Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

One of the biggest issues for new mothers returning to work after maternity leave is childcare.  Not everyone has the opportunity to work from home or pursue a schedule that allows one parent to be home with baby at all times.  For all too many working parents, full time daycare is the only option.

It can be nerve wracking to entrust your precious little one with someone other than, well, yourself - even more so if you're looking at 40 (or more) hours a week, not just a few hours for a date night with your partner.  How on earth do you find a good daycare with a quality staff that will help bring up your child in a safe, loving, educational environment?  What do you do if you're trying to find childcare to replace a caregiver who didn't work out or who moved on to greener pastures?

Start asking questions; start with the following list and see what else you can come up with once you start making the rounds of the child care circuit near your home or workplace.

1. How long have you been in business?  How long has this location been here?  (In the case of franchise daycares, you don't want to only base your decision on the company's reputation - you need to delve into the director's/owner's rep as well.)
2. Are you licensed and when was your last safety/health/child-care inspection?  (Obviously if your state requires licensing this should be a yes; regular visits from inspectors are a good thing - quarterly pop-ins are great.)
3. Regarding the staff: have you done background checks on everyone?  (You want a yes!)  How well trained are they?  (Management should have at least a bachelor's degree; look for early childhood/child development education for directors and trainers of staff.)
4. What is the child to adult ratio?  (Look for a ratio of 1 adult to no more than 4 infants; 1 adult to 5 toddlers is good.)
5. What is your policy regarding discipline?  Who will discipline my child if she misbehaves and what will be done about various behaviors?  Who does my child have as an advocate when dealing with other children who misbehave toward her?
6. What are your health and safety policies?  (Ask about handwashing, first aid prep, cleanliness, and sick child policies.)
7. Can I tour the facility and meet the caregivers who might interact with my child?  Is my child welcome (if applicable) to take the tour with me?

Above all else, remember to trust your instincts and those of your child.  If you are moving a toddler or preschooler from one daycare to another, watch them.  Do they feel at ease with the caregivers, or do they hang back more than normal?  Do the potential caregivers attempt to interact with your child in a genuine manner?  Does your child later remark that a person made them "feel yucky" or "get creeped out"?  No one knows your kiddo better than you - delve deeper and trust gut when asking whether the child is just nervous about a change or genuinely feels uncomfortable with or even alarmed by a person.