Through my parenting sessions, I'm often dealing with working mothers who are carrying a huge load of guilt on their shoulders. I find that this stress is reduced when they have found a quality day care that eases the emotional turmoil and provides the best care to the child.
A parent last week spoke to me about keeping our day care open on weekends too. When I asked her the reason, she mentioned that her daughter eats much better and without fuss if it's at our day care! This is the gratification that we look forward from our work. When we looked deeper into our practices, there are many things that have proven that we provide the best program (modesty can take a back seat for now:) )
1. The meal time routine: Children are taught to be responsible for their eating habits. After washing up, children sit at their assigned places for mealtimes. As they move towards their seat, they pick up the place mats and glass of water. The food is served by the care giver in a loving manner. The serving bowl is placed on or near the table itself and the care giver encourages the child to ask for second helpings. After every meal, the children pick and their own plates and put it into the tub provided for placing the used plates. The meals themselves are nutritious and very well balanced, to suit the palette of all children. Children are also taught table manners in subtle ways by modelling right behaviour.
2. Nap time routine: Children have the nap time after lunch. We need the children to be active for sometime before napping. Every child is encouraged to pick up their own blanket, bed sheet and pillow. They lay their own bed! This is all done in as less noise as possible, maybe signing songs too. This calms the child down and gets into the groove for sleeping.
3. Multiple Zones: We have ensured that the child is not cooped up in one room for the whole time that they spend with us. It is not a school environment where the child is required to be in one classroom. With multiple zones such as Transition Zone, Dramatic Zone, Social Zone, Fantasy Zone, Physical Zone, etc., we are able to provide movement from area to area for the children. It is important that we provide them with enough opportunities for child directed play. Children stay on in the day care after the formal schooling time. For these children, having a structured curriculum for the entire number of hours they spend with us. Imagine the fun children have, making groups, playing and coming up with games themselves. Just as at home with friends.
4. Highest standards of safety and hygiene: We have an open door policy for all parents of the children in our day care. Parents are encouraged to walk in and have a meal / snack with us to understand the quality of the food served. Children are taught the right toilet habits through posters and signs put up around all bathrooms. The care givers and nannies are trained in maintaining of hygiene and the right way of taking care of children. With CCTVs being just the starting point in the day care, safety measures such as fire drills, presentations on good touch and bad touch, and more, ensure that the stress felt by parents is mitigated.
5. Documentation: The teachers are trained to document the daily log for each child, which contains the eating habits, bathroom habits and nap times of each child. The teachers / care givers are well trained to measure each child's food intake and document it. The number times each child uses the bathroom is also documented along with the nap time measured in the number of hours and whether it was undisturbed. Parents are invited to meet the care givers every alternate month to discuss the progress of the child.
With all the above, children not just thrive, they enjoy coming to the day care. When so much care is given, a parent, especially a working mother, can work reassured and lead a guilt free parenthood!
Happy Parenting!
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