Daycare Hunting? Look Out For These Red Flags

Daycare is an option for some parents and for others, it’s a necessity. As parents, we struggle to let our little ones out of our sight more so, to a stranger which makes daycare for a lot of us feel like our hearts are being ripped out of our chests. The questions are unending – “Would she cry, what if the teacher has no idea how to comfort him? What if he misses me? Will her diaper be changed on time? OMG, what if he gets rashes or the flu?”. A flood of worries assumes total control of your entire being but you summon up every courage in you and decide to go with it anyway.

It is no news that our children are precious and they are beyond priceless. No mother knowingly puts her child in harm’s way. When it comes to daycares, you are entrusting your child, their well-being, and a part of your soul into the hands of caregivers. Ensuring that the daycare you are choosing cares for your child as much as you do cannot be overemphasized. This goes beyond the money they are paid, it’s about ensuring that your child is properly taken care of in a favorable and homely environment.

The idea for this topic was born from our weekly Saturday confessions which are not only fun but also very insightful. It’s the one day we come online as a community to interact and last Saturday was no different. (If you’ve never been a part of our mom confessions, make it a date this Saturday. All the magic happens on our Instagram stories).

While the confession was ongoing, two ladies mentioned that they had worked in daycares and as a result of what they had seen, would never put their children in a daycare. We alongside thousands from the community – as you might have guessed – were eager to know why and the messages came pouring in. These below were part of the sea of experiences shared:

_{Disclaimer: This may be triggering to some. It is important we state that there are more good daycares than there are bad ones and this is in no way shared to portray every daycare but rather weed out the bad ones while helping mothers know what to look out for. Daycare teachers are and will continue to be a blessing to our little ones.}

Although these are just a few of the tens of messages, they mostly had similar experiences and worries which were overall still reasons for concern. We kept the conversation going which you can view on this post; also view the highlight tagged ‘Daycare Tips’.

Because we understand that viewing the above experiences may have spiked your worry-meter to the red zone, we asked around, discussed with the mothers in our community, did our research and consulted daycare providers to create this list of red flags to look out for while hunting around for a great daycare. We hope they serve as a guide for you as you begin the daycare search.

TRUST YOUR GUT: This is the first and most important red flag. If it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not right. Don’t let anyone talk you into giving in. It doesn’t matter if your friend or sister swears by the daycare, it might be the right place for their child but it might not be right for yours. Remember that every child is unique.

ADULT-CHILDREN RATIO: If there are too many children and not enough adults, that’s a glaring red flag. On average, an adult shouldn’t be in charge of more than six children at a time. This could be less depending on the age of the children. For mothers in the US, there are laws in every state regarding legal childcare ratios. All you have to do is google ‘legal childcare ratio (insert the state you live)’ and you have your answer.

TOO MANY CHILDREN: Does it feel like you just stepped into a hive? Too many children buzzing or running around? It doesn’t matter if they meet the legal adult-child ratio. If it’s overcrowded, it’s not a good choice. Your child might not get the attention they need because there are too many children to attend to.

BLOCKED EXITS: Check the entrances and exits and ensure that they are clear. Would the exit be easily accessible in case of an emergency? Also, ensure that they have fire extinguishers that are not expired, that there are sprinklers in the ceiling, and that they have a well-equipped first-aid box.

UNSANITARY OR UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT: Inspect the restrooms, the toys, the play area, and the ceiling. Are there molds in the ceiling? Does the floor look like it was cleaned that morning? Is the play area safe? Are there items in the play area that look dangerous or likely to cause an injury? Do the toys look like they are wiped down frequently? Are the restrooms clean? Is there a changing area for babies? Are there enough security cameras? Are the cameras placed in the right spot? These are a few things to look out for while inspecting the environment.

CAREGIVERS SEEM NONCHALANT: Watch the body language of the caregivers. Do they seem interested in caring for the children? Are they ignoring the children or do they seem too harsh or unfriendly?

BORED CHILDREN: Do the children look uninterested in or bored with whatever activity is going on? This could mean that the activities aren’t age-appropriate or stimulating.

HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER: Find out when the daycare was established and ask how long the employees have worked there. For instance, if the daycare was established five years ago and none of the employees have worked there for at least three years, it’s a huge red flag. This could mean the management isn’t fair to its employees.

THE DAYCARE ISN’T LICENSED OR IT’S EXPIRED: Yes, daycares need a license to operate thereby making it illegal to operate without one. Ask for their license number and go Sherlock Holmes on them. For mamas in the US, find the database of licensed childcare facilities for your state. Mamas in the UK, ensure the nursery is registered on Ofsted. For mamas in other countries, research on how to find this information.

NO REFERENCES OR UNANNOUNCED VISITS: If they won’t provide references or don’t permit unannounced visits, they are hiding something and it’s best you don’t enroll your little one.

COVID SAFETY: The worse of the pandemic is over but we are not entirely out of the woods yet so it’s best that the daycare is at least covid compliant. Do they have sanitizers and facilities for frequent hand washing? Do they wear masks when and if necessary?

There are a lot of tips and we might not be able to exhaust them all. One thing we love about this community is the wealth of knowledge every woman poses and is willing to share. Below are a few tips by other moms;

We may have gotten to the end of this article but it doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation. There’s a post up on our Instagram page where moms have shared and are still sharing their daycare experiences, tips and advice. Click the link and join the conversation. Don’t forget to share this with a mama who needs this information. Ciao!