How to Choose the
Right Child Care
+ Strategies for
Separation Anxiety
BY ABBY QUELLEN
aybe you’re dreading your child’s first day in
someone else’s care. Or maybe you’re excited to
interview nannies or check out child-care facili-
ties. Either way, finding someone to care for your child can
be stressful. Kids’ brains grow rapidly during the early child-
hood years, and childhood experiences set the foundation for
future learning. Thus, high-quality child care is important.

The majority of families must also consider affordability and
ease of access.

However, child care can be expensive. And it’s not always
easy to get exceptional care. But, with the right tools, you
can find just the right high-quality child care that provides
opportunities and exploration for your
child. Read on to learn about your vari-
ous options and how to evaluate them.

Then, discover strategies to help make
the transition to child care easier for
your child — and you.

Plan and Prioritize
If you want to find affordable,
high-quality child-care, it’s best to
start early. Before you begin your
search, decide what’s most import-
ant to you in a child care provider.

Do you most value one-on-one atten-
tion? Opportunities for socialization?
Outdoor play? Healthy meals? You may
not find everything you want in a pro-
vider or facility, but you’re likely to
find what’s most important if you’re
clear on what it is.

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NOVEMBER 2019
Evaluate Your Options
Do you have a relative who’s willing to provide care? This
option is favored by many families. Relatives tend to offer
affordable and flexible care and provide the attachment bond
and individualized interaction shown to be advantageous for
very small children. However, the option is obviously not
available for all families.

In-home care, such as a nanny or au pair, offers many of
the same advantages, including flexible hours, individual-
ized attention and the ease and security of having your child
stay in the home. But be sure to calculate all of the expenses,
including taxes and sick and vaca-
tion leave for the caregiver. And be
prepared to take on the responsibil-
ity of being an employer. Depending
on how you hire your nanny, you may
need to do interviews and background
checks and draw up a detailed con-
tract that spells out your expectations
and policies.

If a relative or in-home care pro-
vider isn’t right for you, it’s time to
investigate day-care facilities and
home day cares, which usually accept
children from 6 weeks to 6 years of
age. They offer children the oppor-
tunity to play together and socialize,
and many offer educational curric-
ula, meals, field trips and other perks.

Ask around for recommendations
and do your own tours, interviews
and evaluations.

With the right
tools, you can
find just the right
high-quality child
care that provides
opportunities and exploration
for your child.




Child-Care Facility Checklist
Bring the following checklist along when you tour child-care
facilities. Look for these common child-care dangers:
1 Cribs that don’t meet safety standards
1 Improper bedding
1 Lack of child safety gates
1 Blind cords that may present a strangulation hazard
1 Recalled products
1 Unsafe playground surfacing
1 Inadequate playground maintenance
Check to make sure:
1 The home or facility is routinely cleaned
1 Handwashing procedures are in place
1 The environment is free of smoke and pollutants
Are the Providers:
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Educated and skilled in early childhood development?
Attentive and positive with the children?
Friendly and good at communicating with parents?
Planning to stay long?
Does the adult-to-child ratio meet American
Academy of Pediatric recommendations
for high-quality care? These
recommendations include:
1 Children aged 6 weeks to 1.5 years: three children per staff
member, up to six in a group
1 Children aged 1.5 years to 2 years: four children per staff
member, up to eight in a group
1 Children aged 2 to 3: seven children per staff member, up
to 14 in a group
1 Children aged 4 to 5: eight children per staff member,
up to 16 in a group
Questions to Ask Potential Providers:
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1 Are you licensed by the state?
Are you accredited by any organizations?
What is the parent visitation policy?
What’s the illness policy?
What is the parenting style and approach to discipline?
Are meals provided?
What’s the daily schedule?
Do the children have time and space for unstructured play?
What is the educational curriculum?
When and where do children nap?
What are the potty-training procedures?
How do caregivers communicate with parents?
Transition to Child Care ■
Strategies for Separation Anxiety
Once you’ve found the right child care, the hard part is over, right? Not so
fast. You still have to say goodbye to your child. The transition to child care
can be emotional for parents and children, but these strategies can help.

Soothe your own anxiety by:
2 Taking time to find the right child care
2 Preparing the night before to avoid morning rushing
2 Exercising, doing relaxation exercises, drinking calming tea or using
another relaxation method
Sooth your child’s anxiety by:
2 Planning to stay with your child the first little while to help him or her get familiar with new people and
surroundings, then gradually increasing the amount of time your child spends without you
2 Telling your child when you’ll be leaving and when you’ll be back
2 Establishing a simple goodbye ritual such as a song, phrase, hug, kiss or high-five
2 Expecting and preparing for some tears and talking with the caregivers about additional
strategies to sooth your child
Enlisting someone to care for your young child is one of the most challenging parts of the early
parenting years. Taking the time to find the right care makes the separation process easier for
parent and child. ■
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