Choosing Childcare for Military Moms
Research the best option for your unique child.
by Diane Alpeter
Nearly 63 percent of children in the United States under the age of five spend an average of 36 hours a week in childcare. Parents of these children may struggle with the daunting question of which type of childcare is best. Experts recommend doing plenty of research before making the decision on care for your child.
YOUR OPTIONS
Many military families have opportunities to use center-based care and home-based care. The Department of Defense (DoD) provides military childcare in 800 child development centers in more than 300 locations. Home-care centers operated on post are monitored, and off-post care is an option as well.
Nikki Darling-Kuria, mother of three and representative of the National Association for Family Childcare, solved her childcare issues by becoming a provider. She has been accredited and licensed in Maryland for 10 years and is currently licensed in West Virginia. As a home-based provider, she stresses school readiness to her children. “Home-based care appears more casual, but it is not,” she says. “It is a spectrum of home care.”
While centers may offer different age-appropriate rooms for children, home-based care must offer diversity for each age group. “If I have a 4-year-old, he may mentally be a 6-year-old,” Nikki says. “Children are in a room for all ages versus just one age. Siblings can be cared for together; that builds the relations within the family. They stay with one caregiver. They don’t just have to leave all their friends and go to another room because they had a birthday. One caregiver supports their social and emotional development.”
LISTEN TO YOUR GUT FEELING
Robin McClure, mother of three and About.com Childcare guide, thinks parents should go with their gut feelings: “Despite what everyone around you is saying, it needs to feel right for you and your child. The nice thing about childcare is that it can change as your child gets older.”
Childcare experts agree that centers and home-based providers must be trained and/or accredited. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a ratio of one staff person for up to five small children and one staff member for up to 10 older children. Robin says parents should ask several questions of care providers before making a choice, such as the following:
- Do the staff treat children with respect and patience?
- Does the facility feature safe indoor and outdoor areas and equipment?
- Are there rounded table corners and other furniture safety features?
- Is there a proper child-to-staff ratio, and if it is a licensed facility, is it operated within designated guidelines?
- Is there a license or registration certificate on file, if applicable?
- Do you see laughing, caring, sharing and generally happy children?