By Richa Sharma
When I became a first time working mother in 2008, work from home was not heard of. I decided to explore daycare options and went hunting from one facility to the other. Then I found the perfect Daycare. It was evident that this was a happy place. There was the smell of freshly cooked food, the tidiest toys and beds, smiling caregivers, open lawns with greenery.There was nothing fancy about the place, but it had a safe and homely feeling. The facility did not try to market iteelf and instead introduced me to a few mothers who, unhesitatingly pronounced it the best place for their little ones. I need look no further.
Clearly, good references play the biggest role when trying to find the right fit for your children. Even a big brand can lose prospective customers with just one negative comment from a parent. A daycare which is confident about its quality of services will provide contacts of references without hesitation. Here are a few questions to ask when looking for the right daycare for your precious little bundles.
1. What is the child-caretaker ratio?
The daycare I opted for had 2-3 caretakers over 30 children so I knew that my child would never be left unattended. This is important because at this age children are learning to hold, grasp, eat, play and we never know when they put something in their mouth, or throw something at another child. Accidents may happen even when left unattended for a few minutes. So what’s an ideal ratio? As per the US state department for health, one child care staff member per four newborn or infant children under 15 months old should be ideal. One staff member should be able to coordinate feeding schedules, naps, diaper changes and other basic newborn needs throughout a day without much help from additional staff members.
TODDLERS: 1:8
3 YEARS OLD: 1:10
4 YEARS OLD: 1:13
At any best day care in Gurgaon, the center will strive to attain the best ratio and will never give excuses for a lesser number of caregivers. For toddlers, you may often find 1-2 main caregivers supervising a group of assisting staff or nannies which is also acceptable only if the supervisors are always physically present around the children.
2. What kind of facilities and materials does the daycare provide?
A daycare must have facilities required for the safety, hygiene and learning of children of all age groups. For children under the age of 15 months, beds or cribs must have protective railing and clean, comfortable mattress and linen. Changing tables must be clean and sanitised. If your child has started crawling or just started walking, you may need to see if there is enough crawling/walking space which is safe, clean and hazard free. There should be sanitising and sterilising facilities available- do check the washing area and kitchen for proof of cleanliness. Ask the existing parents if they send their own feeding bottles, toys, teethers etc. Also ask how the baby is given back to the parents- do they look and feel clean and happy?
Progressive daycare facilities strive to provide a better learning environment by including books, creative areas, open learning spaces, outdoor play areas and nature corner. You know a daycare is doing a good job when your child comes back home with an interesting story or evidence of learning.
3. Does the daycare teach life skills and assist in achieving milestones?
Ask the other parents which age they enrolled their child and how the child has achieved milestones such as, toilet training, using a spoon and fork, drinking from a glass or tumbler, choosing books and toys with interest, engaging in pretend play, asking questions, cleaning up after themselves, playing with other children, maintaining a routine, and so on. Since working parents are away during most part of a child’s awake time, it is the daycare’s onus that the child learns these essential skills and achieves age-appropriate milestones.
You can ask questions about the qualifications of the working staff, their training levels, their interaction with children, and so on. A child should learn good manners, empathy, and communication from everyone present in the building, not just their immediate caregivers.
4. What safety, surveillance and communication regulations are followed?
A daycare must foster a sense of safety in the parents. Caregivers must proactively communicate with the parents and build a healthy relationship based on trust. In turn, parents must be welcome to call anytime to get an update. Though most daycares would not allow you to visit at all times but phone calls with caregivers must be welcome.
There should be manual and digital surveillance available- CCTV cameras, access controls, pick and drop protocols, online updates or newsletters, picture evidence, emails etc. Ask other parents if their child has ever been hurt and what was the reason for it? How did they come to know about the incidence? Did the daycare communicate proactively and did they provide appropriate care and/or first aid? Is there a nurse or doctor on call? Do they call you before and after administering any medications? Ask questions about the washrooms to check that children are always accompanied by responsible adults and that visits to the loo are safe and hygienic.
5. What kind of food is provided and how?
This is an important question to ask because children are still too young and you need to figure out if they will be eating what is served or if you need to send something from home. A good Daycare school in Gurgaon often has a well-balanced meal plan suitable for young children, so ask for the menu. Most importantly, ask questions about food preparation and plan a visit to the kitchens and dining area.
Another important aspect to see here is ‘how’ the children are fed. In an Indian scenario, it is not uncommon to see caregivers feeding with their hands so you need to ask questions about that- do you or do you not prefer your child eating on her own? Infact in new-age progressive facilities, children are taught to and encouraged to eat on their own in a well-aired dining area.
6. Other important details
Sometimes even if you find everything discussed above satisfactory, you may want to look at other things that will finally allow you to choose the best fit for your family. Ask questions about transport options, kind of transport, helper to children ratio in transport, off days, work timings, and fee structure.
Finally, trust your gut instinct. If everything seems fine but you are still not satisfied, take some more time to think, plan a visit, talk to the staff and decide accordingly.