Daycare Habits

Is your day care licensed with the state? If they are they have certain regulations they are required to follow. There should be a web site listing those regulations on the internet. You can also contact the licensing bureau to see if the Day Care is in good standing with the state.

A licensed day care is only allowed a certain number of children. Your child should have a bed assigned to him. If they can't show you one, you have a legitimate concern.

Are you allowed to "drop by" to see how your child is doing during the day? If not you need to change day care's as soon as possible.

The bottom line is that if you are not comfortable with your child's care you will both be unhappy and you will not be able to relax at work. If your insticts are telling you something is wrong, listen to them. Your child and your peace of mind are too important.

Definitely ask questions and if you don't feel comfortable, switch providers! You have every right to expect someone you are hiring to do things they way you want them to, as long as you are not being too unreasonable.

It is not unreasonable for you to expect your son to nap in his own bed while at daycare. That being said, my son has his own crib to take naps in, but usually he'll fall asleep on the floor while he's playing and then she'll move him to the crib if it starts getting too loud. That's fine with me, but that may not be something you like.

Also, the formula can actually go much longer than 2 hours, but it is not recommended. I accidentally gave my son formula that had been sitting out for 6 or 7 hours but had been stuck back in the fridge. It didn't bother him, but it's not something I would suggest or ever do again. I think most formulas say throw it away after 2-4 hours depending on the brand, but they will have extra time built in, so your son should be fine if it's only 2 hours, but you can always ask them to throw it away and make more. Good luck!

The formula should definitely be put in the fridge immediately if the baby is not drinking it. What gives you the idea that it's being left out? Have you asked, or are you just assuming? I'm only asking if you are just assuming because apparently you haven't asked questions about the sleeping arrangements either.

I do put babies of that age in a crib to nap and shut the door most of the time. But I also will allow them to sleep right in the middle of the busy group if they fall asleep at an off time. It's really a good thing to allow children to learn to sleep through noise so that you are not stuck walking on egg shells every single time they nap.

Sometimes a baby that naps well at home will not nap well in a crib that is unfamiliar to them. They may be having a hard time establishing a routine and may be trying different things to get him to sleep. My 2nd daughter would not sleep away from home no matter what we did. When we traveled it was miserable. You really need to be talking to these people and not making assumptions. There probably is good reasons why they are doing what they are doing. But, if they are handling the formula dangerously, then of course they would be the wrong caregivers period. I wouldn't trust my child with anyone that was laxadasial about the possibility of food poison. This is a pet peeve of mine.

Suzi

i have 2 year old twins and i watch a 10 month old, an 11 month old and a 1 year old. i have all of the kids on a very strict schedule. i gave the parents a copy of my schedule when i starting keeping their kids and asked that they try to go by it as closely as possible when their kids are out home. small children need consistency and since technically the kids are in my care the majority of the week, it's easier if they follow my schedule, rather than them giving me theirs. we have the same meal time, nap time and snack time. each child sleeps in the same room everyday in the same bed each time. that makes them feel more comfortable and there isn't a lot of change going on. i also put a blanket or something from home in the bed with them (unless they are too small for something in their bed) b/c i believe that the smell of their own things makes them feel comforted. ask if there is a bed or playpen in the facility that is just for your baby and if not, offer to bring one. you need to have communication with your childcare provider. ask her for a schedule and if she doesn't follow one, i would find another provider. the biggest mistake parents of small children make is inconsistency. kids need to know what to expect and you would be AMAZED at the difference being on a schedule makes. your baby will be so much happier. good luck.

Where do you think he takes naps? I babysit and have a bed or crib for each child. However, one of them is a baby and will sometimes take a short morning cat nap in her swing. But, her mother knows that and she does it at her house. I gave the parents a tour of my home including the beds the kids sleep in and rooms they play in. As for formula...I would say something if you think it is being left out. Let them know that you would rather them throw away formula that may have been left out too long rather than feed it to your child. If they are the right people to care for your child they will do what is best and they will understand and expect your questions. Best of luck. C.

Hi M.,
I'm also a home child care provider. I want to say first of all your child should be taking a nap in a crib or pack and play no matter what time of day it is. 2nd as far as the formula goes although it says that you can regrigerate what is left in the bottle it is not a good idea to do this if they have alreay drank out of it. When they drink out of it bacteria can get in the formula and then it becomes a breeding ground for this. And 3rd no matter what they should be trying to work with you on keeping or getting your child on a regular eating and sleeping schedule. I watch a 17 month old, a 12 month old, an 11 month old and my own 14 month old along with my 3 1/2 yr old and a 2 1/2 year old, all of which are on the same schedule, we all eat at the sametime and sleep at the sametime. We have been doing so since they all started coming to me, they have all been with me since they were 4 months or younger. I would drop in and make an unannouced visit and I would want to see where he is sleeping and I would be asking alot of questions. When you ask them what time he last napped they should be able to tell you right off the bat along with when he last ate and had a bottle. And if they can't remember then they need to write it down or you need to find a new provider. All of my daycare kids either sleep on a bed or in a pack and play depending on their ages and as long as the parents agree with what I'm doing. It should be a team effort between parent and provider. By the way if they are licensed or even if they are not, we are not allowed to leave a child sleeping in a swing or anything of that nature for longer than 30 minutes. Also we are not allowed to leave an awake child in a room or crib or pack and play for any longer than 30 minutes also. Hope this helps you, W.

M.,
I am a licensed daycare provider, and I know that there are laws on each child having their own bedding/bed situation. Also, I would be very upset regarding the "leftover" formula situation. I believe you are supposed to use a bottle up within 45-1hr after warming it up, and I don't think it is supposed to be re-warmed. These practices from your childcare provider are not safe and/or professional. In my opinion, these are red-flags, and you need to find another place for your child, as he is too young to tell you what goes on in the daycare. If you have a hard time finding a new provider, you can contact Daycare Connections. They are a referral agency for daycare providers. Their number is###-###-####. Good luck. The best thing to do is always go with your gut feeling! Take care, A.

It really depends on if you are using a center or a home daycare. Either way you should have good communication with your child's care provider. If there is ANYTHING that makes you uncomfortable - switch ASAP! There are good places out there, some are harder to find than others. Good luck.

You are NOT overreacting. Talk to the director of the daycare and tell them your concerns. IF, these things are going on I'm sure they wont admit to it, but they will at least know your concerns. I would also get into a habbit of making unexpected visits to the daycare. This will give you the ability to check in and see how things are going when your not expected to be there.

I worked at kindercare and parents did the unexpected visits all of the time.

Ask to see where he is sleeping. This should be the only child that is using that crib or playpen. Ask if the provider puts him down to sleep or is she just leaves him where he is at and happens to fall asleep. Don't be deffensive when speaking to the provider. Just inquire to what she does with him during the day. Are you prepping bottles for her or does she fix them. Tell her to fix smaller amounts at a time. Or is she just letting it sit out so he can just "snack on it throughout the day". Let her know his weekend eating schedule with you. Not comfortable with daycare look for another. Good luck!