Selecting a daycare is one of the most important decisions youll make before returning to the workforce.

Why? The center you choose will ultimately be responsible for your child’s well being and safety the 5-9 hours a day they are left in the care of the center.

Whether you are looking for a home child care provider or an official daycare center, there are several things you should keep in mind before signing your children up for care.

Location first and foremost, you have to decide where you would like to have your child cared for. This could be in a center close to your home, your job, or you may even prefer care in your home. Once you have decided on location you can start investigating the available centers or providers in that area.

Ask for References Ask your friends and other family members with children for references about good daycare centers. These are often the most reliable source of information about daycare.

Interview Daycare Staff Never place your child in a daycare center without first meeting the staff. Make a point to meet the director and the caregivers that will be looking over your little one. Feel free to ask them questions about their standards, disciplinary procedures, sleep and even feeding routines. You should be looking for staff members that are enthusiastic, dedicated, warm and caring. Their love of children should be evident in everything that they do. If you are not comfortable with the staff, look somewhere else.

Check References As we mentioned you should check with your family and friends for references to a decent day care center. You should also ask the center for a list of references you can call to confirm their qualifications. One thing you might also inquire about is staff turn over. The higher the rate of turn over the more likely there is to be trouble.

Remember that a good day care center will have a clean environment, a good reputation, solid rules and a curriculum that includes lots of playtime, physical activity, learning activities and even quiet time.

When determining whether a daycare is good or not, also keep in mind staff ratios. Generally for babies the ratio should be one caregiver for every three children when there are six infants and one for every four if there are eight.

For toddlers aged 12-24 months the ratio is usually 1:3 for six children, 1:5 for ten and 1:4 for 12.

Check to see if the ratio falls within recommended guidelines but is also acceptable to you.

You should also make sure that the daycare facility is operating using a valid non-expired license. You can check to see if a license is valid by calling your local social services department.

Affordable Child Care options for the Stay at Home Business Parent

Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the stay at home business mom or dad is the kids. That screaming toddler is not going to be quiet when you have business calls or take that nap to let you get your work done. This will be the same child who will eat all of your post-its and stick food into your hard drive. As you are ripping your hair out and getting more and more frustrated you will wonder what the point of working at home was if you were going to still need childcare. You were probably envisioning no more commutes, flexible hours, and lunch with the kids everyday.

Your childcare options are flexible as well that is the beauty of being self-employed. Here are some of the most common affordable ways to take care of kids while you build your family’s fortune from home:

1- Childcare Co-op: Find a group of work at home parents and swap off childcare duties. You can keep track of how many hours you watch each child and use the time you accrue when you need it most. The great thing about this is it is free. The downside is that you will have to give up work time to handle other peoples children.

2- Trading or Mom-swapping: This is the smaller version of co-op. this will involve you and a good friend trading off childcare days. Make sure you set clear boundaries about when you will take the other child and when they will take yours. You dont want to be taken advantage of. You will also want to make sure the kids like each other and get along well. If they dont then this will end up being a bad experience.

(3) Sitter Sharing: Share a sitter with a friend. You can have the sitter watch both kids at the same time and split the cost or use the sitter on alternate days. Make sure that you have a written agreement on how the sitter is used and what you will be paying to avoid any unseen complications.

4- Barter: Trade your products and services with a neighbor or friend in exchange for childcare. This will keep you from spending money and still pay the person doing the care for you.

5- Day Care:You will find that the right day care center will be a rewarding experience for both child and parent.Which day care is best is entirely up to you and beyond the scope of this article. Costs vary from center to center and from state to state. But, you will find that the return on investment will be worth it because of your greater focus and productivity.

To come up with inexpensive childcare solutions you must be a networking prowess. Spread the word that you are looking for childcare to everyone you knows. Think in terms of trading and business opportunities. You are looking for a partner in business deal. This will help you to get what you need. Some moms are lucky to have businesses that are kid friendly. They are the lucky for sure. Those ladies who have to make endless phone calls or have meetings may find that childcare of some sort is unavoidable. Try your best to get the right childcare for you and not spend an arm and a leg getting it.

If youre planning to go back to work after your baby is born, child care is a major concern. Your childcare provider will be spending a lot of time with your child, so it is critical that you be comfortable with the environment and the style of care your child will be receiving. There are several alternatives, each with pros and cons. Spend some time evaluating each option, so that you can make the choice that best suits your needs.

The first option is in-home child care, meaning a sitter, or nanny who comes to your home to watch the child. This is by far the most expensive option, but it has many advantages. Your child will be at home, and will have the full attention of the nanny. In addition, your child will be exposed to fewer illnesses, and you will not have to transport her back and forth on your way to and from work. The main disadvantage is that you have no real backup if your nanny gets sick or wants to take vacation. Another thing to consider is your feelings if your child develops a very strong bond with the nanny. More than one mother has been hurt by the sense that the baby is more comfortable with the nanny than with her.

The second option is a small home daycare, meaning you find someone who will keep your child in her home, perhaps with her own children or one or two others. This is a good option if you want your child in a home atmosphere, but cant afford the full time nanny. This option shares the same disadvantages of having a nanny in terms of no backup plan.

The third option is a traditional daycare center. Traditional daycares are affordable, and there is no need to worry about a caretaker getting sick or wanting to take vacation. A daycare might also be more of a learning environment than home care, which will become more important to you as your child gets older. The main disadvantages of daycares are that your child is exposed to all the germs of all the children. Be prepared for the both of you to be sick for a year. The other disadvantage is the numbers of children being cared for. For example, in most states, the law requires one caretaker per eight babies. Now, I dont know about you, but I could not effectively care for eight babies alone. So, if you decide to use a daycare center, be sure to ask their caretaker to child ratio. Look for one with about five babies per caretaker.

Choosing your babys childcare arrangement is one of the most important decisions youll make. Even after youve chosen a care option, be diligent about ensuring that your child is receiving the best care. Drop in unannounced at odd times of day to see whats going on. Dont be afraid to ask questions, and let the caretaker know whats important to you. Its critical not only to your childs well being, but to your own piece of mind.

Most parents think childcare is a baby-sitting service. This is a misconception, as childcare is a profession as any other. There are so many important things to note about the challenging and rewarding career of being a childcare provider.

Childcare is a business and the providers are professionals. The childcare providers will have rules, regulations, work schedules and pay rates for the care provided. The provider will take his/her own time to create a handbook, contract, and other details that help to foster communications and understanding.

Childcare providers and parents should be clear on the rules such as transportation, discipline approaches, food to be given, and other care issues. If the rules put forth by the providers are not acceptable by the parents, both of them have the liberty to go elsewhere.

As per the Rule-101 in the kid book, accidents will happen. Parents should not over-react if their child gets a scratch or bumps a knee. Providers do their very best to keep kid play safe and positive, and to foster sharing and friendship among the children.

Avoid putting a provider in custody battles, spouse disagreements or other domestic concerns. Providers will abide by the signed agreement of who can and cannot bring or pick up a child. If there is a court order, the provider needs to have a copy.

When selecting your child day care center, do be selective. Survey the playground area, general cleanliness of the facility and most of all check licensing (if applicable in your local area).