As a parent, selecting the perfect daycare facility for my child is an important process given the direct impact it will have on the child’s life. I want a place where my child will be comfortable and have fun. Additionally, it should also but that will assist with her cognitive development. As such, I consider the perfect daycare facility as one that is affordable, matches my schedule, and provides a safe learning environment for children.
The first consideration when evaluating a daycare facility is safety. As a first-time mother, I am overprotective of my child, and her safety is my primary priority. The thought of giving up our bonding time gave me anxiety. I had taken my daughter everywhere with me because I was afraid of letting her out of my sight. I feared that someone might harm or mistreat her. I knew there was no possible way I could be a stay at home mother. Without a doubt, I had to earn a living for my family. Daycare was the only option for me. Therefore, choosing the right childcare arrangements was difficult because I wanted someone I could trust with my child. However, my daughter needs to adapt to her new environment, which will make the transition to school smoother.
The second consideration when evaluating a daycare facility is the price. I needed an affordable place that will provide the best care for my daughter’s learning. Most facilities have a pricing structure based on the child’s age. My daughter was a bit older, resulting in a high weekly charge of $145. Being a single mother, I found the cost, coupled with my regular expenditures, to be strenuous. My regular expenditure includes rent, car payment, insurances, food, and other bills. Since my income was fixed, I sought government help to adjust my budget accordingly.
The last consideration when looking for a childcare facility is the schedule. Working on a full-time job, going to school, and being a full-time mom, I needed a daycare facility that could be flexible to fit my schedule. Most daycare providers open late and close early. I worked an eight-hour shift, Monday through Friday, from 7 AM to 3 PM. As such, I needed to find a facility that opened at 6 AM and closes at 6 PM. This time gave me time to get home from work to start my studies without any distractions and to get some errands done. I also had little time set aside to rest from my busy schedule.
In conclusion, finding a daycare facility for my daughter proved to be much more challenging than I expected. I honestly thought finding childcare would be a breeze. There were so many obstacles I faced, that made me want to quit. The considerations that I had were a safe learning environment, price affordability, and a flexible schedule. Combining these three factors proved to be a challenge as some most facilities had only one or two from the list. Finally, I was able to find one of the best facilities that I think is wonderful for my daughter’s development.