In Search of Mary Poppins (continued)

When you're selecting care for your preschooler, you'll want to consider such factors as the quality and quantity of play materials and the availability of other children his own age--factors that frequently put home daycare homes at a disadvantage. Unless the caregiver in your neighborhood belongs to the toy of the month club, her house is likely to lack some of the bells and whistles that larger centers have to offer. Likewise, unless she specializes in caring for preschoolers rather than infants or toddlers, your child is less likely to enjoy the same number of interactions with children his own age as he would enjoy in a larger center. (Note: This is not meant to imply that more is necessarily better. Certain children thrive in settings with fewer children. And, what's more, a cupboard full of toys is no substitute for the care of a loving and committed caregiver, wherever you may find her.)

And here's some more food for thought: While it's important to find an environment that meets your child's needs today, you'll want to be sure that the situation will be suited to him for the longterm. Otherwise you'll be back to square one in another year or two and actively looking for another care arrangement for your child.

Unfortunately, it's not easy to find a childcare arrangement that can grow with your child. Some centers provide excellent programming for toddlers and preschoolers, but simply don't have low enough caregiver-child ratios to deliver top-notch infant care. Likewise, some home daycare providers are wonderfully responsive to babies, but lack the patience required to work with toddlers and preschoolers. You should consider yourself blessed indeed if you manage to find a caregiver or facility that is capable of providing your child with an excellent standard of care from birth until the time he starts school.

Your child's temperament

Your child's temperament is every bit as important as his age in determining the suitability of a particular childcare arrangement. Quiet, shy children may feel more comfortable in home daycare environments than in large childcare centers. Likewise, particularly active and outgoing children may find home daycare homes too quiet for their liking (particularly if the others in care are younger children), and may prefer the buzz of activity at larger childcare centers instead. The best way to assess the fit between your child and a particular childcare environment is to give him the opportunity to test drive it for himself. Take your child along when you visit childcare centers or home daycare homes and note how comfortable he is with the caregiver and other children.

While finding a suitable childcare arrangement for your child can take a bit of legwork, the time you devote to your search is time well spent.