How to Choose Quality Childcare...

I received my license this week so I am officially open for business! Instead of only having two spots, I now have 12 a day I can fill...this is so exciting! While looking for child care, you want to find something that works for your family. Sit down and make a list of the things you are looking for in a childcare and what you want in a provider. Make sure you visit the center and meet with the director and providers. The biggest thing is use you instinct, if you don't get a good feeling about it, don't use that provider. Also ask the provider for a reference from a current parent.

When we were first looking for childcare, I called a bunch of different places but I did it all wrong, I called around for price and who would not make me pay during school vacations...biggest mistake of my life. I thought I had a good one but ended up pulling "E" out before I finished teaching for the year for various things I was not impressed with. At that point I realized that we would do what we had to with our budget to get what we want for care. When I had to go back in the fall, we ended up going to a center that I trust whole heartily but it wasn't exactly what I wanted for my children.

That's when Zack and I sat down and made a list of qualities we wanted in the center. This is what I list looked like:

1. Caring and empathic
2. Quality staff with an education background with Early Childhood
3. Learning based play with the different aspects of Montessori and Reggio Emilia
4. Served healthy and fresh food (with the possibility of teaching how to grow food)
5. Community involvement
6. Cleaning with less exposure to chemicals
7. Small Group Settings
8. A "Green" Center

We did not think our list was outrageous but it was very hard to find childcare that covered our childcare needs and wants. This is how we created Pettengill Academy!

Zack and I wanted to offer a childcare option for parents who wanted more than just care for their child. Pettengill Academy follows a learning play curriculum, we make our own baby food, buy our fruits and vegetables from the farmers market when in season or grow our own in our garden. We are certified Eco-Healthy. I am a certified Maine teacher and is in the process to go back to get my Masters in Early Childhood Education. I have also joined the YPLAA Betterment committee, which works to try to change things in Lerwiston/Auburn to make it a better place to open a business, make the community your home and to work here.

Happy Child Care searching!