Page 67 - Choosing a Child Care Center
P. 67
CHOOSING A CHILD CARE CENTER
discipline based on a punishment system or a posi-
tive reinforcement system? How are physical alterca-
tions, such as biting or hitting between other chil-
dren, handled? These are very important to under-
stand for you and your child. Despite what family
members might hope for, these situations do come up
in a child care setting, and you’ll need to have a clear
idea of how the center deals with them.
Your child will likely be in this center for 8 or
more hours a day, so if the environment is not exactly
what you’re looking for, keep looking. In the end,
your parental instinct, your “mommy/daddy radar,”
will let you know if this is the right program for your
child. Each center is unique and offers a different
environment and varied benefits. This includes
different teaching and learning styles, discipline
methods, core values, and beliefs. Make sure you’ve
done your research ahead of time and also that you
ask lots of questions on the phone and during the
tour to make sure you have the fullest picture possi-
ble of what the center believes and what your child
will experience there. In the end, no one knows your
child and their specific needs better than you do. Rely
on this knowledge when making your decision.
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