Cheritera Hikayati

Now I have one problem when I start working back after confinement. Where to put my baby? Finding a babysitter is very difficult even child care also difficult at my house area. By the way, which one is better? Babysitter or Child care? I read in Babycenter about these.

Babysitter
A babysitter's work is based in her home - so you need to satisfy yourself completely that the person you choose is worthy of your trust.

There are a number of signs that indicate your babysitter is perfectly capable of caring for your child safely, but first of all you will need to find somebody that you can build a rapport with. Some working parents find that they make good friends with their babysitters because they have views and values in common and, of course, a shared priority of looking after your child.

Look for someone that you can trust and respect. If you harbour doubts, your child will pick up on them and may either become anxious, or try to trade the carer off against you.

How do I find out if the babysitter I like has a good reputation? 
An experienced, good babysitter will be able to draw upon many parents, both past and present, who will be happy to give references. Ask for a few telephone numbers and ring them up for an informal chat. You will soon pick up a feeling from them. Take your own first impressions into account, too. Are you comfortable with this person? If you have a toddler or older child, what is your child's reaction? Use your judgement to weigh up your own instincts and get views from previous and existing clients.

I'm worried my child will get a worse deal than my babysitter's children. Is this likely? 
It is important to satisfy yourself that your own children will not be treated significantly differently to your babysitter's children. You should talk about this when you meet up, as it is bound to be something that any competent babysitter will have thought about.

You should accept that there will be different levels of familiarity in the household, at least for a little while, until your child becomes part of the family. But you should be able to feel that your child is treated equally from day one when it comes to issues such as discipline, conflict, resolution or attention.

What sort of questions should I ask when I meet her? 
Most babysitters begin babysitting when they are mothers with young children of their own. Many of their skills as carers will come from their own experience. It is useful to spend some time talking to any potential babysitter about their approach to certain areas, so that you know that you share common views about important childcare issues.
Here are some questions you could ask:

• What is your approach to discipline? How would you discipline a child? Would the age of the child make any difference? What do you think of as bad behaviour?

• What are your favourite foods for children? What is a typical meal for the children? How often do you allow them to snack, or have sweets and sugary kuih?

• Can you describe a typical day to me?

• What sort of activities do you do with the children? Can I see some examples?

Don't be shy about asking these questions. It may seem impertinent to ask, but you are within your rights to find out how your child will be treated. There are no right or wrong answers, but the best babysitter for you will be the one whose answers closely correspond with your views. A babysitter has a huge influence on the children in their care and you should visit as often as you need, and ask questions until you are satisfied.

What will my child be doing all day? 
You will be able to gauge what your child is likely to be doing if you visit a babysitter during the day. You should see signs of plenty of toys and activities. Once your child has started there, she should have lots to talk about and you will soon learn from her what is going on.

Whilst it is important to remember that your babysitter may have young children, as well as household tasks to do, you should feel confident that the children have plenty of opportunities for both indoor and outdoor play.

What is the main quality that a babysitter needs? 
Babysitters need to take genuine pleasure in the company of children. Ask your babysitter what brought them to this role and what they most enjoy.

As we all know, caring for children all day is a demanding and tiring job, which should only be done by those who are committed to all aspects of children's emotional, social and intellectual development.

Summing up 
You should make sure that your babysitter has the following:

• A good reputation 
• An ability to treat their own and other children equally 
• A firm but fair attitude 
• Plenty of activities on hand for the children 
• A clear enjoyment of children 
• A clean, safe home 


Child Care / Nurseries
A childcare centre (also commonly known as daycare or nursery) is where children are cared for in safe and stimulating surroundings. The number of children attending a childcare centre may vary from small (about 10 to 20 babies and toddlers) to large (about 50 or even more, although this is unusual). The number of qualified staff and the space required to accommodate the children in comfort are variable, depending on your area.

There are several different types of childcare centres:
the workplace daycare (available in some multi-national corporations);
the state-run or charity-run centre;
the privately-run childcare centre;
the centre attached to an independent playschool or preschool.
Standards are variable and it will very much be up to you to do your own research about important factors such as staff qualification, carer-to-child ratio, food safety and hygiene.

When are childcare centres open? 
Most centres cater for the children of parents with full-time jobs, and normally stay open from 8am (or earlier) until 6pm. Some will stay open for longer than that. Most centres will close for certain periods during the year. For example, they may close for a number of weeks over the school holidays, and perhaps a week for Chinese New Year or Hari Raya. This means that you will have to take the same holiday, or make alternative arrangements during that time.

How much does a childcare place cost? 
Costs depend very much on where you live. Some fees may be subsidised by employers (depending on your employment contract or company policy). If you have more than one child, you will have to pay for both of them, although there are some daycares that offer a second place at a slightly reduced rate.

What will my child do at daycare? 
Daycare is all about creating a place where babies and children can play, learn, enjoy meals and rest. There should be opportunities to paint, listen to stories, play music, be creative and enjoy freeplay, where the children can choose what they would like to do.
They will also be able to play with other children, and often there will be outside activity areas. There may be separate rooms for different age groups, partly so that the babies are not disturbed by active toddlers, and also because there are different staffing ratios according to the age of the children.

By necessity, childcare centres all have their own routines, and children (but not babies) are encouraged to conform to it. For example, most centres encourage children to have a sleep after their lunch. However, good daycares will always want to know about a child's routine before starting at the centre, and try to ease the transition.

What can childcare centres offer babies? 
Not all centres will take in a young infant. Daycare centres attached to private schools, for example, may not take a child younger than 18 months, or may only take in a child who is steadily toddling or toddler who is already potty trained.

By looking round different local daycare centres, you will get a feel for the one that you think is right for your child.