Own a Daycare Blog » make http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:32:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 How to make your first day in daycare a success! http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success-2 http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success-2#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:09:16 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=809 Related posts:]]> First day in a daycare center can be frightening and exciting at the same time. It can be a breeze for some but most parents experience hell convincing their children that they will be back to fetch them later in the afternoon. Let me share to you some of my helpful tips to prep you and your child in making that first day separation a walk in the park.

When you prepare, start early. Preparation is not just an overnight thing. To start, parents may try to slowly instill into the minds of your children what daycare is going to be like. Obviously, do not go down to the technical stuff and instead, draw a picture into their minds that a daycare will be an adventure wherein he or she will meet new friends and play a lot of games. However, it is fairly easy to overwhelm the child so never overdo it. Parents may also arrange for activities that are done at home be done at the daycare center so that first day won’t be so much of a change in routine.

As First Day is nearing, try to inculcate independence by encouraging the washing of his own hands, visitation of friends, and the like. Weeks prior to first day, regularly take your child with you to visit the daycare to allow the child to absorb the feeling of the environment. If you are already sure about the daycare center wherein you will enroll your child, settle all accounts and make sure all forms are properly filled-up.

On the eve of the first day, make sure that you prepare everything as in everything that will be needed for tomorrow’s big day. Things to pack include, foods, clothes, toys, blankets and other things deemed necessary. It is also helpful that items are labeled.

A good breakfast will surely help you sustain your energy levels as you face the big day. Don’t forget to talk to your child about how great this adventure this will be for him.

Once again, instill independence in your child by letting him pack and carry his own things. Walk your child into the daycare center holding his hand instead of carrying him in your arms.

Most daycare centers advocate settling-in period. This is the period when the parents are allowed to stay longer to interact with their child to ease separation anxiety. However, parents should also be supportive of the policy of limiting too much parent interaction as part of the child’s training. It is suggested that parents just sit back and relax and observe how their child is being treated in the daycare facility. Most of the time, the parents can observe that their child may begin with isolating himself and playing alone but gradually he may venture into joining the group. Children have their own pace and this should be respected. When the parents leave, daycare facilitators may need to distract the child by offering more exciting activities.

An essential part of daycare training is routine. Drop off can be something to establish routine. Instead of accompanying the child inside, parents may opt to train their child to be dropped off outside the daycare as time goes by.

See: How to start a daycare business

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success-2/feed 0 How to make your first day in daycare a success! http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:33:41 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=710 Related posts:]]> First day in a daycare center can be frightening and exciting at the same time. It can be a breeze for some but most parents experience hell convincing their children that they will be back to fetch them later in the afternoon. Let me share to you some of my helpful tips to prep you and your child in making that first day separation a walk in the park.

When you prepare, start early. Preparation is not just an overnight thing. To start, parents may try to slowly instill into the minds of your children what daycare is going to be like. Obviously, do not go down to the technical stuff and instead, draw a picture into their minds that a daycare will be an adventure wherein he or she will meet new friends and play a lot of games. However, it is fairly easy to overwhelm the child so never overdo it. Parents may also arrange for activities that are done at home be done at the daycare center so that first day won’t be so much of a change in routine.

As First Day is nearing, try to inculcate independence by encouraging the washing of his own hands, visitation of friends, and the like. Weeks prior to first day, regularly take your child with you to visit the daycare to allow the child to absorb the feeling of the environment. If you are already sure about the daycare center wherein you will enrol your child, settle all accounts and make sure all forms are properly filled-up.

On the eve of the first day, make sure that you prepare everything as in everything that will be needed for tomorrow’s big day. Things to pack include, foods, clothes, toys, blankets and other things deemed necessary. It is also helpful that items are labelled.

A good breakfast will surely help you sustain your energy levels as you face the big day. Don’t forget to talk to your child about how great this adventure this will be for him.

Once again, instill independence in your child by letting him pack and carry his own things. Walk your child into the daycare center holding his hand instead of carrying him in your arms.

Most daycare centers advocate settling-in period. This is the period when the parents are allowed to stay longer to interact with their child to ease separation anxiety. However, parents should also be supportive of the policy of limiting too much parent interaction as part of the child’s training. It is suggested that parents just sit back and relax and observe how their child is being treated in the daycare facility. Most of the time, the parents can observe that their child may begin with isolating himself and playing alone but gradually he may venture into joining the group. Children have their own pace and this should be respected. When the parents leave, daycare facilitators may need to distract the child by offering more exciting activities.

An essential part of daycare training is routine. Drop off can be something to establish routine. Instead of accompanying the child inside, parents may opt to train their child to be dropped off outside the daycare as time goes by.

Related posts:

]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/how-to-make-your-first-day-in-daycare-a-success/feed 0 Common Mistakes That Can Make Your Daycare Center Fall Apart http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/common-mistakes-that-can-make-your-daycare-center-fall-apart http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/common-mistakes-that-can-make-your-daycare-center-fall-apart#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:22:02 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=437 Related posts:]]>
Lack of a set curriculum or structure.
If you’re looking for quality families and parents who care about their child’s development then you want to make sure you have a program that nurtures, educates, and challenges children. Parents are willing to pay you well if they feel you have a great program. You will also have a greater opportunity to increase your enrollment if you have people asking to enroll in your center. A lousy program, watching T.V. not going outside will hurt you in the long run. You’ll have problems enrolling children and the children who you do enroll may not want to pay.

Unlicensed Operation
License is very much important when you run your own home daycare. This is because you are practically dealing with children all day and can definitely risk their condition. If there are accidents and emergencies, chances are you will be at great fault for not being able to take care of the children and operate within the boundaries set by the state as well.

Unsafe Daycare Center Facility
Safety and security are two of the most important things in a daycare center. You have to be able to make sure that the location of your daycare is perfectly suited for children and that your daycare center would also be a good place where children can play around.

Is it Necessary to Get License for your Daycare?
Is it necessary to get license for your daycare? The very obvious answer is definitely yes. Although getting a license for your daycare center has both advantages and disadvantages, there are still far more advantages to it. Your daycare center can only be successful when you apply for a license. Remember were in this business to provide quality childcare, and to have longevity (no burnout).

1. Daycare license can protect you from several types of legalities.

2. Safety is of greatest importance to your daycare center. Promote the right rules and regulations for your daycare center.

3. Rules and Regulations for daycare licensing promote quality daycare.

4. Rules and regulations are there to protect the parent and their children. Parents who find providers who are licensed have greater trust in them.

5. Some states require you to be licensed to collect state aid payments or be a member of their food program- this equal’s more money for you.

Many providers do not have daycare licenses and do operate with numerous children in their care and from daycare licensing standards are over their numbers even if they had a license.

License is really important. It is especially important for you to know that the success of your daycare center actually rely on the quality of the services that you provide. Not only this, you daycare center needs to be able to pass or even surpass the standards set by your prospective clients and customers altogether as this is one thing that can determine the success of your business.

See: How to start a daycare center

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]]> http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/common-mistakes-that-can-make-your-daycare-center-fall-apart/feed 0 Fund Raising Events: How To Make One Work For You http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/fund-raising-events-how-to-make-one-work-for-you http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/fund-raising-events-how-to-make-one-work-for-you#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:54:11 +0000 Mary http://www.ownadaycare.com/blog/?p=282 Related posts:]]> Characteristics: Good and Bad
Since day care fund raisers can be very difficult to organize and plan, the organizers will need to apply a genius day care fund raising idea to utilize and make the activity successful. For better and positive results, organizers should stick to the tried and tested ideas for a day care fund raising activity as new and untested ideas might jeopardize the fund raising activity. Next, the organizers should device ways and steps to help them achieve their plans of holding a day care fund raising activity. Steps such as which sponsors to approach and how to approach them, or how to broach the plan to the day care children’s parents are very important.

A lot of day care fund raising activities settle for tacky, unheard of ideas, only because the organizers want to be different. But these unheard of ideas usually bring in unfavourable results. The bad thing is that it’s not just the day care that suffers, but the children more importantly. It is so very difficult to come up with a new and good idea for a fund raising activity. But whatever the case may be, there are certain characteristics of what a good day care fund raising activity should be. What are these characteristics of a good day care fund raising idea? Add to that, what are the fund raising ideas that would usually work on normal and regular fund raisers but does not work for a day care fund raising activity? Some great fund raising activity ideas are sale, benefit dinner, yard sales where the children and parents can participate as sales persons.

Look for the Best Bargain
Just like with most fund raising events, the best day care fund raising activity idea always does not require the organizers to shell out cash in the planning stage. Most day care centres always use fund raising activity sales in order to come up with funds for the day care centre maintenance cost and the children needs, like playground facilities water and food. This applies if the items to be sold in the day care fund raising activity were gotten by the organizers for free from contributions and donations. In other words, these items were donated by sponsors or individuals. If this is not the case, then the organizers will have to shell out cash up front to pay for the items to be sold in the day care fund raising activity. In this arrangement, the organizers will have to come up with a mark-up range or percentage. For every sale made, the organizers should take back the cost of each item and give the profit, to the day care centre director as funds donated for the day care centre and its children enrolees.

This can be a good idea if the day care centre has enough funds, but in this case, failure becomes an option, particularly because there is a good chance that the organizers might not be able to sell all the items. And history states hat they will not sell all of the items. Thus sending all their efforts, and if ever, the children’s and parents’ efforts as well, down the drain.

Donations are Good
Facts show that the best way to hold fund raising sales is to sell items that were collected through donations. The perfect example, parents can bake goodies from their homes and bring these to the organizers. The baked goods can be pies, tarts, dough nuts etcetera. These goodies are given by the parents to the organizers for free as donations. In this scenario, the day care will not need to spend cash up front. The organizers of the day care fund raising activity can also ask for used items from the children’s parents. Clothes, toys, books, gadgets, furniture, among other things, may be dropped off on a particular day, and then sold on the day of the day care fund raising activity.

Organizers can also seek the help of professional fund raising organizers. It is normal practice that these professionals collect a certain percentage of all the revenues gathered from the day care fund raising activity. Their professional fee will be strictly taken from the revenue and not from the day care centre’s share of the funds produced. The day care’s share is its’ own and will go to its’ bank account for the care and maintenance of its facilities and salaries or allowances or personnel.

Considering Safety Is Good
The organizers are advised to come up with children-safe ideas and activities for the fund raising activity as these activities will certainly involve the day care fund raising activities’ target market, the children. Ones a child’s safety is compromised, the organizers should be held responsible and should assume responsibility. Safety precautions should also be considered for the parents. As with the children’s safety, the organizers should be held responsible in case a parents’ safety has been compromised. The organizers again should assume responsibility. With parental advice and strict watch, a benefit dinner can be a good idea for a day care fund raising activity, where the day care facility is transformed into a small restaurant and the children serve as waiters, waitresses and chefs to their parents and paying guests. In this scenario, a uniform amount is paid by each guest.

The time and date are of important value and must be greatly considered by the organizers for the day care fund raising activity. Weekends are the best times as parents are usually free from work and the day care facility is free. Weekends also means that the invited public are free to attend the fund raising activity of the day care centre. The time and date of a day care fund raising activity are major factors to the success of the day care fund raising activity.

Finally, the activity or activities should be enjoyable for the children and their parents. It should also be educational for the children and allow the parents to spend quality time with their children. The fund raising activity is for the children and for their benefit after all.

See: How to start a daycare center

Related posts:

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