I hope this windy day (here in sask) finds you all well! Despite the wind, we are thoroughly enjoying the warmer weather and taking advantage of the chance to get out of the house. I cannot believe its the middle of January and 2014-I still have not gotten used to writing that. Maybe by the time spring rolls around I will have accomplished that. With spring fast approaching, so is the end of my maternity leave. As much as I want to continue living in the sweet moments of our days reality has set in. I have began my search for the place my sweet boy will go while im at work.
I have started to look locally, because It would be nice to have Connor as close to home as possible. I am very glad I began my search early because it can be difficult to find a spot for a 12 month old. After setting up some meetings I started to write down what I wanted to know when I met with these child care providers...HOW ABOUT EVERYTHING!I thought I should narrow it down just abit so I could contain my meetings within an hour and not all day. If you look on the Little Bungalow Facebook Group there is a list of helpful questions to ask prospective childcare providers. (Thank you to M.C. my facebook friend for posting that list). Aside from the question list I wrote down other things I want in a day home like low numbers of kids, local location,healthy meals and snacks etc. I have met with a few day homes/ day cares and have come up with a list of things that I have learnt along the way.
1) Start looking for childcare well before you think you should start-finding a spot for a 12 month old can be difficult and than finding the right fit for your little one and your family will take time and attention.
2) Meet with more than two providers so you have some comparisons and choices
3) Talk to other families that have gone through the same process they will most likley have insights you may not have thought of and also be able to put your mind at ease
4) Remember to BREATHE- Even driving to the meetings I got anxiety and felt sad. It is one of the hardest things to do but looking into it thouroughly now,will make it better later
5)Check multiple references-if there is a time to be thorough this is it.
6) Meet with your chosen provider a few times-the first time you will probably be so focused on getting answers to all your questions that you cant relax and just get to know one another or you will miss certain questions you wanted to ask.
7) Look inside and outside when doing your house/facility tour-it may seem obvious but when the weather is so miserable it can be forgotten
8) GO with your GUT-It usually steers you right and if you feel any bit of uneasiness trust it.
9) Choose someone your comfortable being open and honest with. You want to know that you can come to this person with anything a request, a question and they will recieve it positivley and respectfully. This is your most precious thing in the world and you want to make sure the daycare provider you choose feels the same way.
10) Search out the childcare regulations of your province so you are educated on whats allowed-Ex.child to caregiver ratio
11) If the dayhome/daycare has pets ask if they will be interacting with your child and even ask if the provider has a reference for the dogs.. Ie: doggy daycare or boarding kennel where the pets may have
stayed
It is going to be so difficult to leave Connor but if I take the time and find the absolute right fit for us It will go so much better. I started to think about all the moments and firsts I am going to miss while he is away from me. I knew if I kept thinking this way , the whole experience would be much harder. So I reframed my thinking and realized that when I see Connor do things it will be the FIRST time for ME. These moments will not be less special or less momentous. I will also ask the place I pick to send me photos or texts in the first few weeks so I feel connected to whats going on. It wont be easy and there will be tears shed but we will get through it. I Hope if you are in the same situation this helps you in some way. Have a fabulous day!
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