Things You Should Ask When Hiring Child Care Services

15 January 2015
 Categories: , Blog


Maybe you're a new parent that is returning to the workforce following a maternity leave. Or maybe you are a stressed couple who is looking for a relaxing night out without the children. Either way, you are probably considering hiring child care services for your needs. However, doing so can be difficult, as you are basically putting the care of your children in a relative stranger, even if it's just for a few hours on a Friday night. Luckily there are some basic things you can ask while interviewing different individuals that provide child care services that can hopefully help put your mind at ease.

Discipline Practices

Believe it or not, asking those who provide child care services about what their discipline practices are can make the difference in who you hire. For example, ask all of your prospects what they think about spanking and other controversial types of discipline.

Also inquire about how they handle a child that is having a temper tantrum. While this may not seem important on the surface, you want to ensure that the type of discipline you use with your children is consistent even when you are not around. If you are not comfortable with spanking your child yourself, do you really want someone providing child care services who will spank your child when you aren't around? 

 Unconventional Questions

While you want to ask all of the standard questions, consider asking a few that are unconventional, and that can possibly catch providers of child care services off guard. This is one way to ensure that you get an honest answer, and not one that they have prepared in advance.

For example, ask them what kind of activity they would do with the child if they were given a specific amount of time and money, and no other instructions. Or ask what their family members would say about their childhood. You can also ask what type of environment they grew up in, and how their parents handled things like not finishing their dinner or bringing home bad grades. This can actually help get an insight into someone's personality.

One thing you want to do when hiring child care services, like those offered by Imagination Childcare Academy, is make sure that you interview a few different providers in your area. Let them spend a few minutes with your child as well, and look at how the child reacts to them. You want to ensure that you are comfortable with who you hire, but you also want to make sure that your child will be comfortable when you aren't around.


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