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Shannon Collier CPD-DONA Cell: 513-600-7430 info@holistichelpinghand.com www.holistichelpinghand.com Serving the Washington, DC-Metro Area |
| MIND |
| BODY |
| SPIRIT |
| Finding quality childcare at an affordable price can be a challenge. Like any major decision, finding the right caregiver/s for your child/ren will take time, effort, patience, and, yes, money. I hope the following links, lists, and insights will help you along the path to finding a childcare solution that fits your family. Subsequent listings of childcare websites or service providers is not an endorsement of the site itself, or caregivers listed there within. |
| Finding Childcare |
The following tenets are helpful for parents and guardians seeking childcare, no matter what type of
care you hope to secure for your child/ren:
Identify Your Perameters: Focus on your financial, temporal, and personal strengths and limitations
prior to delving into involved research and interviews. Identifying basic parameters - such as schedule
and budget - prior to starting your search will save you time and frustration.
Do Your Research: Once you've honed in on the type of childcare that best suits your family (daycare
vs. nanny-share vs. baby-sitting co-op, etc.) search newspapers, local magazines, the Internet,
list-serves, and bulletin boards of your local library and places of worship for viable candidates. Seek
out recommendations from people you know and respect. Places to start your search include:
www.dcnanny.com; www.daycareindc.com, www.dcurbanmom.com; www.whitehousenannies.com,
www.nanniesandmore.com, www.sittercity.com, and washingtondc.craigslist.org/kid/.
Interview, Interview, Interview: It is rare that the first daycare you visit or nanny you interview will be
the one you choose, so be prepared to interview a dozen or more candidates if necessary.
Observer Your Child/ren and the Provider/s in the Place of Care: Whether in your home, at a
neighbor's, or at a daycare facility, all parents should require an observational opportunity prior to
committing to care. Some form of compensation of the provider should be provided. If you are short on
money, invite a provider over for dinner or a weekend picnic with the kids.
Trust Your Instincts: Listen to what your mind, body, and "sixth sense" is telling you when
encountering a potential provider. You shouldn't have to talk yourself into liking someone. If you are
indifferent and need some time to come to a more informed judgement, spend more time with the
person/s until you are certain of your impression.
Check References Thoroughly: This is a given for most people. Be sure to secure positive
recommendations from two or more individuals before considering a candidate. Prepare a list of
questions for and speak at length with each reference. Be sure to ask about the parent's work
schedule, routine, care preferences, household issues/chores, reason for termination or relationship,
daycare parking, staff to child ratio, health of provider, legal status, etc.
Be Realistic: While Mary Poppins or Maria's Von Trapp (Sound of Music) and Figueroa Rodriguez
(Sesame Street) are Hollywood ideals, they are not real people. Attempting to model your childcare
provider after a combination of your grandmother, favorite aunt, and magical fairy godmother could
leave you frustrated and at a dead-end. Keep in mind what traits are most important to you - family fit,
enrichment activities, child to caregiver ratio, personality, etc., and prioritize them as such. With
respect to interpersonal relations, understand that everyone has their quirks - including you! No matter
how happy you are with the type of care your child receives, it always takes time to adapt to a new
person or set of people in your life.
care you hope to secure for your child/ren:
Identify Your Perameters: Focus on your financial, temporal, and personal strengths and limitations
prior to delving into involved research and interviews. Identifying basic parameters - such as schedule
and budget - prior to starting your search will save you time and frustration.
Do Your Research: Once you've honed in on the type of childcare that best suits your family (daycare
vs. nanny-share vs. baby-sitting co-op, etc.) search newspapers, local magazines, the Internet,
list-serves, and bulletin boards of your local library and places of worship for viable candidates. Seek
out recommendations from people you know and respect. Places to start your search include:
www.dcnanny.com; www.daycareindc.com, www.dcurbanmom.com; www.whitehousenannies.com,
www.nanniesandmore.com, www.sittercity.com, and washingtondc.craigslist.org/kid/.
Interview, Interview, Interview: It is rare that the first daycare you visit or nanny you interview will be
the one you choose, so be prepared to interview a dozen or more candidates if necessary.
Observer Your Child/ren and the Provider/s in the Place of Care: Whether in your home, at a
neighbor's, or at a daycare facility, all parents should require an observational opportunity prior to
committing to care. Some form of compensation of the provider should be provided. If you are short on
money, invite a provider over for dinner or a weekend picnic with the kids.
Trust Your Instincts: Listen to what your mind, body, and "sixth sense" is telling you when
encountering a potential provider. You shouldn't have to talk yourself into liking someone. If you are
indifferent and need some time to come to a more informed judgement, spend more time with the
person/s until you are certain of your impression.
Check References Thoroughly: This is a given for most people. Be sure to secure positive
recommendations from two or more individuals before considering a candidate. Prepare a list of
questions for and speak at length with each reference. Be sure to ask about the parent's work
schedule, routine, care preferences, household issues/chores, reason for termination or relationship,
daycare parking, staff to child ratio, health of provider, legal status, etc.
Be Realistic: While Mary Poppins or Maria's Von Trapp (Sound of Music) and Figueroa Rodriguez
(Sesame Street) are Hollywood ideals, they are not real people. Attempting to model your childcare
provider after a combination of your grandmother, favorite aunt, and magical fairy godmother could
leave you frustrated and at a dead-end. Keep in mind what traits are most important to you - family fit,
enrichment activities, child to caregiver ratio, personality, etc., and prioritize them as such. With
respect to interpersonal relations, understand that everyone has their quirks - including you! No matter
how happy you are with the type of care your child receives, it always takes time to adapt to a new
person or set of people in your life.