NICHH Child Care Study: Mother's Sensitivity Not To Be Overlooked

I've done some digging, trying to find the original study and an honest review of it for you to use. It was not as easy to find as I had hoped! However, I did make some progress. The actual study is at www.secc.rti.org but it is basically a scientific report of the types of testing and research they did, it is not an overview of the findings. The actual press release put out by the NICHH is at www.nichd.nih.gov/news/releases/child_care.cfm so this is probably the most reliable source for the overview. I find it interesting that the release states: "a mother's sensitivity was a better iindicator of reported problem behaviors than was time in child care." Also, "Higher maternal education and family income also predicted lower levels of children's problem behaviors." Interesting, I haven't found a single news article that reports this! Could it be that it's just too hard to put any blame on parents for their child's behavior so the media gives the parents an out by placing it on the child care centers? Things that make ya go hummmmmm....

Child Care Study: Tell Parents The WHOLE Story

Once again the air is abuzz with the sound of the media picking the bones of a press release and finding a morsel to throw out into public view to scare the pants off them. The newest child care study released in the Washington Post sheds a poor light on childcare - when a child is in poor quality care, in a large group setting, for long hours. The media has once again decided to leave out the details in order to sensationalize this and squeeze all the controversy out of it that they can. The articles popping up all over the country tell horror stories of how all of our children are doomed to negative, aggresive behavior due to being in child care.

THE TRUTH: the study actually showed that children in high quality care for short periods of time show a positive long term outcome. They keys here are that the quality needs to be high, the group needs to be small, and the parents need to spend all the time they can with their child. Well, I do believe I just gave the definition of family child care!

So providers, take a few moments this week to talk with your child care parents about this study. They are probably reading blogs and other news briefs on the web and may be concerned. Let them know that the negative effects of child care cited in the study do not apply to their child! Family child care providers provide some of the highest quality care in the nation. Our small group size and ability to bond individually with the children, and continue relationships as they grow older offer children a level of quality that is leaps and bounds above that which centers can provide.

Does this mean then that centers provide low quality care? Hey now! Don't act like the media does, take the time to truly understand the issue. While it's true that centers house many more children - they also have individual classrooms. So the question isn't how big is the center, it's how big is the classroom. I am often asked by parents to tell them which center in town I think is the best, I always respond the same - the place where you take your child for care is only as good as the teacher and classroom where your child will be. So, centers that maintain small classrooms and hire quality, trained staff with that "I love what I do" X factor in their gut, are just as likey to provide the level of quality a child deserves as a family child care provider.

The point here is, that if you know your a great teacher or FCC provider, don't keep it a secret! Tell the parents all you do to keep the quality high in your classroom/home environment. Tell them why you are the part of the study that showed child care as a benefit for children and why you shouldn't be compared to the places that have a negative effect on children.

Better yet, call your local newspaper, radio and TV people and let them know there's a GREAT daycare in their midst and it's about time they covered the story!

KidBiz Newsletter is Launched!

The first edition of the KidBiz Newsletter made it's debut yesterday! Filled with straight forward information that can make a difference for child care providers, the newsletter is your link with each other and the information you are searching for! The first issue starts by exploring how to get parents to follow through on the tasks you ask of them, such as bringing more diapers and filling out forms. There's a couple of Tips and Tricks, taken from my booklet 101 Tips and Tricks, an open forum where readers can ask others for help with a specific issue, and a list of where I will be presenting for the month. Nothing fancy, just straight talk from one professional to another. If you haven't signed up yet, visit http://www.patriciadischler.com/ to subscribe now!

Working for YOU!

Hey There Bloggers! This is my first post, and I can't wait until we get going! I'll start off by telling you a bit about me...

For the past 17 years I have run Patty Cake Preschool, a family child care business. It's been a great ride! I LOVE my job, my career, and all that it entails! I've learned alot over the years and it's time to give back. In 2005 I wrote From Babysitter To Business Owner: Getting The Most Out Of Your Home Child Care Business (Redleaf Press) and since then I've been traveling the country to present at child care conferences and share this information. My main goals are to help other providers gain the appreciation and respect the deserve and give them the tools to make their business successful for years to come! This year I released a new book, Because I Loved You: A Birthmother's View Of Open Adoption (Goblin Fern Press) and began to add speaking engagements at adoption agencies to my list of activities. Balancing the daycare, the writing, the speaking and my family has really become tough so I've made the difficult decision to close my daycare and focus on writing and training.

So, that brings me back to this blog. My goal as a writer is to bring child care professionals the books they need. That means hearing from you! What is tough for you? What parts inspire you? I want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly! By staying connected with you I can provide not only the books you are looking for, but the trainings as well. I attended alot of hours at conferences in my career in child care and I know what bugged me and what I loved. How about you?

Join this discussion, share your stories, and let's find a way to keep going in this Kid Biz that we call child care!