Get the Best Cambridge Daycare for your Child

When it comes to the welfare of our kids, we always make sure that we are with them in every step of the way. But, considering the entire goings of life, it can sometimes become impossible for us parents to be by their side in every hour of every day. This is especially true when the parents are both working for a living. This is why a number of parents are looking into infant daycares so to look after their babies when they are away. Thankfully, you can find a Cambridge daycare that will keep you at peace with your child’s well-being while both of you are away from work. 

But of course, as parents, you should not take the decision of choosing a Cambridge daycare for your child lightly for there are so many different things that you should be taking into consideration.  The first of those considerations is that you should be able to identify your priorities and lookup Cambridge daycare centers that are based on you and your child’s needs. You can filter out around five Cambridge daycare centers which you think can cater to you and your child’s needs and then set up a schedule for an interview with such centers.

Some of the most important topics that you should be able to discuss are the Cambridge daycare center and the staff’s accreditations, the curriculum that is being offered, and the center’s health policies. Once you are able to narrow your list, you can try to visit the center unexpectedly so that you can observe how the staff really interacts with the children, and also validating their testimonies during your interview. When you have already arrived with a decision, you should remember to trust your gut and be able to discuss such a decision with your partner.  

Phases in Choosing Cambridge Daycare Center

Phase One – Be able to identify your priorities

• Weigh the benefits and consequences between daycare and home care

When it comes to group daycare centers, these are state-licensed facilities that are also functioning like schools. In group daycare centers, the children that are being taken cared of are of varying ages. Homecare, on one hand, is childcare that is being run out of a private home.

• The benefits of Cambridge daycare centers are that they are accredited institutions, they offer care for a variety of ages for children, they are cost-effective, and they have longer hours because there are some who are open for twelve hours, they also have well-organized programs that are geared towards your infant’s development and growth. Some disadvantages of enrolling your child in a daycare center are the risk of your child’s exposure to illness may increase, and they may become less flexible in terms of scheduling.

• The benefits of homecare child services are that there will be fewer children that will lessen the susceptibility of your child towards illnesses; there is also potentially more one-on-one time with your infant. The disadvantages when availing of homecare child services are that some of these providers are not state-licensed, and are not required to undergo childcare training. Thus, this will make some homecare providers not subject to regular inspection for quality. Furthermore, if the provider will be ill, you will have a problem with finding a substitute babysitter or might make you take time off from work.

• Consider the costs involved when availing Cambridge Daycare services

You should think about how much you are willing to pay for such services. You may not be able to afford the most expensive care for your infant, but you also do not want to pursue a cheap option either. So, it will be good if you can choose a Cambridge daycare wherein you will be able to get the best care for your money. It should be noted that fees will greatly vary depending on where you live.

• Consider the distance

You should also consider whether you would like the Cambridge daycare to be close to your home or to your place of work. After that, you will now have to decide how far you would like the center to be from your home or your work.

• If you are working for long hours, and then you find most of your time to be at work than at home, then you might want to choose a facility that is close to your place of work.  You can try to choose a facility that is not more than fifteen to twenty minutes away from your place of work.
• If your work schedule is flexible, or you or your partner is often at home, then you may choose to consider a facility that is closer to your home. You can choose a facility that is not more than ten to fifteen minutes away from home.

• Consider the hours

There are some Cambridge daycare centers that are open for up to twelve hours. So if you work for long or unconventional hours, or if you are commuting, then you may want to choose a center that has longer hours, and one that is also open during the holidays should it be needed. 

Phase Two – Start Researching Cambridge Daycare centers

• Be able to start early

When it comes to searching for the ideal daycare center for your child, it is better that you start your search early, say, about six months before will actually need childcare. There are some best centers that are filling up fast and have waiting lists, so if you will choose to wait until the last minute then you might become forced to make a hasty, uninformed decision. 

• You can also ask for recommendations from your family and friends

You can contact your friends, coworkers, or family members for day or home care recommendations. Getting personal references are some of the best options so it is good if you get to ask them first. 

You can also try to ask your child’s pediatrician if they can recommend any facilities. Or you may ask parents that you meet at your pediatrician’s office, at the playground, or any classes that you are attending.

• Go and ask the experts

The hotline for Child Care Aware can assist you in providing you with the phone number of your local childcare resource and referral agency. The referral agency can then refer you to licensed facilities and home areas that are near your area. 

It is better if you can ask for a list of accredited centers that are near you, and you should also try to find centers that are approved by the NAEYC or the NAFCC.

• Search the internet

You can try to visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children or the NAEYC website or the National Association for Family Child Care or NAFCC website for you to get contact information and guidelines for daycare centers. The NAEYC also has a database wherein you can search for accredited centers that are near your area.

There are also other websites like Yelp that can help you in searching for daycare centers. Yelp is a good place to look for aside from those mentioned above because you can also read reviews that are written by parents who have sent their children to the center.

Phase Three – Interviewing the Daycare Centers

• Ask them about their hours and cost

It is important that you ask them this question first so that you can avoid wasting time and energy in screening the daycare centers on your list.  You should be able to ask about their monthly cost; application and registration fee, and if there is a waiting list. You should also be able to ask them about their weekday and weekend hours, including their hours during the holidays.  

• Ask about the accreditation of the center and the staff

You should also see to it that the center and its staff are accredited. You can do this by calling your local social services department. Another thing that you should ensure is that the center should is approved by the NAEYC and that they are open about their credentials, policies, and procedures with all families, both the current and prospective ones. 

• Ask the center about their curriculum

You should also ask how the center’s curriculum can be able to address all aspects of child development. The center should not only focus on just one stage of development of the child. 

• Check on the learning environment

As a parent, you should see to it that the environment that you will be leaving your child with is one that is as least restrictive as possible. There should be no physical barriers that will prevent children from moving around. When it comes to infants and toddlers, there should be no restrictive chairs that babies can be strapped to. All cabinets and toys should be open and accessible to them. 

Phase Four – Complete your daycare search 

• Check for references

You can ask the center if you can obtain a list of former and current clients. Then you can start contacting these clients to ask them about the daycare’s quality and credentials. 

• Drop by the center unannounced

This will help you evaluate further on how the daycare functions when their staff has not been prepped. 

• Do not doubt your instincts

If you feel turned off by a center, even though such has high recommendations, you should not be pressured to choose such a center. Always remember that you have options.