Daycare Systems?

[QseeksA]

Hi there,
I don't know if this has been asked before, or if I'm even in the right spot... newbie, so bare with me, please!

I'm currently working as a nanny, and in a year or two I would like to start up a licensed daycare in BC.

My question (if you're a parent) is, what are your thoughts on the experiences you've had with daycares? (IE. things that worked well, or things you didn't like. What price do you consider to be too much? Would you prefer an in home daycare, or one that's in a facility? What sort of activities were you [not] happy with? What hours work best)

If you've worked in a daycare before, what sort of things (charging rates, activities, hours etc.) worked well for you?

Any imput is appreciated! Thank you!!

[Jina]

Personally I prefer daycare centres than home daycare. I just have a problem trusting that the caregiver will not put my son in front of the TV all day, or yell at him or hit him without me knowing. At the centre, I can peep anytime through the window. I know the owner of the daycare my son goes to, and doesn't tolerate the teachers being rough on the kids, hence I've seen new faces a lot there. DS loves his daycare. He doesn't adapt to people easily and likes a nurturing environment, which he is getting. I like the fact that I get feedbacks from the teachers every time I pick him up. If I have a question that they couldn't answer, they'd follow-up the next day with DS and come up with an answer.
The teachers at the daycare helps with potty training, which makes it so much easier at home. DS already imitates the other kids when he sees them go on the toilet. One day he came home and said "tata" and went to the bathroom.
I like the fact that his daycare has a person the cooks the meals from scratch there. There is a kitchen. The daycare also washes the blankets the kids use at naptime. There is a huge play yard at the back of the building divided in 4 sections depending on age group. The activities are well structured. There is art class, gardening, introduction to musical instruments and French. DS always wants to help when I'm gardening. The teachers made the kids plant a see in a pot, then on mother's day, the plant had germinated. That was my mother's day gift, together with a poem that he "signed". I like all the special things they do there. The day DS started daycare, the teachers kept the artwork, with his name and date written on it. Then it was given to us for Christmas, together with a poem with his handprints, framed.
DS bit the other kids a few times, but the teachers were patient. One of them shadowed my son. They don't punish nor shout. Instead they try to explain calmly.
There's a mum's club, annual bbq, performances, parents/teacher meetings, etc...

We are very happy with the quality of care and also the location is convenient for us. We are paying $1,170 per month. 18-30 months old.
Only problem is it closes at 5:30pm. I'm suppose to finish work at 5pm, thankfully my boss is ok with me leaving at 4pm.

[Minou]

I love the home daycare my son goes to! The woman taking care of him is wondeful! She raises monarchs in screened aquariums in the house and has the kids release them when they emerge as butterflies. They play outside a lot. She also has an aquarium with tadpoles that turn into frogs so the kids can watch the process. She does wonderful crafts and art with the kids. She's very reliable, patient, (though no-nonsense) and smart. She only takes care of four kids, and charges $25 a day, including snacks and lunch (of course, the Manitoba market is different from that in a lot of other places). We heard about her daycare from one of my coworkers. I really like getting to know one caregiver rather than not knowing what we're getting at a centre (especially one with high turnover).

[Darth Penguin]

I've used both types of day-care.

I had 2 wonderful women back in the UK at different times. Their advantage was the more personal care they gave to Penguinette 1.I had to provide diapers, food, wipes and other sundries. Both had good craft cupboards and didn't allow much access to the tv, IIRC less than 15mins/day.

I interviewed one carer who shoved her charges in front of the tv while I was there ...yeah! never went there.

When we moved to Qc, Penguinette1 went to a group day-care. In which she was followed by Penguinette 2 and LilPenguin in turn. I loved that place. The staff was very stable in personel, no rapid turn-over of staff. There was a lot more in the way of toys and crafts. The outside area was shady and had lots of space and jungle gyms. I still had to provide diapers and wipes and clean clothes, but an on-site chef provided healthy, Qc certifed snacks and meals.

[Zonny]

I like the stability of a day care centre. I don't have to worry about getting a last minute call that the caregiver is sick and I have to take a day off work, or worry about scheduling my family vacation time around the caregiver's.

Now that DS is in school, he goes to a small place before and after school, maybe a dozen kids there. It's just one worker, but friends who have had kids there tell me there's only been one sick day in the last few years. She does close for a week around Christmas, but we're generally off around then anyhow.

In summer she has a couple of staff and they take the kids all day and they do different activities.

Costs all depend on where you are, what province, whether you're in a rural area or in a city, etc.