Set Your Child Up To Succeed! #QualityECE

One of the hardest things I have ever had to decide was where we would send Duke for daycare.  I have always worked nights so childcare was never a problem until my husband & I decided to start college when he was 4 years old.  Our classes were in the day and since both of our families live in Texas, we had to find daycare.  Just like other big decisions in life, we made a checklist and it included:  Safety - Could we trust the staff?  Cost - Can we afford it?  Cleanliness - Would he be sick every other day?  Education - We didn't want a high teacher turnover rate and we wanted to make sure he would be learning and not just sat in front of a tv

I mentioned to local friends we were looking around, I made calls, I did additional research and we finally chose 3 places to interview and tour.  When I reached this point of the process, I wished I had resources to guide me!  With all that said, I'm happy to announce that First 5 LA has launched "Quality Child Care Lasts a Lifetime" which is aimed at informing parents about the life-long benefits of quality early care and education and tips to help them make informed decisions.

Some tips I learned from First 5 LA's Quality Child Care that I could've used in 3 years ago:  

Does the childcare giver respond to the children's needs and wishes?

Don't be afraid to ask if the childcare giver is certified, licensed or accredited!

Are you trained in CPR/Infant First Aid?

What would you do if my child would not stop crying?

What sort of activities and projects do you work on with children?

How do you discipline children when you see tantrums, pushing or fighting?

Thank goodness we chose a great daycare but those questions would have really helped!

Research shows that children who receive quality child care show more advanced language skills, do better in school, have fewer behavioral problems, and develop better social skills.  Set your child up to succeed!  

Get tips & info on choosing quality child care:

Did you know that 90% of a child's brain develops by age 5 so these early years are vital to the development how a child thinks, feels, acts, and interacts with others.  Most parents are unaware of this!    

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This is part of a compensated campaign with Smith New Media and ReadySetGrowLA.org. However, all opinions expressed are my own.