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ON GUARD: Take Care With Day Care!
by Laura Quarantiello © Tiare Publications Group

If your lifestyle requires you to use a day care service it goes without saying that you want to find a center you're comfortable with, operated by people who have the best interests of your child as their number one priority. Here are some things you can do to help insure that the service you pick is the best possible choice for your child.

Consider only a licensed day care center. A license, in itself, is no guarantee, of course. But it does offer much more security than an unlicensed care provider.

Check with the licensing agency to see whether any complaints have been filed against the day care center's operator. These files are public record. In some areas day care centers are licensed by the state, in others by a county's department of social services.

Interview the owner or manager regarding their policies on discipline, play activities, naps, outings and staff.

Get references - and check them out.

Make unannounced visits so you can observe things yourself. (Don't choose a center which does not welcome parental visits any time). Watch how the children play and behave - and how the staff interacts with them.

Pay attention to what your children say about their experiences at the center.

Be very sensitive if your child refuses to go to the day care center. Find out why he or she doesn't want to go. This could be a vital sign that something is very wrong.

Unfortunately, there is no known way you can be absolutely certain that you've picked the right day care center in which to enroll your child, but if you check things out ahead of time you can cut the chance of making a bad decision down to a minimum.

Copyright © 2003 Laura Quarantiello. All Rights Reserved.

Keep your home and family safe from the creeps and crazies out there! Laura Quarantiello's book "On Guard" is the informational shield you need. For more information please visit: http://www.tiare.com/onguard.htm

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