Episode #16: Childcare Choices  

When my kids were smaller I was overwhelmed by the childcare choices in my area. I asked my mom, “How did you choose which nursery school to send us to?” She replied “There were only two in town, and we could only afford one so you went there.”

Oh how times have changed.

As we kick off the new year, many families will be looking for childcare for their little ones in 2024 (and not to add more stress to family life but those spots fill up quick! I know in my area you need to enroll in February for spots in September!)

And most parents don’t know what to look for, what questions to ask and how to tell the quality of the programs they’re touring.

Lindsay Pearson to the rescue!

Lindsay is a dear friend and colleague and basically the wonder woman of determining quality in early childhood education.

On today’s “Good Enough Parenting” podcast Lindsay and I chat about what parents should look for when picking a childcare setting. She tells us to:

Ignore the bells and whistles of “state of the art” programs

You want quality relationships over fancy technology

Ask questions about daily schedules and routines

You want more child directed time than teacher directed time

Follow your gut – think about how the program feels to you.

If you feel good there, your child will too.

Putting your child in someone else’s care can feel overwhelming and scary.

Let this conversation with Lindsay give you the guidance and clarity you need to determine the best fit for your family and know that your parental sixth sense won’t steer your wrong.