So, here we are.
I can’t believe it, really: Tony is almost three months old. Where did the time go? Especially since he weighs as much as some four month olds, and has been in 3-6 month clothes for two weeks? (He’s not fat. He IS long. In the torso. God love him, he has his momma’s short legs.)
We’ve been blessedly lucky thus far in that my mother has kept Tony at her house during the day while I worked. That’s been so wonderful, to know that he’s 1) right around the corner from my office and 2) in the hands of a woman who adores him more than her luggage. But we’re nearing the end of that free ride. We’re having to venture into daycare territory.
So I’m turning to you, Oh Great Internets. I need some hints on what to look for in a daycare. Obviously, I know to look for cleanliness, and daycares that seem safe are good. (Sorry, Broken Shards of Glass Preschool.) But what did you look for in a day program? Am I silly to look at curriculum when he’s just 3 months old? Or to ask that he only eat formula we supply and use the diapers we provide? Or is that the only option?
And, of course, if you live in the Huntsville area, I’ll take some outright recommendations. I’m aware that most places will have waiting lists. It’s par for the course. (We’re already on two waiting lists.. have been since the first trimester.. and haven’t gotten a slot at either. Doesn’t bode well, does it?)
Also, what are your feelings on home daycare? Bryan is pretty much against it, but I honestly could get behind a dedicated person taking care of a smaller group of kids. (It also has health benefits, in my humble opinion, to not expose your kids to a multitude of toddlers.)
Okay, discuss.
I don’t know much since we aren’t having to use a daycare but there is one around the corner from my office that everyone says is AWESOME. One of my stepsisters used to work there and loved it too. I think it is called Miss Marcia’s but I’m not sure, Ronda would know. Good luck!
Yep…Jamie you are talking about Mis Marcia’s. She is great. Nina is the Director of the Primrose on Bailey Cove now…so someone you know would be where your child is everyday…plus Tony and Ethan would be int he same class.
As your friend with a degree in Early Childhood Development. Curriculum is so unimportant right now. Children learn through play and interaction. Worksheets and such will come in abundance when he starts public school…it is soooo not necessary for preschoolers. Too many people get caught up in whether or not their 2 year old can count to 10 or know their colors. It is not important. Social skills are much more important for children to learn at an early age.
and now a word from NAEYC….
Quality Programs Nurture Relationships to Enhance Young Children’s Learning
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has developed 10 standards that outline what all preschools, child care centers, kindergartens, and other early childhood education programs should provide to nurture young children. One of the new standards focuses on the relationships that young children develop with adults and other children, which are crucial to early learning and development.
Positive relationships formed through warm, sensitive, and responsive care help children feel valued and gain more from their learning experiences. Children need positive relationships so that they feel comfortable and learn how to cooperate with others. Relationships between teachers and families are also important, and help build environments that nurture children’s growth and development.
There are many ways that quality early childhood programs build relationships with children and among adults. When you visit a program, watch how teachers interact with the children, and look for evidence that teachers are fostering positive relationships, such as:
* Classrooms are welcoming to all children, and children are encouraged to join the group.
* Teachers communicate with children in a warm manner, including laughing and showing affection, and respond to their needs. Teachers use a gentle tone of voice with children, and bend down to speak with them at eye level.
* Infants get individual attention from teachers, who communicate with smiles and other nonverbal behavior, and also talk with them, so that infants start to recognize and understand words.
* Teachers provide a balance of group activities and one-on-one activities, to encourage children to develop both group and individual relationships.
* Children have opportunities to play and interact with other children, which helps them build friendships and develop social skills, such as working together and taking turns.
* Teachers and families develop relationships and share information about the children, including family background such as religion and home language.
Quality early childhood programs foster positive relationships - among the children, between children and adults, and among teachers and families - to help children get a great start on learning. To learn more about the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standard on relationships, the NAEYC Accreditation system, and other signs of quality early childhood programs, visit http://www.rightchoiceforkids.org.
I don’t live in the area, but I’ve started looking at day care around here and have been to quite a few places in the last month. I decided on The Goddard School and their Learn through Play model. The only one in Alabama is in Hoover and I have no idea where that is in relation to Huntsville — so it’s most likely not an option for you.
However, what turned me on to them was the feeling I got when I walked in.
1 -The teachers are teachers for one - real, certified teachers.
2 -The place was SUPER clean and they even had a sanitizing station for the toys in the infant room that anything that hit the floor or had been in one baby’s mouth went through this sanitizer before any other kid could touch it.
3 -They had a program, while not a real pushy curriculum for infants, but they would teach American sign language and some Spanish during the first year.
4 - There was NO TV in the room. A radio played some kid CD’d and when I went in to observe one of the teachers was sitting at a table with one little boy who was singing and bopping his head with her. SO CUTE!
5 - They had a separate dimly lit area with the cribs for napping.
There’s more, but that’s probably enough. Those were the top things and differences that called out to me when I was looking around. Of course, Goddard is known for being expensive, but in comparison, it was clear to me what I was getting in exchange for the extra cost.
Good luck. It’s stressful.
e-mail zoot, I bet she would give you the info on where NikkiZ went. She always spoke highly of it.
Good Luck, I hope you find an amazing and affordable place for him.
As far as food, DHR says that you MUST provide food if he’s still bottle feeding. Its just going to be a lot of footwork. You are going to have to go and observe many different places.
I would be looking at a curriculum. It doesn’t have to be a Montessori (pound your head in the ground until you learn damnit!) school. You want to know that as your child ages, he will be stimulated in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Bored children = inappropriate behavior.