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Home › Articles › Child Care › If Not You, Who?

If Not You, Who?

Finding the Right Childcare

By Mark Stackpole

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Rebecca Howard is a mother, former nanny and the founder of Bella Bambino Nannies, a nanny referral service based in San Diego, Calif. Her advice? "Take your time!" she says. "Give yourself four to six weeks to find someone. Do not wait until the last minute to start your nanny search or you will put yourself under unnecessary stress."

Howard also advises parents to take the following steps:

  • Check references (for both the nanny and any agency you may be using).
  • Look only for candidates who have age-appropriate experience to your children.
  • Be sure to lay out all of your expectations to candidates during the interviews.

"Be wary of nannies who cannot provide references, or whose only references are family members," Howard says. "Ask detailed questions when checking references to ensure that you are not talking to a 'phony.'"

Heading to Daycare
Many families cannot afford a nanny or would rather see their children socializing in a larger environment. For them, daycare may be the better choice, but choosing the "right" one is certainly not an easier one.

"The most essential advice that I give parents, and that I followed myself when looking for childcare for my son, is to visit the program and spend a substantial amount of time in the classroom or home where your child will be," says Ellen Frede, co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research and an associate professor of developmental psychology and early childhood education at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, N.J. "I spent at least two hours at each program. I know one terrific ECE (early childhood education) expert who took her whole family to the center and spent the day. If the center or childcare provider won't tolerate [your] being there, then don't trust your child to them."


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