I once had a little boy in my day care whose mother seemed a bit upset with me. I asked her if she wanted to ask me something. She said she didn’t think it was good to give the children peanut butter every day for lunch… I asked her whatever gave her the idea that I gave them peanut butter every day. She said she asked her son what he had for lunch and every day he said peanut butter. I had to laugh a little and told her that he asked for peanut butter every day but, of course, that was not what I gave him. I told her that anytime she wanted, she could ask me what they had for lunch or she could drop by if it would make her feel better. Might be a more reliable source that asking a 3 year old little boy who just loved peanut butter. Many providers belong to a Federal Food Program and they mandate a required nutritional variety of foods. However, before I joined the program I gave them the same foods. I give the children a good variety in the menu and all of the required foods. Lunch should be a protein, a grain, two fruits and/or vegetables and milk for children over 1 year old. Know you have the right to ask what your child is being fed at day care. Also, when starting your child in day care be sure to inform the provider of any food allergies or sensitivities. If your child has severe allergies you might want to provide a bottle of Benadryl in case of a reaction. You should also provide her with written and signed permission to administer the medication with the correct dosage. She should also have a medical permission slip in case of emergency and she has to call for medical assistance. Some children have very severe allergies that are life threatening and your provider should be told before starting with her services to be sure she is willing to deal with this issue.

When calling a child care provider remember that she is already busy with other children in her care.  Keep the questions  to the minimum of what you need to ask to decide about setting up a personal interview.   What you mostly want to ask on the phone is…..

Is she still doing child care and does she have room for a child in the age group of your child.

You should be sure the provider is in the area in which you need child care.  Especially in large cities where commute time could be lengthened if the provider is not close to your home or work.

Ask the days and hours she is available for care.

If you are looking for part-time or drop-in care inform the provider that it is all you need as she may only take full time children.

If your child has any special needs such as any allergies or fears related to animals or food allergies tell her to be sure she is willing to take a child with those issues.  Any other special needs you feel need to be addressed should be mentioned.

Should your child have any particular personality issues, this is the time to mention it.  An example would be a child who is very shy or takes time to adjust to a new environment.

You can also ask what the fee would be per week/month for your child in care.  Inquire if the provider takes state supplemented child care fees if you are in such a program.

Finding out if the provider is currently licensed by the state is important.

If your child is not toilet trained you might want to also find out if the provider takes children who are not yet out of diapers.

Most other questions should be reserved for the personal face to face interview.  If you feel comfortable with the provider over the phone, set up a date and time for the interview.  Offer your phone number in case the provider needs to call you to make a change.  Arrive on time for the interview as the provider has set aside time to talk with you and if you are late it may interrupt the schedule she has set up for activities with the children in her care.  If for any reason you will not be able to be there for the interview appointment do call the provider and cancel or rearrange another time if you still want to interview her.  Be considerate of her time and do not leave her waiting for you for no reason.  It is a common courtesy that is often forgotten.

I recommend that parents personally interview at least five providers before making a decision about who will care for their child.  Everyone is a little different and you should be able to feel comfortable with one or more providers so that you feel confident to leave your child in their care.  Only make this decision  after seeing the child care environment.

There are many providers working to take good care of the children left with them on a daily basis so parents can go to work and not worry about their children.  You can find one too….