Five Rules to Live By

1. Do plan your meals every week so that you can keep track of what you are eating.
   


2. Do incorporate foods with which the whole family is comfortable. There are healthy alternatives for nearly every kid-favorite food.
   


3. Do eat fruits, vegetables, protein, grains, nuts, and dairy daily. These choices will keep your children full and less likely to turn to foods with empty calories.
   


4. Do involve the whole family in meal planning, exercise, and family outings. The whole family's involvement will ensure success.
   


5. Do get your children to exercise at least three times a week, 60 minutes per day—which can be broken up into six times each day for about 10 to 15 minutes.
   
   

Five Things to Avoid

1. Don't ever skip a meal. Skipping meals deprives the body of important nutrients and may cause you to over compensate by eating empty calories later.
   


2. Don't completely eliminate the foods children are used to eating. Instead, try to make or find a healthier version (for example, instead of French fries, try sweet potato slices baked in a broiler).
   


3. Don't make deep-fried or fast foods a part of your diet. Replace these with foods that have been sautéed, baked, roasted, broiled, or grilled.
   


4. Don't expect the children to participate in good nutrition and exercise without parents being good role models.
   


5. Don't rely on daycare, gym class, or sports team involvement to teach your kids lifelong exercise habits. Children need to learn to exercise without being a part of a sports team and get into the habit of an exercise routine.

If you would stop at nothing to save or improve the life of your pet, the costs can add up fast. Now you can buy pet insurance in case your pet needs medical attention that you can't afford. Veterinarian Karen Halligan explains pet insurance and how to decide if it's for you.
Like all insurance, with pet insurance you're paying for something you may never use. But in the event you need it, you should be sure the coverage is there. Health insurance for both people and pets is a business and it stays alive by making a profit. By definition, pet insurance insures against emergency costs while charging monthly premiums whether or not claims are made. That, of course, is the essence of insurance. Either you take the risk or you pay the insurance company to take the risk on your behalf.
If you're the kind of pet owner who would stop at nothing to save or improve the life of your pet, the dollars can add up quickly. A hit-by-car accident could easily cost upward of $5,000 in vet bills, especially if your pet is in intensive care in a 24- hour hospital, which costs around $500 per day. You pay for insurance in case your pet needs medical attention that you can't afford.
What Is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance pays a portion of your vet bills in exchange for a monthly premium. Typically you pay the vet bill upfront and the insurance company reimburses you an amount that is stated in your policy.
Although there are differences, pet insurance is similar to human health insurance with deductibles, maximums, and co-pays. The portion that's paid to you is contingent on your policy and the stated conditions that are covered.
Pet insurance usually doesn't cover all treatments that your cat or dog might need. It's not inexpensive or without its share of problems. I've heard some clients complain that it has taken six to seven weeks to be reimbursed for a claim when the policy promises to pay in thirty days.
The least expensive policies run about $10 a month, with premium plans up to $50 a month or more. The cost of insurance increases as the coverage improves. That means you could easily spend up to $7,200 on premiums over your pet's lifetime.
How Pet Insurance Works
Is pet insurance worth the price? You need to weigh the cost of the insurance against the likelihood of submitting a claim. Pet insurance, like human health insurance, works best to cover unexpected and expensive situations. If your pet ends up hospitalized with a serious illness, coverage will be a godsend and can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Pet health insurance is inexpensive compared to human health insurance.
There are two basic kinds of health plans. First, like human insurance plans, there are companies that pay a percentage of the charges after you pay a deductible first. Second, there are price-reduction plans that, for an annual fee, cover a small percentage of virtually any pet-related charges. Usually, the smaller the deductible, the higher the premium. As with human health insurance, the more expensive plans have higher limits.
Unlike human health insurance plans, though, pet insurance plans may have age restrictions, and there are limits to what a company will pay. Compared to human insurance, which offers a lifetime maximum of around $3 million, pet insurance offers a lifetime maximum of approximately $150,000. There are also per-incident limits and annual limits to what a company will pay out.
To Insure or Not to Insure
What do you think the odds are that your pet will have an accident or become ill? You need to carefully analyze your pet's lifestyle. Does it often get into fights with other dogs or cats, get into the garbage, have a tendency to eat nonfood items, or have a pet's family history of hip dysplasia, diabetes, or some other genetically predisposed condition?
When it comes to pet insurance, you can't decide on price alone, so arm yourself with knowledge to secure the insurance policy that's best for you and your pet. I recommend that you add up how much you spend a year on veterinary care for each pet and separate the costs into routine care versus accidents and/or illness. Develop estimates for one to five years and then see how expensive the premium would be for the same period and how much of your expenses the pet insurance policy would cover. You also need to consider the age of your cat or dog and their potential to have health problems. Usually, lower monthly premiums come with higher deductibles and/or larger co-payments.
Pet Insurance Tips
Look for a health insurer that has been in business for at least a couple of years.
Ask your vet and other pet owners for recommendations.
Search the Internet for complaints against or praise for the insurance company you're considering.
Make sure the company is licensed in your state. Not all plans operate in all states. Be sure to check that your provider is licensed by the Department of Insurance and is regulated in your state.
Contact your state's Department of Insurance about the company you're considering and any consumer complaints against it, and get the scoop on insurers operating in your state.
Read policies very carefully for conditions and exclusions before enrolling. Many policies don't cover hereditary or congenital defects and others will cover preexisting conditions only if the dog or cat has not needed treatment in at least six months.
Consider the specific health needs of your dog or cat.
With new puppies or kittens, consider getting a policy that covers routine care as well as injuries and illnesses.
Think about your pet's age. The best time to purchase a policy is when your pet is young. That way you won't have to worry if your pet develops a long- term health problem and thus has a preexisting condition.
Consider plan affiliations. See if your employer or the pet-industry organization you belong to has an affiliation with one of the plans. Some companies make a contribution to premiums while others ensure that employees get a group rate.
For older pets, consider policies that cover routine dental cleaning, prescription medications, and diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays, ultrasounds, and ECGs.
The older your pet becomes, the more the premiums will cost, and they can be quite high for an older pet, even a healthy one.
Read the fine print, understand the limitations, and look for exemptions.
Talk to other pet owners with insurance.
Consider your pet's lifestyle. Active, outdoor pets are at higher risk.
Ask yourself if you're looking for a discount plan or a comprehensive insurance plan. These can differ. With discount fee plans, you pay an annual fee and get discounted veterinarian and related pet services. A comprehensive pet health insurance plan would operate similarly to human health insurance.

Self-Insurance
Another option is to self-insure. In lieu of pet insurance, you can open a savings account for your pet and deposit a few dollars into it every week to pay for unexpected vet bills. Then you'll know the money is there if you need it for your pet's health emergency. Of course, this only works if you're a disciplined person and can put the money aside in the first place. This is a step toward peace of mind, but it can be difficult not to occasionally borrow from the emergency fund. What happens when your pet's emergency savings is used up? You have to start saving all over again. In addition, since the cost of treatments can be high, you could use up all you've saved on one accident or illness and not have enough money when another one arises. That's why pet insurance is worth investigating.

How do you feel comfortable in your own body when you're not the only one in your body? Get tips to help you strengthen your self concept as you prepare for baby.
I've said it time and time again: If I could look as good in a pregnant state as Denise Richards or Brooke Shields, I'd continue reproducing possibly until the end of time. There are many women who love being pregnant. And for each woman who glows with splendor while carrying a baby inside her, there are probably two (at least) who, for various reasons, count the minutes between getting a positive pregnancy test and looking into their newborn's eyes.
Since having my first daughter five years ago, the consumer industry's approach toward these precious nine months has undeniably changed. Some Labor and Delivery units rival the Ritz Carlton, and with the myriad of new merchandise on the market aimed at expectant women, one could almost consider getting pregnant simply for the sheer enjoyment of experimenting with them all. Whether it involves a change in perspective or products, there are many approaches pregnant women can take to ensure that they feel great about themselves—inside and out—while expecting.
The Truth
What many women forget—as they stare in disbelief at the cover of a magazine portraying an expectant celebrity eight months along and counting but looking no more than four—is that celebrities have access to dietitians, personal trainers, and personal shoppers whose job it is to keep them trim, toned, and magazine-cover ready. Note: As you work to put your eyes back in their sockets and close your mouth while balancing the aforementioned magazine on the newly grown shelf just below your chest, please don't forget about airbrushing. Add to that the likely possibility that four minutes or so after that celebrity walks in the front door with her new baby, her trainer pops up in front of her with cartoon-like enthusiasm, a protein shake, and a reminder that he'll meet her in six weeks (or less) for a two-hour run, 1,000 crunches, and some Pilates.
Rest assured, there are a few pregnancy pitfalls that even celebrities can't avoid. Stretch marks, excessive weight gain, and swelling can all be part of the process depending on the way in which one's body responds. As fabulous as Demi Moore looked on the cover of Vanity Fair in 1991, it was rumored in many a magazine that even she lives with stretch marks. The gossip magazines had a field day when Kate Hudson gained a rumored 75 pounds during her pregnancy. However, she appeared quite happy in nearly every picture taken of her during this time, lending more than an ounce of credibility to the idea that how you feel about yourself while pregnant is what it's all about.
Hip (and Affordable) Maternity Clothes
One of the best ways to send your I-feel-frumpy state of mind through the revolving door to Hotel Get-A-Load-Of-Me is by revamping your maternity wardrobe. Thankfully, the era of maternity muumuus with patterns so bold that one could be seen coming a mile away on Madison Avenue at rush hour is long gone. The celebrity-sported maternity lines which were once reserved only for those with a bank account balance that grew in tandem with their bellies are now being created for the rest of us. An added bonus: they're cute!
So, toss the sweats that are two sizes too big and hit the mall. Find some styles that catch your eye. Spend a bit more to buy a few bottoms that you really like (because the part of you from the hips down is likely to be the part about which you feel not-so-good), and pair those with bright, fun, stylish tops. Liz Lange has a maternity line at Target which is not only affordable, it's adorable. The Gap has done wonderfully with their collection (and you can return items that don't fit properly directly to the stores, saving you shipping charges). The affordable options available online are limitless.
Product Availability
With so much merchandise on the market geared toward pregnant women—from stretch mark minimizing cream, to sunscreen that allegedly prevents chloasma, to leg cream that can supposedly bring immediate relaxation to legs and ankles—there's nary an excuse not to feel spectacular, or at least have fun trying.
According to Stephanie Breemes, mom of one-year-old Ava, "If a company sells you on the promise that its lotion will reduce or prevent stretch marks, I think it's worth a try. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I got my hands on Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula lotion for stretch marks and was a faithful user right up until the day I delivered."
A firm believer that doing whatever it takes to feel your best is an important part of being pregnant, Breemes continued to use that lotion even after her belly grew so large that stretch marks ended up making a small appearance in her last trimester. "Mentally," she said, "it made me feel like I was at least trying to take care of what used to be my body!"
The Wonder of Water
Water is so sacred, it's a wonder it's free. Don't forget for even a second the importance of drinking enough water each day.
According to Dr. Susan Warhus, an obstetrician based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the author of Countdown to Baby: Answers to the 100 Most Asked Questions About Pregnancy and Childbirth, "Drinking water is important for everyone's good health, even more so during pregnancy. Drinking water helps to prevent preterm contractions, keeps your skin hydrated, assists in maintaining regular bowel function, and helps to prevent urinary tract infections." During pregnancy, "maintain regular bowel function" can be translated as "avoid hemorrhoids." Believe me, you'll feel much better if you do not have to contend with these!
Try to focus on drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. Purchase a thermos-style container that not only fits into the cup holder of your car, but also has a straw-like attachment. (If you're trying to take a sip from a wide-mouth opening while going 60mph down the freeway, I promise you're going to go over a bump just as the liquid begins entering your mouth. It will then appear to everyone at your destination that perhaps you're suffering from another potential pitfall of pregnancy: incontinence.) Using a thermos with a volume indicator also makes it easier to keep track of daily intake; if you are using a 32-ounce container, you know that to meet your daily minimum you need to fill it and finish it at least twice.
Exercise
No one would suggest training for a triathlon or sustaining an exercise routine that would make Jennifer Garner's trainer proud, but exercising during pregnancy to the extent permitted by your doctor provides numerous benefits.
According to Martha Hazel, BS, ACE certified personal trainer, "Women who exercise during pregnancy can generally expect to see less ankle swelling, fatigue, constipation, and shortness of breath. Other benefits include easier recovery from labor, greater energy reserves, and enhanced psychological well-being."
Warhus concurs. "Many women find that [exercise] provides them with extra energy and stamina, and is also a way to blow off steam and deal with anxiety." However, Warhus cautions, "If you are not used to exercising, be sure to begin cautiously and slowly."
A State of Calm
The emotional changes a woman experiences while pregnant may, in fact, cause her the most discomfort—both directly and indirectly. The stress that may be experienced due to negotiating the upcoming lifestyle changes or deciding which stroller to purchase is often managed differently by a woman with extra hormones floating around. Notes Warhus, "It stands to reason that as your body goes through significant changes during pregnancy, so do your emotions. It's quite common to have a mixture of feelings that may range from euphoria to fear to sadness."
Warhus has spent many years reassuring her own patients that emotional stress does not seem to have a definite negative effect on pregnancy outcomes. "Still," she warns, "stress may have effects on you and your baby that medical science does not completely understand." For example, stress can lead to an elevated heart rate or elevated stress hormones, and a fetus may very well "feel" these changes within your body.
Mindful exercises such as yoga or meditation can be beneficial not only during these nine months, but at any point in your life when you are feeling more anxious than usual. Some days, calming music and a good book (that has nothing to do with parenthood) can make for a more relaxing afternoon than navigating the aisles of Babies "R" Us again in search of the perfect pacifier. And last, but certainly not least, a good maternity massage never hurt anyone!
Fringe Benefits
Store clerks' eyes will bulge if they believe there's even a remote possibility that you'll deliver in Aisle 9 between the pickles and the potato chips. One of the best things about being obviously pregnant is that you will likely be allowed, implored perhaps, to cut in line at the grocery store, the home improvement store—the Department of Motor Vehicles even. (Certainly, data has been collected which proves that the best time to renew your driver's license is somewhere between the seven-month mark and the timeframe during which your water might break while in line.) Typically, the more uncomfortable you look, the better your chances. So, this might be a good time to breathe a bit more loudly than normal, or push your hands into the small of your back and emit a low groan. But there's still no reason not to be wearing a cute outfit.
What truly matters most is each pregnant woman's perception of herself during this amazing time. Each change that your body undergoes is its own response to the miracle growing inside you. Regardless of one's preconceptions of what makes a beautiful pregnant body, the fact is everyone's pregnancy and pregnant shape is unique. These nine months are a time to be celebrated. So lather on a great-smelling body cream, don a fabulous outfit, grab a bottle of water, and let the whole world hear you roar.

Using leftover baby food to create flavorful, nutritional meals for the entire family! Tips and recipes for baby food meals.
Admit it—you've sampled some of your baby's food before. Whether you buy your baby's food or make it yourself, there's something soothing about pureed peaches or chunky rice pudding. But baby food isn't just for babies. You can use leftover baby food in meals for the whole family. It's not only convenient, but you'll be surprised how good baby food-inspired recipes can be.
Changing Your View of Baby Food
"I don't like the term 'baby food'," explains Lisa Barnes, mother of two and a member of the American Personal Chef Association (APCA). "Baby food for many people conjures up the image of [food in] jars." Barnes adds that many people think that baby food—especially the store-bought, jarred varieties—is bland and unappealing. This isn't necessarily the case. (Check out these new palate-expanding baby foods as proof!)
Barnes, the author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby & Toddler, explains that you shouldn't consider baby food as separate from what the rest of the family is eating, but instead simply think about it as the same food made age appropriate. You eat an apple; your baby eats an apple that has been pureed until the consistency is right for her.
Making Baby Food Convenient
Before you start preparing baby food-inspired meals, make it easier on yourself by having plenty of choices on hand. Julianne E. Hood, mother of two and the author of The Basic Baby Food Cookbook, buys fresh fruits and vegetables in season and prepares them for storage by washing them and pureeing them in a food processor. Hood then pours the puree into ice cube trays and later stores the frozen cubes in freezer bags so they're ready to use.
"Start to finish it takes me 15 to 20 minutes to prepare a big bulk batch of fruits," says Hood. "Two pounds of fruit makes about 40 ice cube servings." She reminds parents not to forget to strain out seeds in fruits for beginning eaters.
You may also want to freeze larger portions of savory foods, such as meats and chopped-up pastas. For this, Hood uses muffin trays, pouring the baby food into the tins, freezing, and then storing. A few minutes in microwave and her toddler's meal is ready.
Using Baby Food to Add Flavor
Once you have plenty of baby food on hand, it's time to start cooking!
Start with mixing in baby food to add flavor. For savory dishes, try using meat-based food to thicken sauces or create richer casseroles, stews, and soups. For example, if you're preparing beef stroganoff, add a beef or tomato-based baby food to create a more complex flavor. Enliven your vegetable soup with pureed zucchini, tomatoes, or another hearty vegetable.
During snack time, mix fruit baby food into plain yogurt or a veggie baby food into plain cream cheese to spread on crackers (with either, simply thaw a food cube or two for seconds in the microwave and you're ready to go). Use fruit puree as jam on bread or crackers.
When it comes to desserts, fruity baby foods make the perfect accompaniment. Stir pureed strawberries, peaches, or cherries into whipped cream to top cakes. Create simple sauces to drizzle on whole fruit or chocolate creations. My favorite: chocolate cheesecake with dollops of tangy mango puree. Barnes says she serves cherry puree to her baby and cherry sorbet to her husband—both love it.
Using Baby Food for a Nutritional Punch
You want to be careful about what you feed your baby. Yet the same quality ingredients and care that you put into your baby's dishes can make yours healthier, too. Tossing some of your baby's food into your own meals can make it easier to get your full servings of vegetables and fruits.
For breakfast, Hood suggests adding a cube or two of fruit to pancake or waffle batter. Her children rave about her strawberry pancakes.
In baked goods, such as coffee cakes and muffins, try substituting pureed fruit for part of the butter or oil called for in the recipe. For instance, my favorite recipe for pound cake muffins that calls for eight tablespoons of butter, I use six instead and use pureed baby food peaches for the other two tablespoons.
Snacking becomes fun when you add baby food veggies. Gigi Lee Chang, who was inspired by the birth of her son to create Plum Organic baby foods, loves to spread bread with her own blend of super greens, which include spinach. Mix pureed spinach with plain yogurt for a dip to accompany pita chips or thin slices of baguette bread.
Dinnertime is the perfect opportunity to create healthier meals by sneaking in quality baby foods. Hood throws an assortment of baby food extras into her spaghetti sauce—zucchini, carrots, meats; any baby leftovers can add extra nutrients. Chang tosses pureed spinach with pasta for a quick pesto.
Get creative with ways to use savory baby foods like vegetables and meat into your recipes. Try adding a little green beans into your gravy, sweet potatoes into regular mashed potatoes, and zucchini into casseroles.
As with baked goods for breakfast, you can create healthier versions of your favorite sweets by adding in some extra baby food. For instance, pureed prunes are a secret sweetener and fat substitute in chocolate chip cookies.
Healthy fruit desserts are simple and tasty with baby food. Hood tops off meals with fruit smoothies—she tosses a variety of fruit ice cubes in with frozen yogurt in the blender.
Baby Food Bliss
Blending baby foods into your regular diet can help your add flavor, convenience, and nutrition to your own meals—even better, it can be fun!
The next time you think baby food is just for babies, try a few of these recipe suggestions to wow everyone in your family, from your toddler to your spouse.
Recipes
The Strawberry "Dream" Smoothie
2 cups low-fat/skim organic milk
1 cup thawed strawberry baby food
¾ cup vanilla organic yogurt
1 cup low-fat, sugar-free vanilla ice cream
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed or toasted wheat germ
½ cup crushed ice
For this simple recipe from Julianne Hood, just add all of the above ingredients to your food processor or blender and process until smooth. Yum!
Sweet Potato Turkey Casserole
1 tsp. olive oil or other heart-healthy oil
1/8 cup diced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped roast turkey
1/8 cup finely chopped cooked green beans or peas (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup waterPinch finely chopped rosemary4 oz. Plum Organics Sweet Potatoes puree
Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about two minutes.
Mix in roast turkey, green beans/peas, rosemary and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Chang created this recipe featuring the Plum Organics food and suggests that if you're making this recipe for babies ages six to nine months, puree the mixture, adding extra water if necessary. For older babies, Chang recommends roughly mashing the mixture in the pan with a potato masher.
Warm Plum Organics Sweet Potatoes separately and fold into final blended mixture or mash. Allow to cool and serve. This serving size is perfect for a toddler meal. Simply double or triple it for a fun family meal.
TIP: For a healthy, hearty toddler meal, place the rough mash in a small oven proof dish, top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for five minutes or until cheese is melted. Allow to cool thoroughly and serve in a child-friendly dish.
Red Lentil Cranberry Chicken
1 tsp. olive oil or other heart-healthy oil
1/8 cup diced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped roast chicken
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. cranberry sauce or dried cranberries, finely chopped
4 oz. Plum Organics Red Lentil Veggie meal
Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about two minutes.
Mix in roast turkey, cranberry sauce/dried cranberries and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
For babies six to nine months, puree the mixture in a blender, adding extra water if necessary. For older babies, roughly mash the mixture in the pan with a potato masher.
Warm Plum Organics Red Lentil Veggie meal separately and fold into final blended mixture or mash. Allow to cool and serve.
TIP: For a healthy, hearty toddler meal, place the rough mash in a small oven proof dish, top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for five minutes or until cheese is melted. Allow to cool thoroughly and serve in a child-friendly dish.

Childcare services can vary significantly from one facility to the next. Learn how to find the best service for your child and family.
Childcare services vary in quality, cost, and structure. This is a basic primer on finding the best service for your child in a large, diverse industry. Use this section to get started and then go to the other sections and the web resources page for more information. There are many childcare options. Some websites that you will find particularly useful are the National Child Care Information Center and the National Network for Child Care. The key is to find the one that is best for your family.
Care in Your Home
A parent, other family member, relative, friend, or nanny might be engaged to provide care for your child in your own home. This option gives you the most control over your child's care and environment. You also reduce the exposure to other children's infectious problems. Before employing someone in this capacity, check his or her references very carefully.
The weekly cost for this type of childcare varies from near zero for a devoted relative to more than $400 per week for a full-time nanny. Not only must you pay the nanny's salary, but you must also consider social security tax, workman's compensation, withholding tax, and other such financial matters. You can get assistance with these issues from local agencies.
Childcare Centers
These are commercial or non-profit centers outside of a private home. They provide childcare for up to 120 children per day. With a center you eliminate the problem of no childcare if your family childcare provider is ill. You also have the comfort of knowing that there are many providers to help your child. If one becomes frustrated, another can step in to help.
These providers must meet certain minimal criteria regarding the number of children per staff member, immunization history of children, and cleanliness of the environment. They are regulated by state or local laws and may be accredited by national agencies as meeting certain minimum standards. Staff members frequently have training in child health and development. The cost for this type of childcare varies but is usually more expensive than a family childcare home. In the United States, the cost varies from about $115 to over $200 per week. Cost per child varies depending on geographic region, age of your child, number of children you enroll, days per week, and hours per day that you use their services.
Family Childcare Homes
These are other peoples' homes that are used as childcare centers. They are regulated by state or local laws. The variation in the quality among these providers is broad. You will need to evaluate these centers carefully to make sure your child is in an optimal situation. The cost for this type of childcare ranges from $75 to over $200 per week and varies by geographic region. One of the biggest concerns with this type of childcare is what to do if your regular provider is ill herself. In this situation, you may not have care available for your child.
Some of these providers have extensive training in child development. Others have virtually no training and even lack basic first aid skills. You should go through a checklist to make sure that you have reviewed the important qualifications that you want for a family home childcare provider. Such checklists are available from a variety of sources. Check with a local daycare association.
Health Issues
Whenever you have children together, they will inevitably share their infections with one another. As long as your childcare provider takes appropriate precautions and your child has a healthy immune system, your child is not in danger. Childcare providers should be aware of and follow published recommendations from local organizations, the local Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control. Ask the childcare provider which set of recommendations she follows. You should also observe the providers to make certain that they practice good hand washing, follow their policies on toy cleaning, and other recommendations.
Obtain a clear understanding of the center's policy for sick children. The center should give you a copy of this policy when you enroll your child. This policy will help you to know when your child is too sick to go to childcare. Always make certain that your childcare provider has all the phone and fax numbers needed to contact you at any time.
Finding Childcare Alternatives
There are resources to help you locate high-quality providers. Almost all medium to large cities have information networks that can give you lists of licensed childcare providers including their qualifications, experience, and availability. Child Care Aware has a help number that you can call to get a referral to a local agency providing networking services (800-424-2246). Suburban and urban newspapers carry advertisements for childcare providers. Local agencies (both non-profit and for-profit) often serve as brokers helping to link up providers and purchasers of childcare services. The fee for these brokers can exceed $100 even with non-profit agencies. Some employers assist employees by paying the fee.
Once you have identified the alternatives from referral agencies, Internet sources, and other people's recommendations, you need to decide which one is best for your child. After you have narrowed your selections to a few centers, you should visit the childcare facilities yourself. Seeing what these centers look and feel like during their hours of operation can be very valuable.
Special Situations
Some families have childcare needs that are particularly difficult. Mothers or fathers who need childcare during off hours often find that the service is either prohibitively expensive or simply not available. Nurses, transportation workers, and others who frequently work at night often have great difficulty finding appropriate childcare. Locating childcare for children with special needs can also be challenging. Hopefully, businesses will increase their assistance to workers to help them meet these special needs. Networking with other parents in similar situations may be your best source of information about resources in your area.
Plainly Speaking
Childcare is in high demand and many facilities and care givers have arisen to meet this demand. Some of the care is excellent and some of it, frankly, jeopardizes your child's health. A clear knowledge of what is available and what issues to consider can help you to find what is best for your child. This is just a primer. To get the best care for your child, talk with other parents, contact local childcare organizations, and use the other resources referenced in this site.