It depends on the type of violation. If you found she had violations, you should look more carefully on the TDPRS website for the nature of those violations and when they were corrected. TDPRS initiated a new set of detailed guidelines in fall 2003 and many providers with recent inspections are discovering that they have failed to properly fill out newly required paperwork. However, a violation is not always a case of improper paperwork. Look carefully at the violations and use the "Golden Rule" test: the more serious violations are for things you would not even permit in your own home. Read and follow the guidance offered in the TDPRS FAQ section. Remember, you are responsible for the childcare placement decisions you make. State regulations are necessarily more stringent than you are in your own home.

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Every childcare provider is different and rates usually reflect a provider's education, experience, and level of care. Rates may also reflect the child's age, developmental level, and special needs. Because infants require more hands-on attention, their rates may be higher. A child with a debilitating condition that requires more hands-on attention may also have a higher rate. A child care provider with an education or medical degree of some kind may charge a higher rate than a provider who does not have a degree. You should call several providers who offer the type of childcare you need. In this field of work, you often really do get what you pay for.

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Getting an early start on finding a provider is smart. It gives you time to practice interviewing and to figure out what is most important to you in a provider. It is often worthwhile to begin paying for the slot even though your baby has not yet arrived, especially when you believe you have found just the right person that you have confidence in and don't want to lose her. Childcare slots can open or be filled without much notice, so it is wise to secure the one you want. Ask you chosen provider what her policy is for pre-borns. Policies will differ from provider to provider.

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Not necessarily. Children will learn such things wherever two or more are gathered. Ask the provider to learn what the circumstances were for your child's unwelcome vocabulary addition. If this is the only problem you encounter at the facility, switching will not really lower the chances of a similar occurence.

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It is amazing how many childcare providers can get children to do things that their parents cannot. This is often because of the "monkey see, monkey do" syndrome. When a child who needs one thing at home watches the other children at the childcare facility do it a different way, that child will often adapt to the environment. Many providers cannot rock all the babies to sleep every day, and a case could be made that it is good for children to learn self-comforting and go to sleep on their own. Talk with your provider and see whether a compromise can be worked out. In the end, if having your child rocked to sleep is a non-negotiable for you, you may need to seek another provider. It is good practice, though, to try to reach a compromise that works for you and your current provider first.

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An emergency plan of action begins with a well stocked first aid kit. Many states regulate what goes in a provider's kit — ask a provider or your state's regulating agency what is required. A list of emergency contact phone numbers should be with the kit in case the facility must be evacuated and the parents need to be notified. The first aid kit and list of emergency numbers should also be in the vehicle whenever children are transported. Regularly scheduled fire and tornado drills should be practiced and their frequency may be regulated by your state. These drills should be documented, as should regular inspections or tests of the fire extinguishers, smoke and CO detectors, and the replacement of their batteries as required. Parents should ask providers what their emergency plans are. Even if these things are not required in your state, they are good safety practices in case of an emergency.

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While it is true that most children welcome the comforting actions of an adult, some are better left to work things out on their own. Such children only become more upset and cry louder and longer when hugged and loved on. They usually do better when they are allowed to get involved in an activity and they get their mind off of the separation sadness. Keep in mind that the provider and the child's parents have probably already worked this out. This is not necessarily a red flag issue, but you should ask the provider about it.

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Liability and logistics. Some providers do not want to deal with the added liability issues. Others have too many infants or children to make field trips practical. There are also some parents who do not want their young child out and about in someone else's car.

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It is a common practice to pay for things before you use them. We do this with books, groceries, gasoline, and other things. A professional childcare provider is not a high school babysitter on a Friday night. Your friend is engaging the professional services of a business, not a babysitter. In this field of work, the incidence of parents who forget or neglect to pay on time is very high. A home-based childcare facility may not look like a real business from the outside, but the provider pays taxes, keeps records, educates your child, and cares for him or her like any center-based facility. Paying on time and in the manner agreed upon is a real sign of respect for your childcare provider.

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Not at all. Many in-home childcare providers use a curriculum, provide receipts, have specialized training or education, do field trips, serve family meals as opposed to microwave quickie meals, keep full records on every child, and have preschool programs. Just because it looks like a house from the outside doesn't mean it can't be a center of learning and care on the inside.

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