Choosing Childcare: Finding the Right Fit

How to Find the Right Fit For Your Family

Related: 10 Questions to Ask When Choosing Childcare

By Lauren Katims

Like many parents, Molly and Dan Feeley of Andover, Massachusetts began looking for childcare for their daughter long before she was born, heading out on visits to centers with equal parts determination and dread.

“It was actually a pretty emotional experience because I could already feel the guilt of leaving my child in strangers’ hands. I got teary-eyed when we toured each place,” says Molly, who works full time in web marketing at Tufts University in Medford. In the end, the Feeleys visited three different centers in the area before choosing the right place for their daughter, Maeve.

After a couple months, Molly got to know Maeve’s teachers and began to feel comfortable dropping her daughter off in the morning. “She seemed to be really happy there; her skills were developing and she was socializing with the other kids,” says Molly. When the Feeleys had their second child this year, they felt confident sending him to the same center.

Choosing the right childcare can seem overwhelming, especially when you’re a brand new parent and uneasy about being separated from your baby for the first time. But rest easy: several studies point to some wonderful benefits for children in daycare. Kids tend to develop social skills quickly from interaction with other young children, researchers have found. They even may develop school skills, such as holding a pencil and standing in a straight line, long before entering kindergarten.

Childcare providers differ in their philosophies about learning and playing, as well as how much this kind of care should cost. So it’s important to do some initial research.

Go With Your Gut

When visiting a childcare center or daycare operated out of someone’s home, pay attention to the overall feel of the place, recommends Vicki Folds, Ed.D., vice president of education and professional development for Children of America, a national chain of childcare providers. “I tell parents to do a senses test. How does it feel, sound and smell?”