Your Preschool and Daycare Questions Answered!
Hello everyone!
Almost all of us with young children have questions concerning daycare and preschool! I've compiled some forum member's questions to help address some common issues. Thanks for your responses and questions!
Q. "I am having potty training issues with daycare. I don't know how to ask about it though. Basically when Ky started in the toddler room they said that when I decided to start PTing they would help. Well Ky is nearly fully PTed at home (minus night time) and has no problem. But with 11 other kids to play with and take turns using the potty with, they seem like they are too busy to help her PT. I keep getting "oh well she'll start asking us eventually, she's still so young yet". I know WHY she doesn't tell them at school, but what are some ways I could get the daycare teachers to help me? There's only 2 other girls in there that use the potty at school! So it's not like ALL 12 kids are needing to be asked if they have to go potty or needing extra potty trips. I want them to work with me but they don't seem to be. They let her try to use the potty at every diaper change, and she typically pees in the potty, but still has a wet diaper. So basically, I want to know how I can get the daycare to help me and how I can help Ky recognize and be more vocal about pottying. NONE of the kids there are completely PTed. Most of them are under 2.5 yrs except for 2 of them. Any tips and tricks??"
A. From working in a toddler room, I know firsthand that potty training can be hard. Children are at different levels, and different systems at home. This is a typical concern from parents and it's very normal to see children doing better with PT at home--not only because parents can give more individual attention, but also because children are distracted at school and wait/choose not to go, so they won't miss something!
My suggestion would be to change the system. Not just at daycare, but at home. This way Kyliana will know exactly what to do. A great way to do this is to buy or find two kitchen timers that are exactly the same. You can almost always find them at the dollar store!
Set a time limit that is realistic. Teachers won't have time to ask Ky every thirty minutes, nor probably each hour. I think every 90 minutes-2 hours is a reasonable request, beyond the normal potty times/diaper changes they are doing at school.
When the bell rings, say, "time to potty" or use the sign for bathroom. Do the exact same routine every time. As Kyliana gets older and better with holding it, the time inbetween asking can be elongated until the system isn't needed at all, and she self regulates.
Write this system down, and bring the second timer into the daycare. Explain how it is working for you at home, and that you would really appreciate it if you would help with consistency.
Finally, from a daycare/preschool teacher's perspective, doing this while watching 12 other toddlers really is hard work! If your teachers are willing to work with you and you see improvement, make sure you "grease" the wheel by offering a heartfelt thank you or maybe even a quick thank you card or note. Hope that helps!:)
Q.
What kind of questions do you ask when you are going to veiw a daycare?
A. There are so many! I'll cover a few of the main ones, and offer a few good printable links that you may want to bring with you when shopping for a daycare.
1. Is this center licensed? Unless you have a family member or other arrangement made, this answer should be yes--even if it is a home center!
2. Are teachers and staff first aid certified and trained in CPR? What are their educational requirements? In most states, centers are required to have a certain number of staff (including lead teachers and the program directer) educated with, minimally, a child development associates degree (cda) or an early childhood development bachelors. There are several different forms of degrees but the minimum is usually a two year degree.
3. Are lesson plans and classroom events made available to parents? Where can parents access this information and learn about what is being taught to their children? This is often a joint effort. Sometimes when parents don't ask, they don't recieve--although in my opinion, a good teacher will work hard to make these things very accessible.
4. What is the staff or caregiver ratio, per child age group? The answer to this varies by state, but you can visit goverment websites or call your local family indepence agency or children resource network to ask about local licensing centers. They can give you the numbers per age group. When asked, ALL staff should know the answer for the age group they work with.
5. How is discipline handled? This is important. Ofcourse, we always want to know that corporate or physical punishment is never used. This is especially important to ask in home settings where it may not be as obvious/public what is being done to discipline children. But beyond that, as a parent, I like to hear that redirection and positive guidance are used. Do some reading on what you believe is right, and make sure your daycare complies with that!
Other things to ask about: The food program, how children are discharged, how holidays are handled, etc! Check out these great resources for more answers:
Daycare QuickTips
Daycare Qs
Q. Is preschool absolutely necessary?
A. Well...in a nutshell....no. But what kind of stimulation will you provide for your child? Be honest with yourself and ask yourself these questions:
For at least a year or two before kindergarten starts, will I provide ample time for my child to socialize with other children and adults, so they may build social skills?
Will I provide regular stimulation through reading, art, sensory, science, etc. at home?
Will I teach my child self help skills (one of the most important things pre-k) such as how to dress, put on shoes, follow directions, and listen?
If you know that you may not have time or the drive to do these things with your child (which doesn't make you a bad parent! Maybe you are a working parent, or you are unclear as to what you should be doing), then preschool is probably a great option for you, should you be able to afford it!
If you answered yes to all of these questions, then preschool probably isn't necessary. Would it still benefit your child tremendously if you enrolled them in a quality program?
YES YES YES!
Kindergarten teachers won't expect your child to have serious academic skills when entering kindergarten. But they will be expecting social and self help skills, and some basic other things as well.
I am 100% a full advocate of preschool at an early age--a part time two's program, and 2-3 day per week 3 and 4 year old program.
So, as you can see, this topic is quite complex! But I hope I've helped shed some light. :)
Q. Meredith has started going to Sunday school now that she is old enough, in fact today was her first day. I wanted to sit in on a couple of classes just to observe and see how Meredith behaves around the children and everything. The teachers were suggesting I leave so that she can get used to being in the class alone and won't get distracted. Today she didn't even notice I was there, I don't think she looked for me once. I think it would be okay for me to watch from behind, but they seemed insistant that I leave. Do you think it's a good idea for me to sit in or should I just leave the room every sunday? I know it is good for her to be separated from me every now and then so she can get used to it, but if she doesn't know I'm there then I don't think it really matters. What do you think?
A. I personally don't think you observing a few classes is anything that will cause ill effect, especially if your daughter is uninterested that you are there!:)
Teachers need to remember that seperation is hard for the parent too. Your teachers should work hard to provide you with comfort and knowledge about how your child's day will go, and observing is all part of that process.
I've always had an "open door" policy with parents. I think it is a good thing. Ofcourse--there is a flip side. If you always wanted to be there, and it became a habit--yes, that would be negative for your daughter because it might distract her, but also, might make teachers feel uncomfortable an unable to do their job. A constant observer makes us all a little uneasy at times.
Perhaps what you are really craving is more info on what types of activites Meredith will be engaging in, and how the classroom in general is run and operated. Ask your teachers about this and hopefully, they can produce something for you to help you understand more about their program.
Ultimately in Sunday school, daycare or preschool, the object of the game is parent/teacher communication. If that is constantly a problem, it may be time to check out some new facilities. Hope that helps to answer your question.
Thanks again everyone for your great questions about childcare. I will look forward to another Q&A style blog in the future!:)
