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Parent's
Role &
The
Continuing Process
Choosing
child care is the beginning of an ongoing process and relationship
between parents, child, and caregiver.
Observation, exchange of information, and evaluation do not end
when you have selected the child care program for your child.
Parents and caregivers must work together in an open and
cooperative manner, so that the child care experience is enhanced for
parent, caregiver, and most importantly, the child.
Talk
with your child each day about her/his experiences and feelings. Question and listen to what your child says and how your
child seems to feel. Take
your child's answers and comments seriously.
Find out the things that your child likes or the things that are
troubling him or her. Talk with the people who care for your child on a
daily basis about foods, behavior, activities, learning of new skills
and new words, friends and feelings.
Give information about yourself and your child.
Listen to hear information about your child's growth and
development.
Make
note of any unusual changes in your child's behavior.
Stay in contact with other parents who have their children in
care at the same facility. Make
occasional unannounced visits to the home or center.
Monitoring your child care situation is a partnership between the
licensing agencies, the child care provider, and you the parent.
Participate
in your child's care in some way. Volunteer
time to make toys, games, food, attend parent meetings, visit for lunch
or field trips, help in the classroom, sit on the Board of Directors or
Parent Advisory Committee.
Visit
your child during the day. Plan
to spend some time seeing what she/he does, who they play with, how the
provider cares for your child. Help
make child care an extension of your family.
If
you have problems or concerns, discuss them first with your provider to
see if things can be resolved. If
you decide that you have made the wrong choice, discuss this with the
provider. Most child care providers realize they cannot meet the needs
of every child or parent.
Remember
that looking for and using child care will be a learning experience, and
expect that you might make some mistakes, or that your feelings about
what you want might change over time.
If a given situation is not working out, and you feel you have
taken whatever steps you can to remedy it, change providers.
It's
up to you to maintain an on-going assessment of the quality of the child
care you have chosen. Parents should view themselves as advocates of
quality child care. As
parents, you are there every day, unlike licensing personnel.
If you feel the quality has changed, talk with the provider.
If that doesn't help, call the Marin Child Care Council and talk
with a Referral Counselor.
Here
are some ways to help insure mutual good feelings in the your
partnership with your caregiver:
Be
prompt in payment of fees.
Continue
to provide current medical and other pertinent information which may
affect your child's behavior.
Participate
in parent conferences. Keep
up to date on how your child is doing.
Be
sure you understand the policies of the program.
Abide by the policies to which you have agreed.
Volunteer
to participate in the program when you are able.
Be
prompt in picking up and delivering your child.
The smooth functioning of the program depends on it.
Have a backup plan of someone who can pick up your child if you
are unavoidably detained. Call
if your child will be absent.
Be
considerate of the health of your own child and others in the program. Have alternative arrangements in the event that your child
becomes ill.
Become
informed about child care legislation.
Ask your employer or union to sponsor child care programs. Join with advocates working to secure more funding and
support for child care.
Let
your child care provider know you appreciate his/her efforts.
She or he will be a big influence on your child's life.
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