Today, child care abounds. There is full-time, part-time, drop-in and day care centers. Child care doesn’t have to mean you’re away from your child all day from morning to night, missing the milestones we all enjoy. Depending on your child care needs, and your work situation, sometimes child care can be very minimal. Maybe several hours a week will be all you need from an in-home child care provider, with a backup of drop-in child care for those emergency or unplanned occasions; a drop-in child care provider can be a lifesaver.

You can still interact with your child while he is at child care. Offering to volunteer, especially when your child is in attendance, will make him feel more comfortable when you are not there. Making sure you attend when it is your child’s birthday is an important goal to strive for. Most child care providers and day care centers make a party on a child’s birthday, as do kindergartens and grammar schools. You can also surprise your child and stop by during your lunch break and offer to eat lunch with him, read a book or just play with him. If your child care provider has a website or a newsletter that is sent home, you can plan ahead to attend one of the events they have scheduled, such as a field trip to a museum or a park. Just spending some time with your child is important and meaningful while he is spending his day in child care.

When choosing a childcare center, you should always look for one that offers an open door policy. This simply means you can, or an authorized family member or friend, can enter the childcare center unannounced to visit with your child. You can send you child’s grandparent, or even great-grandparent to visit during the course of the day.

The bottom line is a childcare center should provide your child with the comforts of home, in a safe and loving environment where he or she will flourish.

Making a list would be helpful, having several sessions alone with the child while Mom runs an errand will give you and your child some time to see how the caregiver and your child get along. Through trial and hopefully not very much error, child care can be a cakewalk.

The most important factor for any child is to choose the right daycare provider. If at all possible, it may be easiest to place the child with someone they are already familiar with, either a family member or friend. As this is not always an option, many resources are available for selecting a caregiver. Word of mouth from any friends with children will go a long way towards steering you to a good day care. This way experiences can be relayed, either good or bad, and eccentricities discussed. Bear in mind that a provider who is wonderful for one child may not be for another because of differing personalities; however, if several parents have criticized a source, a genuine problem may be present and that person might be one to steer clear of.

If word of mouth does not direct you to a good caregiver, the Department of Social Services can provide you with a list of licensed day care providers in your area. Your pediatrician may also be able to give you a recommendation; many doctors get to know their patients fairly well, particularly with children. If all else fails, a phone book or newspaper classifieds can provide listings for child care professionals.

Once you have chosen a provider, take your child to meet them. Most providers will wish to meet with you prior to the child being enrolled. Take your child with you to this meeting if possible. This will give them a chance to look around their new environment and meet the person or people who will be caring for them.

If your child has a comfort object and it is permitted, allow them to take that object to daycare. Most children become homesick for the first couple of weeks, and this will give them a piece of home to hold on to. Giving them a picture of you and other immediate family members to look at when they become lonely may help as well, but make that decision based on your child; it may make the situation worse. If at all possible, try to stay for a little while in the mornings to help them settle into an activity. This will make the transition easier. If you can, tell your child exactly what time you will pick them up-and make sure you are there. Like knowing what time your workday will end, daycare will be easier if your child knows exactly what time they will see you again. This gives them a sense of security.

The most important thing you can do for your child is to send them off in a positive manner. If you are upset over your separation, they will be to, whereas if you seem confident that all will be well and you will see them at the end of the day they will pick up on that attitude. Remember, it is not uncommon for your child to cry when you leave them. Most children settle in within fifteen minutes of seeing their parents leave. Simply say good-bye and walk out the door-you’ll be able to give them hugs and kisses for being so brave when you come back.

An important starting point when investigating a facility, especially an institution that cares for a large number of children, is to find out if it is licensed. If so, you know the key providers (often the directors) have completed a minimum amount of training in early childhood development, education and/or care, often in a secondary institution. It is good to discover what training and experience the teachers and aides are required to possess before being hired, as these are the people who will often have the most hands on contact with the children on a daily basis. These individuals should also be trained in first aid and CPR, and familiar with emergency procedures should a situation arise.

The facility should have set policies in place for issues pertaining to the children themselves, and these should meet your expectations as well. A plan for emergency action should a child become injured should be in place, and able to be implemented immediately. Along with policies pertaining to emergencies, they should have a standard method of discipline for the children, as well as a procedure to be followed when such disciplinary actions do not yield the desired results. These should mesh well with your disciplinary actions at home to prevent confusion for the child.

Most daycares, whether institutional or in-home, will have a set daily schedule. It’s good to discover that schedule, and ensure that your child will be able to follow it. Children should be allowed plenty of play time, as well as some structured activities to prevent the advent of boredom during the day. Naptime can often become a point of contention in a daycare situation; a good facility will have both a naptime for the children who continue to take naps and a “quiet time” for children who don’t.

Potty training should also be addressed with any potential caregiver, particularly if your child is not yet out of diapers. Some preschool programs may require the children to be toilet trained prior to enrolling them or will charge an extra fee for having to change diapers. It is very important if your child is not yet potty trained to ensure that whatever facility you choose is willing and able to assist in teaching your child to use the bathroom.

The facility itself should be clean and childproof, with items such as safety latches on doors, gates on stairs and electrical outlet covers. In a private home, areas with fireplaces or wood stoves should be unavailable to children. There should be plenty of room for children to spread out and play, and areas that allow for physical activity both in and out of doors. Age appropriate toys should be available, as well as items such as cribs and highchairs for younger children. All such equipment should meet current safety standards, and a good provider should have an inventory of said equipment and toys and be on a constant look-out for safety recalls.

The most important thing to remember is any good facility will encourage you to come in, meet the staff and observe classroom interaction prior to enrollment. Follow your instincts on such visits; remember, no one knows your child like you do!