What do I need to think about when choosing a child care centre near me? This is a common question that parents ask themselves, their friends, and Google when the time comes to select a daycare provider for their child.
A great way to get started is to consider your parental values in relation to the following questions:
- Does the child care centre “feel right” to me?
- What environment will my child be in?
- Do the child care centre share my values?
Does the child care centre “feel right” to me?
Do you pay attention to those moments when you feel a “gut instinct” about a situation or person? According to the Oxford Dictionary, intuition can be defined as “The ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.”
While it can be easy to dismiss our intuition in the face of apparent logic or reasoning, there is more to intuition than meets the eye. A 1997 study conducted by psychologist Antoine Bechara (et al.) looked at the role of intuition in decision-making. Findings suggested that guidance from subconscious reasoning, AKA intuition, preceded conscious reasoning when it came to making advantageous decisions.
But where does this feeling come from? Bechara suggests that when an individual is faced with a situation, this activates neural systems that hold knowledge relating to the emotional experience of similar situations in the past. So, while it may seem as if there’s no overt logic to our “gut feeling”, the reasoning is simply occurring at a subconscious level.
“A new idea comes suddenly and in a rather intuitive way,
but intuition is nothing but the outcome of earlier intellectual experience.”
~ Albert Einstein
That’s why, when it comes to choosing the right “child care centre near me”, be sure to check in with your intuition. How does this feel to me?
If this is how you often make decisions, you’re not alone! A qualitative research study on access to early childhood in Australia showed that a consistent finding amongst parents was that they were looking for a child care centre that “felt right” to them.
What Environment Will My Child Be In?
A key question for parents to ask themselves is what environment do I want my child to be in? What experiences of childhood would you like for your child? Naturally, different parents will have different answers to this question.
A research study by Karen Noble on parent choice in relation to early childhood services calls attention to the range of opinions expressed by parents regarding their “visions of childhood”. For example:
- Learning – the importance of preparation for future ‘formal’ learning
- Happiness – that the child feels safe and secure, and happy to go to daycare
The good news is, these two perspectives aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive! You can find a child care centre near you that provides a wonderful environment for happy learners, where children are encouraged to explore their natural curiosity.
Are There Child Care Centres Near Me That Share My Values?
A great way to find a child care centre that fits your child and family, is to choose one that shares your values. You can discover the values of prospective child care centres by:
- Visiting the centre
- Researching their website
- Meeting with the teachers and staff
- Speaking to parents whose children attend the centre
At Sesame Lane, our name itself is a fun acronym for our values:
Smiling is contagious
Excellent customer care
Safety is our priority
Attitude is everything
Make someone’s day
Empathy: we care enough to show it
Is There a Sesame Lane Child Care Centre Near Me?
Sesame Lane has a team of more than 380 educators, teachers, and staff dedicated to providing a fun and nurturing learning environment for every child in our care. Want to know if it “feels right?” Come and see us at one of our 15 centres located throughout the Moreton Bay region.
