Chicago Baby - Fall 2008 - (Page 24) 0-3 MONTHS Choosing the best care Tips for interviewing potential providers BY LAURA SCHOCKER hen Dr. Anita Chandra met her now-regular babysitter nine years ago, her first child was 3 months old. Interested in finding someone with similar family and religious values, Chandra says she was happy when the sitter brought her own daughter to the interview. “This is a family relationship,” she says. “And I felt like we were really interviewing family background, not just an individual.” Chandra, who now has four children, says her family “struck gold” with their sitter, but sometimes it’s not that easy for new parents. Sixty-two percent of Illinois families with children 5 and under are using some type of regular child care and about 40 percent of them are there more than 30 hours per week. Yet selecting the right option can be daunting. Navigating the initial interview is an important step to assuring your baby is in a child care arrangement that’s comfortable for parents, too. W want to make sure they feel comfortable administering medication and following your directions,” she says. Other questions that are important to ask are whether or not he or she feels comfortable cooking, doing laundry or driving. You may also want to touch base on the provider’s personal health to make sure sick days will be minimal and that communicable diseases won’t spread around the house. Chandra suggests watching out for sitters who are uncomfortable with parents being in the house or someone who is too pushy, taking on an “I know best” attitude. “That’s going to set up for an uncomfortable environment,” she says. Exploring other options Another option for new parents to consider is group child care outside of the home, like a day care center. For these types of programs, start by interviewing the director of the center, as well as the teacher or assistant who will be in the room with your child, says Maniatis. Like choosing a nanny, it’s helpful to begin by asking each of these people about their experiences in the field. Maniatis’ organization provides a list of suggested questions for new parents to ask, including topics like educational background, specialized child care training, Getting started Start by interviewing or visiting at least three of each of the child care options you are considering, whether this includes day cares, in-home facilities or nannies, says Kanella Maniatis, a child care consultant for the Illinois Action for Children, a nonprofit organization that advocates for quality child care and early education. When interviewing a potential nanny, Chandra, who is a pediatrician with Northwestern Memorial Physician’s Group and on staff at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, suggests starting with some questions about the person’s experience. Ask about activities that they’ve done with children in the past, even their own, she says. Since the new nanny will be filling in when you can’t be there, Chandra suggests asking, “Will they be doing the things you would do?” Safety is another key issue to bring up during this first interview, Chandra says. She suggests parents ask about knowledge of infant care and, specifically, infant CPR training. You may also want to check in on the potential nanny’s feelings about sick children or allergies. “You 24 | Fall 2008 | ChicagoParent.com http://www.ChicagoParent.com
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