Archive: Parents

Finding Good Preschools. How to I know?

We spoke with Kim Ginn of 4C for Children in Cincinnati, OH for her thoughts on how to select quality preschools for your 3, 4, and 5 year olds.

What Kim had to say:

Be sure to evaluate the physical environment of the Preschool.
1. Look for a clean, safe, and healthy environment. The space should be free of potential safety hazards.
2. Ask about policies on storing and distributing medication.
3. Are the teachers and staff trained in first aid?
4. Is the outdoor play area fenced?
5. Are emergency and exit plans posted and drills practiced regularly?

The importance of group size and ratios
Lower ratios allow teachers to respond and support children’s individual development and learning needs. NAEYC, National Association of Education of Young Children, reccomends 1 teacher for every 10 children with no more than 20 children in a group. A group is the number of children in a room and/or doing the same activities.

Qualified teachers and ongoing training are important for up to date understanding on how children learn and grow.

Trained teachers will:
1. engage children in conversation at the child’s eye level
2. ask who, what, when, where, why, and how questions
3. allow children to choose their own activities and toys most of the time
4. encourage the children to solve their own problems

In a qualified teacher’s classroom you will see boys and girls playing together and hear music, laughter, and singing.

Find quality state and parent rated preschools at MomTrusted.com

Now sign in with your Facebook account!

Parents…do you have a Facebook account?  Now you can log in or register on MomTrusted with your Facebook account.

Once you accept the registration through your Facebook account you will only need to remember your Facebook credentials to log in to Momtrusted.com.  You will also  be able to “Like” your favorite Child Care, Preschool, and Inhomes providers.

Liking your favorite child care and early education provider not only helps them promote their business…it helps your friends and family know what has worked for you!  You probably already know that a recommendation from someone you trust is the best thing you can get when looking for child care or preschools.  So help your friends out and let them know the places you like!

Listening to kids

Adora Svitak spoke to TED in February about why adults should listen to and learn from children. This 12 year old is an amazing speaker and has some really great ideas.

My take-aways:

– Let yourself imagine without limitations…working inside a box only stifles creativity. As Adora says, “Sometimes [for adults] a knowledge of history and the past failures of utopian ideals can be a burden…we kids still dream about perfection. And that’s a good thing because in order to make anything a reality, you have to dream about it first.”

– Learning should be reciprocal between adults/teachers and children. Both learn more when operating in this way. Additionally, adults must really listen to kids to create the best learning environment.

– Finally, never underestimate the abilities of children. They are much more capable than we think and we should give them space to succeed.

Selecting an Inhome or Family Child Care Provider

Charlene Olson, Family Child Care Specialist at 4C for Children, speaks with us about important considerations when selecting an inhome or family child care provider.  Watch the video or read more about the topic below!

What is an inhome or family child care provider?

A family child care home or inhome provider is most often one person caring for a small number of children in her home (not the home of the family).  The children’s ages can range from birth to school age.  People choose inhome care to have a home-like environment for their young children, for the children to receive more one on one attention, or to have interactions with children of different ages.

How many children can be cared for at a time?

State and local regulations vary by location.  Ohio Regulations, Kentucky Regulations

Tips for searching for a family home child care or home preschool provider

– talk to several providers to get a feel for what you like or want your child care provider to have

– ask about fees, hours of operation, vacation and holiday policies

– make appointments and visit a few providers with your child to observe them in the setting and with the daycare provider

– talk to other parents who are currently using the provider or have used the child care provider in the recent past

Characteristics of a good child care home

– warm, nurturing, kind, and patient

– respectful of children as little people/individuals

– laughs with, talks with, and listens to the children

– reads, plays, and sings with the children

– has experience caring for and educating children

– the caregiver nor anyone in the household should ever have been convicted of child abuse or neglect

Be aware of or establish the following policies and procedures

– accepting or exluding sick children

– holiday/vacation payments and time off

– posted emergency numbers including where parents can be reached

– plans for a substitute in case of an emergency

The home environment should

– limit tv watching

– protect stairways, windows, doorways with gates

– have heaters, stoves, electrical appliances, and furnaces out of children’s reach

– have child sized tables, chairs, and potty chairs

– have highchairs and a crib for each infant and a bed or cot for each preschool child

– lock up cleaning supplies and other dangerous chemicals

– cover electrical outlets

– have toys and activities easily accessible to children on low shelves or tables

Daily activities should include:

– quiet active play periods

– enough toys and interesting things to do for each aged child

– babies out of their crib most of their waking hours

– infants and toddlers able to eat and sleep according to their individual needs and schedules

At meal times:

– babies should be held when fed from a bottle

– children should be encouraged to try new foods but not forced to eat

– hands should be washed before meal preparation and eating

– well balanced and nutritious meals served

– food never withheld as punishment

Toilet or Potty training:

– should be viewed as a natural and positive process for the child

– diaper changing surfaces should be disinfected after each baby’s diaper change

– child care providers should wash hands after changing each baby

Health and Safety practices should include:

– a first aid kit should be available at all times

– an established emergency exit route everyone understandds

– a physically healthy caregiver

To find an inhome child care provider near you, search on 249smiles.com

Early Education Gets a Boost

Parents and early education providers are in a unique position right now. We have the opportunity to help, encourage, push our State’s to increase their investment in Early Education & Child Care. Legislation passed on September 18^th (H.R. 3221, or the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009,) allocates over $1 billion per year for the next 8 years to Early Education. Every dollar moving into Early Education is a step in the right direction, so we are very excited to see this happen, although we would always like to see the investment be higher.

The Bill allocates the $1 billion per year to States in two areas, based on the following guidelines.

QUALITY PATHWAYS GRANTS, as awards to high-capacity states pursuing models of reform and excellence in early learning. Innovative plans would already reflect significant progress toward establishing the elements of a comprehensive, high quality early learning system needed to improve quality and learning outcomes for children, and a desire to take such improvements to scale

– DEVELOPMENT GRANTS, as awards to a set of states that show promise for strengthening and expanding their early learning systems, but need additional assistance to launch a standards-based, outcomes-driven system. see ed.gov

This funding is on top of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Feb 09), which included $5 billion for Early Childhood. This Bill is directing funds toward Head Start, early Head Start, preschool grants, child care grants, and special infant programs.

Not all States will benefit equally from this funding, however, and likely several will not receive any help. So, as parents, child care providers, and preschool educators we can influence where this money flows. Contact your State’s Department of Education and Governor and find out what they are doing to receive these funds and what programs they intend on funding. Politics aside, Early Education has significantly trailed other areas of education investment even as research continues to demonstrate its important role in education and career achievement. Funds are coming and we need to make sure they are put to good use.

It’s more than just finding child care…

It’s about creating a safe environment to find child care.

249smiles was created with the backdrop of random Craigslist posts and people telling us to look in the phone book for centers.  What can you learn from the phone book besides for a name and address?  How scary is it to talk to people about caring for your child who have no photo, no information, no parent references?  And why are these the only resources to find care for our dearest loved ones?

With 249smiles the search is safer and just makes more sense!  Our providers can upload photos of themselves, their employees, or facilities, they can give you important (need to know) information, you can get a sense of their philosophies, other parents can leave comments and ratings of the providers, and most importantly, you can contact those parents to ask specific questions about their experiences with the babysitter, nanny, or daycare provider.

It’s about making the important connections with other parents.

We found (in our own experience and in research) that parents don’t generally make the child care decision alone or based on an advertisement…they decide to entrust their child with someone because another parent told them about their great experience with them.  The got a good recommendation from someone they trusted.  They heard it from the mouth of another mother “yeah, my child went there and we all loved it!”  We base our decisions on other people experiences and 249smiles supports that!

It’s about finding the best child care.

There are many different types, styles, and philosophies of child care and that’s great!  There’s no universal ‘good’…we know different characteristics are good for different families.   That’s why 249smiles believes transparency and sharing are key in this process.  Child care providers have the opportunity to really show what they’re all about and give you the information you need.  Learn from what they tell you and from what they don’t.  Ask them questions in the comment section of their profile so you can help other parents in the process.  When you see a child care provider doing something you love, make sure you’re asking other providers if their doing it too!  This is the only way child care providers know what’s important to parents.

Cool things child care providers are doing now:

– Step Up to Quality (for Ohio child care centers)

– Stars for Kids Now (for Kentucky child care centers)

– American Red Cross CPR and First Aid courses

– American Red Cross Babysitter’s Training

Step Up to Quality Child Care Provider List :: Cincinnati Ohio

List compiled 9/7/09 – Hamilton County

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 3 stars

ARLITT CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
CHAMPIONS – REX RALPH
CHILDREN’S FOR CHILDREN
CHILDREN’S FOR CHILDREN – P & G
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – EAST END
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – EAST WALNUT HILLS
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – WESTWOOD
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – WALNUT HILLS
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – HARRISON
CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING CENTER – YWCA OF GREATER CINCINNATI / DOWNTOWN LOCATION
HYDE PARK COMMUNITY UMC PRESCHOOL
MT WASHINGTON U M C CHILD ENRICHMENT CENTER
PLEASANT RIDGE PRESBYTERIAN NURSERY SCHOOL
SYCAMORE PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
THE CHILDREN’S HOME OF CINCINNATI EARLY LEARNING INITIATIVE
UC EARLY LEARNING CENTER
WILLIAM L MALLORY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
YMCA CHILD CARE AT RAYMOND WALTERS COLLEGE
YMCA EARLY LEARNING CENTER (VALLEY)

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 2 stars

CHAMPIONS – FAIRFAX
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (CAMP WASHINGTON)
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (SILVER OAK ESTATES)
EMANUEL COMMUNITY CENTER
FOREST CHAPEL PRESCHOOL NURSERY SCHOOL
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #1395 (at Montgomery Rd)
MONTGOMERY COMMUNITY CHURCH PRESCHOOL
PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL
SHARONVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WEEKDAY NURSERY
STEPPING STONES CENTER
THE CHARLOTTE R. SCHMIDLAPP CHILDREN’S CENTER
YMCA CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER-WEST
YMCA CHRIST CHILD DAY NURSERY

Step Up to Quality Rated Child Care Programs in Cincinnnati with 1 star

A CHILD’S GARDEN
AGAPE CHILDREN’S CENTER
AMAZING GRACE LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL
ANDERSON HILLS PRESCHOOL
CHAMPIONS – INDIAN HILL ELEMENTARY
CHAMPIONS – LOVELAND
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (COLLEGE HILL EAST)
CUB EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY (WINTON CAMPUS)
FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER
HILLTOP PRESCHOOL AND CHILD CARE
JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL
JOHN WESLEY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER (at Anderson Ferry Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER (at Five Mile Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #1561 (at Seven Gables Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #421 (at Kemper Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #552 (at Loveland Madera Rd)
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER #733
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER – CORNELL
KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTER – PLAINFIELD
LITTLE LAMB CHILD CARE LEARNING CENTER
LITTLE PEOPLE
LOVELAND CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL
MEMORIAL CHILD CARE
MONTESSORI CENTER FOR LIFELONG LEARNING
PLEASANT RUN CHURCH OF CHRIST DAY CARE
PRECIOUS YEARS LEARNING CENTER
SERENDIPITY EARLY LEARNING CENTER
SON RISE LEARNING CENTER
THEODORE M. BERRY CHILDREN AND FAMILY LEARNING CENTER
VISIONS CHILD CARE & TEEN SUPPORT CENTER
YMCA CHILD CARE AT MONFORT HEIGHTS SCHOOL
YMCA CHILD CARE AT WEIGEL SCHOOL
YMCA NORTHSIDE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Congratulations to these child care centers for achieving stars in Ohio’s quality rating program, Step Up to Quality!

Find more information about these and more child care centers, daycares, and preschools in Cincinnati at 249smiles.com