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Drop-In Child Day Care Centers

Drop in child care centers are becoming increasingly popular, centers such as these are ideal for emergencies such as a babysitter canceling at the last minute or a nanny calling in sick. Drop in centers will allow you to virtually just take your child and drop them off, this of course can be a great advantage for parents but also they do have disadvantages.

The plus side

The big plus side is of course that centers such as these don’t need any advance warning you can generally turn up at the center and leave your child in their care. Most centers of this type have fully qualified staff working for them and the center will usually have to be registered for child minding the same as any day care center.

The only time when advance notice is often required is when you have a very young baby for the center might not have enough staff for them to assign a child carer to a young baby. Child to staff ratios must be maintained in any child care facility and drop in centers are no exception so if the center is a particularly popular one then sometimes places are taken up quickly.

The downside

Your child could be upset at being in a new environment with adults and children they haven’t seen before, generally when your child is going to attend child care on a regular basis they will have been introduced beforehand and most likely they will have spent some time with you there.

Suddenly taking a young child to a new strange environment can cause problems if you just drop them off and walk away from them. Also you won’t have had time to talk with staff members or parents and find out what the center is like, at the most you will be able to have a quick look around the place but you can’t be sure that it meets the standards it should.

Staff members won’t know your child and what they like and don’t like, if your child is quiet or can be boisterous or what type of activities your child enjoys and also what they are like at mixing with other children.

Points to remember when using drop in care

• Always remember to take any medication your child needs with you, don’t go rushing off without it and make sure it is clearly labeled with your child’s name, address, age and a contact telephone number.
• If your child is young and will likely have a nap while in care then make sure you take pacifier’s or a particular stuffed toy they sleep with.
• Remember to tell staff of any allergies your child might have, any foods for example they shouldn’t eat.
• Give staff detailed information on any illnesses your child suffers from such as asthma or epilepsy.
• Make sure staff know where you can be contacted during your child’s stay.
• Let your child take a favorite toy with them this could help to make them feel more at ease.
• Talk with your child and make the stay an adventure, make it sound exciting.