Daycare verses Homecare

Nicole - posted on 04/13/2010

oo this is a tough one...i worked in a day care and id tell you i would never leave my child with non family till they could talk unless it was a well trusted friend that had kids of their own.



day centers some have camera in their rooms so everything is monitored and you can go back if you suspect something with your child is not quite right. not always do center teachers really care about the children..some really alot are there just for the paycheck. but they do have the teachers that really do care about the children. there are really just alot of questions you need to ask before going to a day center. like, how long have you worked with this age group ? what age group do you primarily work with? how long have you been working in day care? how well behaved is the classroom and if there are usually 2 teachers in the room at all times?



for a home care provider i find those risky if you don't know the person. my neighbor is a home care provider and she is state certified and registered with human services which is something you need to ask before choosing a home provider. you should look very carefully at the home. they should offer you a tour since it is where your child will be staying. they should be following all the same safety measures day centers follow such as a child proof home as if a baby was living there. you need to ask the same questions and then more about their home. you really shouldn't just go to/ get any in home provider.



personally it is your preference but more child mishaps happen with in home providers then in day centers but typically day centers cost more ..but i am a firm believer in you get what you pay for .



not only that day centers here at least offer preschool at 3 and 4 years of age through head start. they used to have the eli glow programs till the state cut that here but i imagine that a state which manages its budget better then Ohio will have free preschool offered in day centers . then it becomes free to send your child as long as you are working and its within the pre schooling hours of the day before it becomes day care when the learning stops.



as to what sarah had said about toys and such. by state standards you have to disinfect toys in a center after each child is done with them in younger ages. in older ages its att he end of every day. hands are washed by children constantly by the reminder of the teachers when ever comming in from outside and after using the bathroom. if the senter is doing a special program here in ohio its called step up to quality the ratios are 7 tots to one teacher 10 prek to 1 teacher and 16 school age to one teacher i love the lower ratios personally. if its just plain state standard the ratios are higher like 10 tots to one teacher . also most require even if you are at or below ratio the better centers will ALWAYS have 2 teachers per room.



i dont know about you but being left alone at ratio is alot to handle by oneself if they get roudy ..there are ways to handel it but in one instance i was left in a room alone i had one child running out to the playground area from the classroom s back door to the pre k playground while another student was running out the room and down the hall. and i cant leave the other 8 kids alone so you are a bit at a loss... believe me stuff like that really happenes and on a daily basis...the sad part..parents don ever believe their child could ever act up...if they meet the right child "friend" they will.

Sarah - posted on 04/13/2010

It really just depends on what you prefer. There are good and bad centers and home day cares. Big thing is visit and talk with them. Do unannouced visits. Find out what they do during the day. In home is more of a home feeling, but the down side is that if the provider is sick then you may have to find back-up. Centers have many different workers so you don't have to worry about finding back-ups for sick days, personal days, or vacation days...but that also means more people that are taking care of your child and more people that your child will need to get to know and feel comfortable with. A center will have more kids your child's age, which can be a good and bad thing. Good for them to play and socialize with, bad for greater chances of illnesses going around. That is one question I would ask is how often do they clean and sterilize the toys, home/center, linens, etc. My suggestion would be to call and visit both and see which one you like better. Talk to others that use the in-home or center or have used in the past. I find this is where you find out the best information. Each person is going to have their own likes and dislikes, but hearing what others feel about the place will give you an idea about the place and if you would want to have your child there. Do a sex offender check to see if there are any in the neighborhood. You can also do a criminal check. Good luck.

Cheri - posted on 04/13/2010

IDK about this subject that much but if i were to put my kids in daycare or from someones home I dont think i can trust either one unless you know the people well. I've heard to many bad things that happen with them. If I were you I would find a family member to watch your kids. Im sure u can trust them more.