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. 
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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