Need urgent help with how to vet a daycare center quickly and tips on how to start child there.

[Anonymous]

I was planning on using a nanny but just got off the wait list for a center in my neighborhood. It's less expensive and the violations on the www.dss.virginia.gov don't look too bad. We toured and it looked fine -- a little louder than I would like for napping purposes, but I think that's just what you get with daycare. What else do I need to consider before we enroll? I have been interviewing nannies and have NO IDEA what to ask at a center.

Also, what's the best way to transition DS in? Half days for a few days?

And tips for how to label things? How in the world do I label a pacifier?

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

How old is DS? That will largely impact transition. We recently moved and for my 1yo there was no transition really, for my 3yo we did 4 days of 2-3 hours before going full-time. We could have done less, but the center preferred it and honestly I think it was better that way.

As far as the center, ask (again depends a bit on age):
- are the teachers CPR certified
- what type of education do the teachers have (college, childhood development background)?
- Longevity of the teaching staff who will be in your kids' room (is there high turnover?)
- How many staff in your kids' room are full time and/or part time?
- Do they do parent-teacher conferences
- how is food provided (e.g., do you bring, what do they provide), what is the schedule
- what extra activities are there throughout the year (some centers have activity fees, special fitness or dance classes, etc.)
- Hours: what is late-pickup fee
- Sick policy
- Billing process
- Closures: what days are they closed, is it just holidays or do they have teacher work days as well (some centers close for a day or two here or there, others for a week in the summer)
- Drop off documentation: Do you fill out a paper sheet with food/sleep schedule and other info, is there an app?
- Other info about kids' day: do they give you a sheet at all, what info is provided about what DC did
- Do they have events/field trips where you interact with other parents
- How do they communicate with parents...is there a newsletter, emails, etc.? Is there any interaction with the teachers other than DO/PU?
- How do they determine what room your kid is in? When does your kid move up to the next room?
- Teacher / student ratios
- Do they enforce a particular nap schedule or is it tailored to the kid? (e.g., some centers require kids go down to 1 nap at 12 months, others are more flexible when the kids are younger...most centers have one nap per day for toddlers)
- Typical day or activities (music, toys, reading, stations, stem, etc. again depending upon age)
- Discipline approach
- Potty training approach (if your kid is not potty trained)
- Who can pick up kid
- Amount of outdoor time / where

As far as labeling, get masking tape and a marker. That is what we use to label everything daily. Maybe just initials on the pacifier.

[Anonymous]

Get a pacifier clip and label that.

Masking tape and a marker works pretty well, or you can order labels from Mabel's Labels or Oliver's Labels.

With an infant, I would do a couple of half days and then transition to full days.

[Anonymous]

Ask the center for the names/numbers of some current parents as references. I told my center I would be happy to do that and I get phone calls from interested parents, and I can let them know my experience with the center and some tips for a new parent.