Posted by: TT Location: MS
If someone could offer me some advice, I'd love to hear it. I am a working mom, both me and my husband work. I had my two children 2 and 3 year old in a daycare center that was suppose to be a preschool, but they weren't really learning anything, but they loved it. I took them out of that one enrolled them in one closer to home that has been opened for over 20 years. My husband doesn't like it, he said it seems to institutionalized. When I take them there in the morning they don't seem very excited, but when I pick them up in the afternoon they don't want to go home. I don't understand? I'm sure that the other children might pick on them, and I'm sure that they probably defend themselves, they have just started going to school and interacting with other children in the past 5 months, so I'm not sure how they are being treated. I know when they come home sometimes they pinch each other, I didn't start to see this until recently. Is this a bad sign, should I be worried?

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Posted by: H's mom Location: Small Town, Wisconsin
We live in a small town and have a pretty decent daycare center. Problem is that some of the teachers make bad decisions or the administration doesn't follow through with the staff -- that's when the real problems start. During our two year stint at this center, my child was left alone in a room with other children unsupervised, one teacher's tone of voice was so harsh with the kids that parents and the licensor commented on it and my youngest continues to be scratched by another child in his class. This is a tough profession and I'd be willing to pay more if it was more regulated. There are strict laws for schools -- children in daycare centers are often too young to even tell a parent what happens and yet they are less regulated and monitored than the school system. Does that really make good sense?

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Posted by: Becca Location: Verona
It's not enough to trust your instincts anymore. Make sure daycare providers have referneces and see if they have a permit and if they are certified and if they have had a " Cargevier" background check.

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Posted by: mom of two Location: Madison
Our children have gone to the most wonderful daycare. They go to Pooh Bear Childcare. When people ask us what it feels like to leave our children there for the day we always say, it feels like home. It is a very caring and educational place for our children to spend the day. We feel that daycare is a great place for kids to learn social skills, learn how to share, routine. Yes you do hear of bad daycare centers, but those are few and far between. You can tell by walking into a day care center immediately if you feel comfortable being there. There is a vibe and like I said earlier when we leave for work we know our children are being cared for in a very loving environment. We will be sad when our children no longer have the opportunity to spend the day there, once they go to kindergarten. The teachers treat us like like family.

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Posted by: Anonymous My youngest has been in day care since he has been 6 weeks old. I chose La Petite Acadamy. He is now 2 1/2 years old and knows his abc's. I cant thank the day care enough. When I drop him off in the morning; he is so excited that I rarely recieve a kiss good bye. This is one day care that I would recommend to my friends; if they had kids.

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Posted by: a Location: wi
i have a four year old, she has been in day care for amost two years now. there are 4 day cares in my town, i went to all of them at lest twice before i made up my mind. they all cost about the same but i put her in the one that she was around kids her age. the other day care had them all mixed up, i did not like that.the kids she see's in day care are the ones she will be going to school with next year.

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Posted by: Anonymous Location: Dane County
The best child care for kids is their own mom!! I wish I could have stayed home with my kids. But in this day it is hard to do. Being a mother is the best thing. Doing it on one income is hard to do. It can be done, but hard to do. I loved my child care provider, but I wish I could of done it myself. It is hard to find good care. Just trust your instincts. Give them a surprise visit and check up on them. Your still in charge, remember - you are paying them.

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Posted by: Barb Location: Wi.
For what you have to pay for child care you better not have to worry about how your child is taken care of.!!!. Myself when you have to take a baby to child care i prefer someone who has only about 2 other kids to take care of. then when the child gets about 2 then consider a day care that he or she can be with more kids their age. You hear of so many bad things happening at day cares. Has to be a worry for parents. I was lucky i could stay home with my kids until they went to pre- school.

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