Why is the right childcare important

Finding good childcare can be a challenge, whether you’re hunting for full-time care or a sessional care.

A baby in childcare stands to gain a lot from a high-quality center: trained staff, a stimulating program geared to your tot’s development (from the early months of infancy through toddlerhood, and sometimes even beyond), and face time with other little ones. There are pros to daycare for the parent too, including reliability (more than one infant caregiver means if one staffer is sick, there’s always a sub) and longer hours to suit your schedule (most centers stay open for about 10 hours). No doubt, the many benefits of childcare are reasons why more than a quarter of infants and toddlers are in center-based care.

But before you set your sights on choosing a daycare, keep in mind that there are some drawbacks to putting your baby in a center. Think carefully about your childcare options and if the benefits of childcare outweigh the drawbacks, and then make your next move toward choosing a childcare : Look for recommendations from other moms with babies and your pediatrician. Are you new to the area or not friends with other mamas? Don’t be shy — consider asking moms you meet in your pediatrician’s waiting room, the playground, or a mommy-and-me class (whether they love or hate their childcare centers, other ladies are usually thrilled to share their mommy wisdom). Once you’ve got options to investigate, it pays to know the right childcare interview questions to help you screen centers over the phone, eliminating those that don’t fit the bill.