How Do I Decide a Good Creche for My Son?

Updated on December 04, 2014
S.A. asks from Butler, PA
12 answers

We both (husband and I) are working and our job timings are 9 to 6-6:30.
We are from India and are looking for a good creche where he can spend time after school.
Any thoughts on how to choose one?

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M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Your profile says "mother of one".

In November you had a daughter and now you have a son? And you are using someone else's profile pic? Creepy!

7 moms found this helpful

V.S.

answers from Reading on

Wow! Does Karen Steele know you stole her picture for your profile?
http://karensteelecoach.com
Stop trolling.

6 moms found this helpful

W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

So are you using someone else's picture as your profile picture?

I don't know what a creche is. When I looked it up, it said it was a nativity scene.

Can you please clarify what you are looking for? An after-school day care or something else?

ETA - looking further down in my google - I see it can mean a day care.
aaaahhh...how did I choose one? I asked friends where their kids went. If they liked it. Then I went and interviewed the staff and let my son play with the others for a while and I watched from another room.

5 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

hee!
i'm just picturing your kid getting shoved into a life-sized nativity scene and told to hold still until mom and dad come to get him!
khairete
S.

4 moms found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

You certainly don't look Indian!

4 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

A creche?
I'm getting the feeling you're not actually residing in the US.
Your working hours are similar with those I worked with who were in India.
We do have a few people on this site from non USA locations.

You Google 'after school daycare' or 'after school creche' for your location.
Then you make appointments to meet with them and talk with other parents that use them and see how happy they are with those services.
You read over the contracts, see if they are licensed and check with what ever passes for the Better Business Bureau in your location and see if any complaints are lodged against them.

Additional:
Veruca Salt - I was starting to think this was getting troll-like but you beat me to it. :-)

4 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

Were you born and raised in India? You sure don't look Indian according to your profile pic. Who's picture did you use?

You find a good DAY CARE by word of mouth and research.

I am still skeptical of you and your previous posts... I still think you are fishing for info and the pic really raises a red flag.

4 moms found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

My husband is English so I got what you meant by "creche" (hey, I'm bilingual!). When you're asking questions in your neighborhood be sure to say you want a "day care" and not a "creche" in order to avoid confusion.

How old is your son? That makes a huge difference in what you need to seek in a day care. If he is an infant or toddler, you want to ensure that the day care is well staffed and not putting a lot of young kids with too few adults. You want to be sure the adults are trained. You absolutely want a place where the caregivers play with the kids and there are not TVs or video games doing the "caregiving." That's true for older kids too but a preschool-aged child also should be getting some preschool curriculum, or even going to a separate preschool and not a day care --a place that offers both would be good.

It's hard to advise not knowing his age. But I would start by looking only at day cares that are licensed by your state. I know some folks have had very good experiences with "home day cares" that have no licensing or state inspections, but around here there have been kids harmed in day cares where the caregivers had zero training, the care was not licensed and the state had never inspected the home, and there were folks with relevant (child-related) criminal records in the home.

The state should be able to give you a list of licensed day cares in your area, I'm sure. Yes, even licensed ones can be badly run and have issues but it gives you a minimum starting point. You MUST visit every day care you consider and must do surprise drop-in visits once you put your child in a day care to ensure that what you see on early visits is really what goes on. If a day care tells you not to visit when your son is there -- do not use it!

Ask other parents of kids the age of your son for their recommendations.

Do not be afraid to move him if you end up with a day care that seems fine at first but you have issues with it. I know parents who refused to move a kid from a day care that was lousy because he liked it there, but what he liked was being stuck in front of a TV screen all day, every day --NOT acceptable at all.

3 moms found this helpful
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H.W.

answers from Portland on

Why would you steal someone else's picture to create a fake profile?
Creepy, weird behavior.

3 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

We don't use the term "creche". That will hamper you.

You must do this locally - a nationwide post like this won't help you one bit. Put your location in your question title.

Please take down Karen Steele's photo on your profile. Use your own or leave it blank. It's unethical and it makes everyone question your motives. You will not get any help on your questions if you aren't believable.

2 moms found this helpful
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R..

answers from San Antonio on

I had to Google "creche" not a word we use here in America. But sounds so much nicer than "day care" or "after school care". It is a word used to describe a nursery school or day care type establishment in "British" English. Being that S. is from India her language use would follow more closely to Great Britain than us English language hacks in the States. Lol.

I know here in Texas we have several options.

Our school has a program that occurs at the school. So the kids just stay on at school until later. This would be the last of my options because I think a change of pace is nice for kids to get away from school after being there all day.

Near our school is a great daycare center that offers after school care. They offer tutoring and additional programs and personalized attention. Were we to need after school care I would use them, the family that owns it great and she has her PhD. in early childhood education. The school actually has a bus that drops them at the center. I do use them in the summer and on some breaks as my schedule works out.

My next option would be the Jewish Community Center also not too far from our school they offer a bus that picks up the kids. They also have a high quality program with extra enrichment. We belong to the center and my kids take lessons and do sports activities there. And no you don't have to be Jewish to join or be a part of the awesome community center.

I would look for one that offers transportation, feeds them a quality snack, helps with homework and offers tutoring, and go with a gut feeling of where you child will get the best care.

Good luck!!

2 moms found this helpful

F.W.

answers from Danville on

I assume by 'creche' you mean a child care situation?

Here there are really 2 basic types...in home care, or center based. There are pro's and cons for each.

A home based situation may provide more flexibility for you in terms of hours, but you are dependent usually on only one person for your child's care. It will be more home like in feeling, and typically a smaller number of children in care. I would ask for a list of licensed providers in your area.

A 'center' is typically set up more like a school, and obviously if a careworker is sick, they would still be open for their business hours. Typically a center has an educational curriculum associated with it.

Google 'questions to ask child care providers' and lists of questions should bubble up.

Also, ask friends, neighbors and co workers for suggestions in your area.

Best of luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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