Be assured that all of the time you spend finding the right child care situation will be worth it. Children and parents who are satisfied with their child care arrangements are less likely to feel stress in other parts of their lives. Children can build strong relationships with their caregivers, and develop and grow in a safe and loving environment with their peers. Parents can relax knowing their child is well cared for in a safe, nurturing, educational environment. Each child is unique in his own learning needs and style which affects your family's needs for child care and other resources. Understanding what your child needs to help him grow and learn is very important in helping you to make good decisions about his child care and how you parent him.
Part of understanding your child is understanding his natural temperament. Temperament is something every baby is born with, which forms a key component of his personality, and is as individual as his fingerprints. Some child care environments work better for children with certain temperaments. For example, if your child seems to react negatively to a lot of stimulation, a large child care center with many children may not be the place for him. Some children tend to be "easy" in general, and adapt well to different experiences, others are more "difficult" and have a harder time adapting. When choosing child care, take into consideration your child's natural temperamant. There are many different elements that all play a part in your child's temperament.
Things to consider about your child's temperament include:
Your child's activity level:
- Does your child require a lot of physical activity during the day?
- Is he restless?
- Is he always fidgeting or in constant motion?
Your child's attention span:
- Can your child sit and focus on an age-appropriate activity?
- Do you find that she is so focused that she cannot break away?
Your child's reaction to stimuli:
- Does your child react strongly to the least amount of stimulation?
- Is your child able to focus on a task in a stimulating environment?
Your child's ability to adapt to new situations:
- Is your child put off by new situations or transitions during the day?
- Does he enjoy meeting new people?
Your child's moods:
- Does your child usually have a more positive or negative outlook?
- Does he show intense happiness or sadness ?
The schedule your child keeps:
- Does your child have regular nap and bedtime routines?
- Does he eat at regularly scheduled times during the day, or does he get hungry at unpredictable times?
