A CHILDCARE-DAYCARE GUIDE 1 CHILDCARE INTRODUCTION This book was created both as a childcare
guide for parents and as a job guide for people looking for childcare, au pair, babysitting
and nanny jobs. The information and resources apply to both
groups. National Association of Family Child Care
800-359-3817 nafcc.org National Assocation for the
Education of Young Children 800-424-2460
naeyc.org Chapter 1. Childcare Guide Childcare Options/ Daycare Ideas In general, before you hire someone to care
for your child/ children, talk/ interview them face to face or over the phone to get
a feel for: Essence, what type of person they are. Does she have a nurturing spirit? Experience with children in general. Education in life and in dealing with children
including first-aid and safety courses. Enthusiasm about life and children. The basic childcare options are: Au Pair. an Au Pair is generally a young girl from
a foreign country with basic scant childcare education who works as a nanny of sorts but
it's understood that she's just doing this as a temporary waystation on the road of life
not as a career, partially to learn about a new culture while earning some money.
Foreign Au Pairs who enter United States get
a J-Visa which allows them to stay and work for 13 months. They live with the host family, get room and
board and a modest pay cheque. Generally, they don't work more than 45 hours
a week. Baby nurse. A baby nurse is a licensed nurse in any of
the several categories with a pediatric background. She has been trained to care for newborns,
knows emergency medical procedures and teaches parents how to take care
of the child. They don't do housework. Babysitter. A babysitter could be a friend, relative or
person you hire in your area to watch your kids here and there when and as required,
sometimes while you work, sometimes while you go out at night. If your church has a bulletin board, put a
help wanted sign there or network with your religious friends to find a good teenage girl
or boy to babysit for you. Put up an ad on a bulletin board at your local
college, preferably either at the nursing school or religious studies school. Babysitting co-op. This is where you and several other local
parents who have babies take turns helping each other by babysitting for each other.
Doula. A doula helps both the mother and baby adjust
to normal life after childbirth. She's part nurse, part teacher, part housekeeper
and part friend. Governess. A governess generally has a degree from college
which puts her one step above a nanny. Governesses are generally hired by a family
for the full or part-time education of children at home, a form of home schooling some wealthy
families prefer to use rather than private or public school. She gets more pay than a nanny.
Housekeeper. A housekeeper does housework, she's not specifically
responsible for the children except to clean and cook meals. Nanny, either live-in or live-out person who
works fulltime with only the domestic tasks of raising children, not responsible specifically
for education. It's wise to ask a nanny if she's been inoculated
for the basic diseases like TB and polio and if not, ask her to get them done or pay for
it yourself. If you work with several or more women raising
children, you might be able to convince your boss to set up an onsite daycare center. For information about state laws and regulations
and complaints regarding child care, contact your state department of health and human
services which should have a child care office in it or contact your state social services
department. If you're a low income working mother, you
might qualify for financial aid to help with daycare or there might be such a daycare center
in your community run by the government for low income and/ or single working parents. If you live near a college or university,
check to see if they have an onsite daycare service or a preschool program open to the
public or students.
It's easy to register as a student. Local government, service clubs, disability
organizations, churches and private donors may provide daycare, subsidies or scholarships. Childcare Protocols/ Set Specific Rules Don't be too casual with the caregiver. Set
specific rules. It's best to write them out and
give them to her so she knows what's expected like a meal every four hours, one hour of
fresh air, afternoon nap, rules for cleaning the
child (some parents don't want the caregiver to
bathe or shower the child), an hour playing with
the child, limits on watching TV, laundry and
housekeeping duties, safety rules, don't leave the child unattended, don't use the phone
for more than a five minute call per hour, etc. Be fair with your worker especially if she's
good because it's hard to find good help. Don't
make her work past her 40 hours a week then not pay her for it. Pay time and a half because it's overtime. If
she's good and spends more than six months with you, start giving her a week paid vacation
every five months or so.
People are human so they need time to check
each other out to get comfortable with each other. Allow for a slightly awkward adjustment
period. After all, you're inviting her into your
private life and she's a bit nervous about imposing on this family she barely knows. Give her privacy, respect and don't try to
suck all the work you can out her. Be reasonable and
the atmosphere will be a lot better. If you're
too critical, most will quit in short order. Don't be soft with your caregiver. She has to
earn your respect. If she's a lagger who just
likes to watch TV, you don't have to keep her. Get somebody else. Don't accept chronic lateness, poor hygiene,
anti-social behavior, someone too introverted who doesn't say much, someone who invades
your space, an aggressive personality, jealousy (parent and caregiver compete for child's
affection) and theft.
Don't let a caregiver start to moralize to
you that you're not a good enough parent who
doesn't spend enough time with your kids. Beware of a situation where the babysitter
likes the kids but doesn't like you. If your nanny lives in your house for longer
than six months, give her a phone for her room. Let her friends come over and visit once in
awhile. As the nanny, don't let the parents push you
to teach the child things that are well above
his ability. As a nanny, don't take abuse from a bratty
kid. You might have to buy medical insurance for
your caregiver and if she drives your car, you
might have to buy extra insurance for her. Always have a back-up caregiver ready in case
this one skips on you. Some people don't feel comfortable with a
live- in nanny or even one that comes into their
house eight hours a day.
They feel their privacy
is violated. In that case, either find a good
daycare center, nursery school or babysitter where you can drop the child off with them. This latter concept is called family home
care, where the child is taken care of in someone
else's private home, possibly with other kids around which is a good family atmosphere. Some alternatives to childcare are: Start a co-op with several other families
where you each take turns watching each other's
kids. If you work for a big company, there might
be an onsite childcare service at the site or
you could start one. Change your work situation to do some of the
work at home often called telecommuting. If you can't find a good caregiver, contact
your local YMCA or church group. Summer camp is a good way to catch a break
from the kids. Some schools have after-school programs
where the children stay in a daycare like room
until six o'clock or so playing with toys, working
on computers, reading books, etc.
So that the
parents can pick them up there. The IRS now has a $5000 dependent care tax
credit. Ask your accountant about it or call the
IRS for information about the Nanny Tax Bill, irs.gov, 800-tax-form. Child Security Guide The media has had a field day exposing abusive
childcare workers by catching them on hidden cameras. If your child is not old enough to
speak yet, be especially wary of the caregiver you pick. In order to protect yourself from unscrupulous
childcare workers who will act all good when you're around but ignore and otherwise abuse
the children when you're not around: Either hire someone you know. Hire a Christian. Hire from a reputable agency that does
background checks. Chapter 2. Some Babysitters/ Nannies are Good, Some are
Bad Keep an Eye on the Caregiver The best way to check out a nanny is with
a hidden camcorder or internet webcam. Anybody can act phony good up front. The true test is when they're alone with the
child. If the child starts to act weird, withdrawn,
watch out. Many horror stories have been caught on tape. Make unannounced visits from time to time. Hook up a visible web cam where the baby's
crib is where you can check it any time over the
internet.
Try to do some of your work at home here and
there so you're around the house and can check out what the nanny's daily routine is with
the kids. One case I saw on TV was this chubby middle-aged
woman who became the caregiver of this couple's baby. She had a great manner with the couple face
to face but as soon as they left, she abused and ignored the baby who couldn't speak for
himself. The mother got suspicious when she noticed
her baby flinch and turn away whenever she moved towards him with her hands to feed him,
pick him up, etc. This was because the worker was slapping the
baby around. They put a hidden camera in and caught several
instances of abuse. The worker was charged criminally but in the
end didn't get any prison time, just probation so it goes to show that the authorities don't
seem to take child abuse by childcare workers all that
seriously. Based on a TV show I saw about a guy who's
business was to install hidden cameras in the homes of people who had babysitters, you're
generally better off hiring somebody you know like a neighbor, friend or relative.
If you hire professional help, that is somebody
you don't know, be wary that anyone can put on a good front. Look over your child's body from time to time
for signs of abuse. Monitor his behavior to see
if it changes. an abused child usually goes
from happy and easygoing to sad and scared. If the child is getting sexual, he could be
getting sexually abused by the caregiver. If the child
gets sick a lot, it could be a psychosomatic disorder caused by the stress from the caregiver. Beyond using a hidden camera, you can tell
if your child is being abused if he or she gets nervous just before you're about to leave
and the babysitter about to come in and comes running to you very quickly when you come
home to get away from the babysitter. Your babysitter will rummage through your
house and important papers partially to be nosey and partially looking for small valuables
to steal.
This guy said at least half of all babysitters
he did surveillance on did something wrong. Your best bet is to ask for references and
call all the references the babysitter gives you to see what people say about her. Ask Questions/ Do an Interview Interview the person, get a feel for them. Don't hire them if you sense anger, anti-social
tendencies, too casual an attitude, etc. Questions to ask when hiring a nanny or
considering a daycare center: Why do you want to be a nanny? Tell me about your home. What would you do if the child doesn't want
to eat; cries; acts violent? Are you trained in first aid and CPR? Do you do housework? What are your rates? Are you flexible with respect to hours? Do you have references? How would you handle a sick child? What are your discipline methods? How do you handle a temper tantrum? What experience do you have with children? How do you think a child should be raised? What do you like to do in your spare time? What kind of relationship do you want with
our family? Do you smoke? How were you raised? Can you drive? What is a typical day? Do you play outdoors? What about licensing? Is there a fire safety plan? What about safety? Even after you hire them, if you have a baby
who can't talk, there's no accountability unless
you put a hidden camera in the main room to watch the interaction when they're alone not
aware they're being filmed.
Background Check Websites adpro.com
agencyrecords.com, 800-777-6655, criminal, driver, work comp., etc. americanbackground.com
avert.com background-us.com, 800-697-7189
badreferences.com cdrominvestigations.com, 800-332-7999
choicepointonline.com confi-chek.com, 800-821-7404
courtexpress.com courtpcofct.com, connecticut. corrections.com/links/inmate
criminalcourtsearch.com criminalinfo.com, 800-973-5500, criminal,
tenant history. data-trac.com
idocket.com, 800-566-7164 intellicorp.net, 888-946-8355, several mid-north
states. judici.com
juritas.com, 888-877-9695 knowthefacts.com, 888-777-9435
midsouthinfo.com, north carolina. nationalbackgrounddata.com
nationalfraud.com, 800-999-5658 ncrecordsonline.com, 877-442-9600, north
carolina. onecreditsource.com, 800-955-1356
pfcinformation.com, 212-580-7077, background checks. publicrecordsources.com
rapsheets.com researchinc.net, 800-654-4936, credit, criminal,
tenant history. swcg-inc.com, 800-795-8543, court, criminal.
Usascreening.com, 800-568-5665
uscrimsearch.com usmutual.com, 888-338-8762
verifacts.com, 800-568-5665, criminal, tenant history. vitalchek.com, 800-255-2414 American International Security
10805 Main St. #600
Fairfax, Va 22030 703-691-1110
Do a background check on a nanny. Care Check, Inc.
1056 5th Ave. #9e
Nyc 10028 212-360-6640
Background checks. Child Care Registry
3494 Camino Tassajara Rd. #243
Danville, Ca 94506 800-Ccr-0033
Does background checks on nannies, daycares, etc. Ers Employers' Reference Source
Marietta, Ga 800-800-3774
Background checks. Federal Bureau of Investigation Fbi
Identification Division 10th St. And Pennsylvania Ave. Nw
Washington, Dc 20535 fbi.gov
For a $20 fee, a cover letter and a copy of the
nanny's fingerprints, you can get the FBI to do a
fingerprint cheque on her.
Ibm I See You
800-Ibm-7914 ibm.com
Computer system where you set up a camera and you can look at a room from another
computer anywhere or even from the internet. Innovative Personnel Strategies
Napa, Ca 888-477-8378
Background checks. Mind Your Business, Inc. Maplewood, Nj
888-869-2462 Background checks. Nanny Check
50 Broad St. #1600
Nyc 10004 800-206-3051
212-742-0340 Video surveillance on nannies, background
checks. Web Camera on your Children These services will hook up cameras in daycare
centers or anywhere else so you can watch your kids while you're at work over the internet. kinderview.com
toddlerwatch.com watchmegrow.com Chapter 3. Childcare Info Childcare Articles for Parents and Caregivers
at verywellfamily.com/child-care-4157344 Free articles. Online Play Groups/ Babysitting Co-ops onlineplaygroup.com, playgroup directory includes
more than 600 local neighborhood playgroups, babysitting co-ops, homeschool support groups,
grandparents' groups, nannies' groups, parents' groups and clubs Preschool Finder Websites/ Find a Preschool
Websites/ Preschool Daycare Websites savvysource.com, lists 55,000 preschools acsi.org, association of christian schools,
international, an organization of christian preschools, elementary, secondary and post-secondary
schools.
Look on state and municipal government websites
for a childcare licensing office which will have a list of licensed daycare centers and
preschools. child-care.findthebest.com
childcare.gov childcarecenter.us
childcaresearch.dhhs.nh.gov/mylicenseverification/search.aspx daycare.com
state.fl.us/childcare/provider/ decal.ga.gov/providersearch/sitesearch.aspx
momtrusted.com finddaycare.com
apps.del.wa.gov/check/checksearch.aspx jfs.ohio.gov/cdc/childcare.stm
daycarematch.com 211childcare.org
abcdaycareandpreschool.com babycenter.com/0_how-to-find-the-best-preschool-for-your-child_64548.bc
bluebirdpreschool.com/licensed-daycare-providers.html brighthorizons.com/child-care-locator
care.com/child-care childcare.gov
childcare.org childcareandpreschool.com
childcareaware.org childcarecenter.us
childcarejacksonvillenc.com childcarelink.com
childcaresmiles.com/day-care-preschool.aspx cjebaltimore.org/preschool-finder
creativekidslearningcenter.com/preschool-locations-las-vegas/preschool-finder-las-vegas creativeworldschool.com
daycare.com daycareatoz.com
daycarecafe.com daycarematch.com
dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/search_texas_child_care/cclnet/source/cpa/ppsearchtxchildcare2 dfps.state.tx.us/child_care/search_texas_child_care/ppfacilitysearchdaycare.asp
education.com/question/kindergarten-pre/ education.com/schoolfinder/us/hawaii/preschools/
education.com/schoolfinder/us/texas/preschools findingpreschool.com
ccvillage.com godaycare.com/finddaycare
godaycare.com/localdaycares greatschools.org/find-a-school/defining-your-ideal/1102-best-preschool-for-your-child.gs
greatschools.org/preschool/ in.gov/fssa/carefinder
kidsparkz.com/preschoolsingsmain.html kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcespre.php
kidzschoolfinder.com kindercare.com
learn4good.com/schools/preschools_childcare_daycare_services.htm looking4daycare.com/finddaycare.html
looking4daycare.com/findpreschool.html looking4daycare.com/searchdaycarelistings.html
mdchildcare.org/mdcfc/childcare/choose.html metrodaycare.com
momtrusted.com newjersey-preschool.com
peanutgallerychildcare.com/about-us/our-preschool/admissions/ phoenixdaycare.com
preksmarties.com/preschooldirectory/ preschooldirectory.co.uk
preschool-program.com preschoolwestchesterny.com
qualistar.org/find-child-care.html readysetmom.com/childcare/
savvysource.com/preschools searchpreschools.com
aolatschoolsearch.com/elementary Chapter 4.
Places to Hire Daycare Service Butler Info If you're in pretty good shape, you don't
need a medical homecare worker. Hire a personal assistant instead. If there are no butlers or personal assistants
around in your neck of the woods, contact a homecare company and hire one of their homecare
workers to help you around the house. butlerintl.com, butler international. butlersguild.com
ehow.com, article how to hire a butler. headbutler.com
magnumsbutlers.com modernbutlers.com
thebutlerdiditeliteservices.com, sarasota, fl. butlerwebs.com Best Domestic Services Agency
877-770-2273 Daycare Info Despite all the bad press about daycare, most
are pretty good but the bottom line is that you're
shopping for a service and just like with anything, you have to compare and check things
out. Once you hire the service, don't leave it
at that. There are licensing procedures in many areas
and some daycares have webcams where you can look in anytime over the internet. Stay constantly vigilant about the performance
of your caregiver. The best way is to drop in
unannounced from time to time. It's your right. In my opinion, the best daycares are the ones
with structured programs that actually try to
teach the children something rather than just playing with them then feeding them and giving
them naps.
The bottom line is that you have to feel them
out to find someone that really cares about your child. The general research says that it's bad to
put any child under three into any kind of fulltime
alternative care because the child will bond with
that caregiver and not you, the parent. After three is alright but you have to develop
the mother child bond first. Daycare is good for
children because it helps make them independent and socialize with other kids. Some kids really like it because it's a fun
place with toys and new friends whereas others are
more shy and solitary and don't really go for it. You, as a parent, must decide what's best.
If your child has poor health, be wary that
daycares could be breeding grounds for viruses, hepatitis, etc. because of all the other kids
around that could be sick or carrying viruses. The Federal Intra-Agency Daycare
Requirements list a number of standards a daycare center should abide by but the only
true test is gut instinct and common sense. Check a place out for safety, child-provider
ratio and all around character. If it feels right,
try it for a while and drop in unannounced every
few days to see what's really going on. Try to
become friends with your caregiver. Some YMCAs have daycare facilities: ymca.net
ymca.org ywca.org You might find books about daycare/
babysitting at #362.712 or HQ778.6 and HV861 at your library. Doula Info A doula helps the mother with rearing a newborn
baby for about the first year after birth. Doulas technically don't actually do the birthing
part which is generally the job of the midwife. Check the yellow pages under birth centers. acnm.org, american college of nurse
midwives, 202-728-9860 meacschools.org, midwifery education accreditation
council, 928-214-0997 dona.org, doulas of north america, 888-788-dona
childbirth.org/doula123.html communitydoula.org
dona.com, 888-788-dona, doulas of north america.
Pals-doulas.org, pacific assn. For labor support. Assn. Of Labor Assistants and Childbirth
Educators Box 390436
Cambridge, Ma 01239 888-222-5223
alacehqaol.com Trains doulas and childbirth educators. Doula
Pob 71 Santa Cruz, Ca 95063
408-464-9488 Support for pregnant mothers. Doulas of North America
1100 23rd Ave. E.
Seattle, Wa 98112 888-788-Dona
206-324-5440 206-325-1419
askdonaaol.com dona.com National Assn. Of
Post Partum Care Svcs. 800 Detroit St.
Denver, Co 80206 800-45-Doula
Fax: 303-321-4058 doulacareaol.com
napcs.org Accredits and licenses doulas. Chapter 5. Find a Local Babysitter Hire a Trustworthy Babysitter Do a background check on one of them free
public records websites like: freerecordsregistry.com
staterecords.org govtregistry.com
onlinepublicrecordssearch.com public-records.therecordshub.com
gov-resources.com freerecordsregistry.com
systems.net, worldwide. brbpub.com/pubrecsites.asp Other than that, put up a hidden camera to
see what the babysitter does, especially if the child is too young to speak. Give the babysitter the following info: Your cell phone number
Where you'll be Family members or friends to contact in case
of emergency Emergency numbers: hospital, doctor, poison
control Any special info about your kids' medical
needs.
Food. Bedtime info. 4sitters.com/ask-baby-question-sitter.htm
efinancegold.com/links/baby/89/baby-question-sitter.html articlesbase.com/babies-articles/how-to-hire-a-babysitter-325761.html
babycenter.com/0_finding-a-babysitter_50.bc babysitter.lifetips.com
babysittingworld.com ehow.com, how to hire a babysitter. findingananny.com
hirebabysitter.com lifespy.com/2007/how-to-hire-a-babysitter
metroplexbaby.com/parentguides/hiringbabysitter.htm parentdish.com/2006/05/17/how-do-you-hire-a-babysitter/
safesitter.org/parents/parentshiringsitter.htm sitter-city.net/info/findababysitterservice.htm
sittercityreview.com swellpregnancyguide.com/hiring-a-babysitter
wegowild.com/babysitter.html, how to hire the right babysitter
wikihow.com/choose-a-good-babysitter Hire
a Male Babysitter? They say males are good because they're more
attentive than the typical teenage girl but young males are curious. If you have a young girl, chances are that
they're going to want to look at her privates. There was a case of some guy babysitting a
baby girl. The mother caught him becvause he took some
pictures with their digital camera but he didn t know how to erase them.
You can t really discriminate. Individuals are euither good or evil. It s not a gender thing. babysitters.sittercity.com/blog/male-babysitters,
male babysitters: to hire or not to hire. susiej.com/index.php/i-hire-male-babysitters Local Babysitting Services Look at classified ads websites like craigslist.org
for people offering babysitting services. Your best bet is to put up your own ad at
your church, craigslist.org or the bulletin board at the library and say you're looking
for a student who wants to babysit occasionally. Keep it close to where you live. Sometimes talking to the neighbors and asking
if anyone has a teenager who wants a part-time job is enough. You could even hire a senior citizen. kijiji.ca, classified ads in canada. nanniesoncall.com
babysitters4hire.com domesticpublications.com, los angeles area. babysittingworld.com
sitter-city.net babysitterconnections.com Babysitting Websites sittercity.com
4sitters.com babysitternow.com
babysitters.com craigslist.org/kid
phoneababysitter.com, fee. sitters.com
toybabycenter.com/babysitter kijiji.ca, classified ads in canada. nanniesoncall.com
babysitters4hire.com domesticpublications.com, los angeles area. babysittingworld.com
sitter-city.net babysitterconnections.com Teen Babysitting Websites at dmoz-odp.org/Kids_and_Teens/Teen_Life/Babysitting Subcategories
Courses Safety Tips abcteach.com/directory/fun-activities-11-2-1,
ABC Babysit, Offers free printable information forms, activities, and crafts projects.
extension.illinois.edu/babysitting, a Guide
to the Business of Babysitting, a guide for teenagers (age 14-19) on how to successfully
run a babysitting business. kidshealth.org/en/teens/babysit.html, Babysitting
Basics, Advice on taking responsibility including a list of rules about what to prepare and expect. 25.