most important things to consider are the teachers or caregivers and the environment.

First and foremost, parents must be convinced that the program will keep their child safe and maintain good health practices.

The next consideration is the teacher or caregiver – This is the most critical aspect of the search for quality care. The person who will be caring for the child is more important than type of program, the location, cost, equipment or the play materials. The quality of the teacher or caregiver’s interaction with children is the most important thing to look for. As parents observe, they need to think about how their child would respond to that type of adult.

It is very important for parents to remember - that the basic elements of quality child care are the same and as critical for centers and family child care as they are for care provided in one’s own home.

When I think about the quality of care for children, I think about four key words – "caring," "turned-in," "respectful," and "safe."

Parents need to ask - How long the caregiver been doing childcare at that location. A high quality child care program provides children with the same caregiver over a substantial period of time. When a child experiences a caring, turned-in, respectful teacher or caregiver, they form an emotional attachment to that person. This attachment is very healthy and important for further development. Each time an attachment is formed and broken, there is emotional pain and a feeling of loss for the child. Children need to become attached to their teacher or caregiver and to feel secure that these special adults will be there for them when they are upset. This is especially true for infants and toddlers, but it is a real concern for preschoolers also. A caregivers leaving is a real emotional loss, especially for children six months to two years of age.

Also Parent should ask – Why is the teacher or caregiver doing childcare or working with children? Really wanting to care for children is critical. Many years of experience do not necessarily ensure quality; the key lies in really liking children and seeking out ways to learn more about them.

Another question is: What kind of training or education does the teacher or caregiver have?

All care providers, whatever the child care setting, do a better job if they have received training in child development and child care than if they have not had such preparation.

A recent study carried out in three different state found that caregivers who received only eighteen to thirty-six hours of training improved the overall quality of their care significantly, became more committed to their work, and made children feel more secure and comfortable than a similar group of providers who did not participate in the training.

Also, when we look at education that is important for caregivers we are talking about courses that are related to working with children – not the number of years of schooling beyond high school. The more child-related knowledge a caregiver has, the better they can perform their job. It is interesting that research shows that caregivers with many years of experience tend to provide less stimulating care if they have not had specialized education and training.

Parents need to know about what the teacher or caregiver thinks is important for the children in their care – in-other-words - their program philosophy. It also is a better child care match when the program and caregiver mirrors the parent’s values or at least have values that the parent can live with.

Again - The teacher or caregiver is the key to the quality of care.

Safety and security are the foundations of high quality childcare. - A child must be safe (physical safety) and feel safe (emotional safety) with the teacher or caregiver and with the physical environment.

 Look to see if the teacher or caregiver and program respect and accept children for who they are – celebrating their uniqueness.

Look for teachers showing affection by touching a child’s shoulder or smiling warmly. See if they are kneeling or bending down to speak to a child at his or her eye level. Children cannot learn in an optimum manner - if they are not cared for. When teachers and caregivers are responsive, show empathy, and model caring and respectful interactions – they are teaching the children emotional intelligence.

Does the teacher or caregiver and the program respect and accept children for who they are – celebrating their uniqueness

When entering the environment for the first time – it is important to - stop for a moment and look around. Listen to the sounds, - do you hear laughter and play? Look for plenty of light and cheerful colors. Think about what the environment says to the child – it should say –"Welcome - I am so happy that you are here!!"

Does it look clean? Smell the air – does the environment small clean? This is where the child will be spending most of their waking hours. Parents want to be sure that it is a pleasant environment, one that they wouldn’t mind spending most of your waking hours in.

Is there ample equipment to meet the developmental needs of each child in the program? Do you see materials, books, puzzles etc. that reflect the cultures of the children enrolled?

It is a good idea to visit twice during at least two time blocks – ideally they would last about two hours. One good time block to observe is when children are arriving and departing, in order to see how the child care provider interacts with the parent as well as the children. Notice how the caregiver receivers parents and children when they arrive in the morning and leave at the end of the day.

An especially good time is to arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m., and stay into midmorning. If your child is preschool age, try to observe during both free play and caregiver/teacher directed activities.

Another valuable observation time comes toward the end of the day, after naptime but before most children are picked up by their parents. Both children and caregivers are tired after six to eight hours together, this gives the parent a chance to see how these caregivers handle tempers and low tolerance for frustration.

It is very important to remember that a parent should be able to choose the time of day for their visit – if parents sense resistance to their request to visit at any time of day other than naptime – be wary.

I think that getting involved in the activities distracts the parent from really looking at the program. Instead, it is best to use the time to sit quietly and watch the caregiver in action and working with other children. Try to imagine your child in this situation. Based on what you see - will this child care provider respond quickly and positively to his needs? Do you sense a genuine love for children in what you see? The best way to tell whether the caregiver will value your child is by watching the caregiver working with other children. Caring, tuned –in, respectful, and safe summarize all the things one looks for when observing a teacher or caregiver’s interaction with a child.

There should be enough activities and playthings to keep all of the children busy and involved. However, parents should not be blind-sighted by marvelous toys and equipment. If the program, teacher or caregiver is absolutely wonderful, they can make up for this with their interactions and the variety of activities and experiences provided for the children. However – a wonderful array of toys and equipment will not make up for a poor quality caregiver.

It is very important that the program or activities should be planned to meet the individual developmental needs of the children. In child development we say to meet the "multiple intelligence needs" of the whole child.

Meeting the child’s "multiple intelligence needs" emphasizes the importance of learning experiences that respects individual interests and builds on children’s strengths. When children have the opportunities to learn through their strengths, they develop confidence in their abilities. This means that high quality child care program provide activities and experiences that are designed to meet the needs of the whole child and enhance all areas of development.

• Social -Emotional
• Cognitive
• Creative
• Physical
• Spiritual

With the rush to get children into academic learning in today’s world, research and studies show that "emotional intelligence" is the best predictor of success in school and in life. "Emotional intelligence" is defined as the ability to understand one’s feelings, control impulses and anger, soothe anxiety, show empathy and interact positively with others and to persevere to achieve one’s goals. The foundation for "emotional intelligence" is built in early childhood. When teachers and caregivers are responsive, empathic, and model caring and respectful interactions – they are teaching "emotional intelligence."

Look for established routines and planned activities that meet the developmental needs of the children. These activities should include "learning through play with a wide variety of hands-on activities – and should be a balance of active, quiet, child-initiated, and teacher/caregiver directed activities. 

Another indication of a high quality program is parents and teachers or caregivers working as partners to meet the needs of each individual child. It is also very important that they need to share common goals for the child. Parents can get an indication of this happening when observing the child care providers interaction with other parents. As children arrive, does the provider ask how each one slept the night before and is feeling this morning? At pickup time, is information shared with the parents about how the day has gone for their children. Do you have a sense that provider and parents are working together on behalf of the children, or are they like ships passing in the night.

Take your time, carefully consider the options and after visiting several programs, close your eyes and try to imagine your child spending most of their waking hours in each of the setting. Which one do you feel best about – trust your instincts! Remember, your child deserves the very best!