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From: sed408@ihlpg.UUCP (s. dugan)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: paid childcare
Message-ID: <1270@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 09:29:06 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1270
Posted: Tue Sep 17 09:29:06 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Sep-85 05:18:34 EDT
References: <1159@mhuxo.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 76

> I am a new subscriber to this newsgroup, and would like to call on some
> of the wealth of experince out there.  As a putative patent, I am
> interested in polling opinions on paid child care.  Questions are
> 	1) The merits of the various types of care (live-in, live-out,
> 	childminders, daycare, etc)
> 	2) The relative economics of the above 
> 	3) The effect on the child of the type of care

I have tried several of these methods of child care over the years.  I feel
qualified to address several of them.

"In-home" day care usually refers to a person who takes children into their
own home (not your home).  The quality of this kind of care varies greatly.
These people are supposed to be licensed by the state/county (I'm not sure
which).  However, a lot are not.  If they're licensed, they are required to
have certain facilities (such as fenced-in yards, etc).  They also have
restrictions on how many children and of what age they can have.  You might
want to contact the local licensing agencies to find out what requirements
they have.
     Advantages:  An in-home day-care provider is usually more flexible
     regarding payment and hours.  Also, since they are required to have fewer
		 children, they *might* spend more one-on-one time with your child.

		 Disadvantages:  They usually cost more per hour than day care centers.
		 Since the children there usually vary greatly in age, it's hard for them
		 to really play *together*.  Unless you're really careful who you pick,
		 you might get someone who plunks the kids in front of the TV all day.  (I
		 had that happen once!)  You also want to be VERY careful about the forms
		 of discipline the person uses!  I think it would much easies for a person
		 to abuse kids in this setting.

By "live-in" I assume you mean someone who comes to your home while you're
gone.  Basically, I think this has the same drawbacks and plusses of in-home
day care, except that your child doesn't have *any* other kids to play with.
Also, I think it can disturb your sense of privacy a bit to have someone else
roaming around your house all day.  I'd have to really trust that person.

Luckily, I have had a very good experience with the day care center my
daughter goes to.  Again, you will want to check out local licensing laws and
make sure they comply.  The center my daughter goes to separates the kids into
6-month age groups.  (They have one room for kids 2 to 2 1/2 and another for
kids 2 1/2 to 3, etc.)  This works out really nicely for the kids.  They get
to have a lot of contace with kids their own age.  A couple times a day they
all end up out in the play ground together, so they still get to see kids of
different ages.
     Advantages:  The kids usually get more structure in their lives than in
		 the in-home setting.  Also, my pediatritian says that kids that have lots
		 of contact with other kids of the same age group tend to do much better
		 in school.  The kids in day care seem to get more exercise than they do
		 in the in-home setting.

		 Disadvantages:  Kids in day care centers seem to pass around nose and
		 throat infections.  Talk to the school about their policy regarding kids
		 who are sick.  Make sure they properly isolate the kids and send them
		 home as soon as possible.  Also, if your child tends to catch things
		 easily and not get over them very easily, you might want to consider
		 other arrangements.

I hope this helps.  One last word of advice, make several visits to the
facility to the see the children, care provider(s) and grounds in several
different situations.  Every place has its good days and bad days.

P. S.  What is a "putative patent"?????


-- 

Sarah E. Dugan
"One Day At A Time"

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