How You Can Make Your Childcare Provider’s Job Easier

• Dress your child in weather-appropriate clothing and footwear that’s easy to pull on and off. Dressing a group of young children to go outside in the winter can be frustrating for providers. As soon as the last child is dressed, the other ones start taking their clothes off.

• Expect your children to get their clothes dirty at day care and dress them accordingly. Save fancy dresses and party shoes for special occasions. If children aren’t allowed to get their clothes dirty, providers must exclude them from certain activities.

• Be sure extra clothing left with the provider still fits your child and is appropriate for the season.

• Remember to restock your child’s diaper supply for the provider.

• Keep your child’s toys at home. Sending the toy with the child could lead to difficult disputes with other children.

• Apply all-day sunscreen on your child before leaving home. If a provider has to put sunscreen on six children, she may miss some spots or be unable to adequately supervise the other children.

• If your child is sick, call the provider and describe the illness. The provider can then inform other parents.

• Tell the provider ahead of time if someone other than you will pick up your child that day.