Congratulations! You’re expecting!
Having a child is the greatest joy that anyone can ever experience, but there is a lot to get done in the time between finding out and welcoming him/her into the world.
One of the items on your list is surely finding a daycare provider. Many daycares in Kenosha accept applications months and months in advance so it can be stressful to try and find the place that is the best for you and reserve your spot.
But where do you start? How do you go through the process of finding daycare and making sure it is the right decision?
Step #1 – Gather a list of all the possibilities
The best way to start on the process of finding a good daycare is to take a look at all your possibilities. The truth is that there is a TON of options when it comes to childcare. For example, a simple search for “Daycares in Kenosha” will give you 20+ different options. Even though that might seem overwhelming, it’s a great place to start in deciding who is out there in the world and what your options will look like.
Step #2 – Talk to friends and family
One common thing people say about having kids is that everyone has an opinion – and let us tell you it’s not a myth. While people will give you all kinds of parenting tips that you are going to want to let go of, daycare advice is a great thing to seek out. Ask friends, family, coworkers, or anyone else you meet about what they did for daycare. Where did they go? What did they like? Not like? What types of questions did they ask? All those answers are going to help you start to narrow down your list, or discover new places that you didn’t know existed before.
Step #3 – Get down to your top 3 or 4
Now that you have a nice big list of all the childcare providers around Kenosha and you have gotten some recommendations, it is time to narrow down your list. Look at which ones are not close to your work or home and remove them from the list. Check out their pricing and see who is in your price range. You will be surprised how quickly your list will go from 15 or 20 locations to only 3 or 4 that are the best of the best.
Step #4 – Schedule Tours
Tours are the most important part of the process of finding a daycare facility. A tour will give you a good idea of what your child will experience every single day and allow you to gather a good gut feeling about each location. Most places want you to call ahead and schedule a time so they can prepare for you to come. We do things a little different at Cornerstone, we want you to see us during a normal day without any extra preparations which is why we allow new parents to stop at any time to take a tour!
Come prepared with even your most outrageous question so that every concern can be answered. The more questions you ask, the better understanding you will get for each place and how they approach care.
Step #5 – Use a Pro/Con List
You have all the information and you have seen every location. The final step is to take all that information and create a pro and con list for each. Divide a piece of paper in half and list out the best features on the left and the drawbacks on the right. Decide which place has the best location, most reasonable price, and even rank your overall gut feeling of each location to help come to your decision. If you still can’t decide, never be afraid to book another tour and gather even more information. Ultimately you will come to a decision that is best for you and your little one!
The process of finding a daycare can be a very stressful one. You only want to give your child the best, and selecting a daycare is the first big decision you are making that will directly affect your child’s life. If you allow yourself to gather all the information and trust your gut, you will know what the right facility for you will be!
