I Am Opening a Daycare

The most important things to me are:
- providers environment is clean and safe
- provider is clean looking and put together
- a posted schedule of daily schedule for families to see.
- a family info board that has any announcements, notifications, etc

Being licensed by the state of MI. I trust that people who have gone through the hoops to be licensed are going to then be clean, have a general schedule, and know all the safety precautions.

One thing that I look for, is someone who does not charge me for her to take a vacation. I understand paying for holidays and sick days, my kid would normally be there, and I get paid time off for holidays and sick days. However, if my day care provider takes a vacation and expects me to still pay her the usual rate, I still have to pay someone else to take care of my children, and I don't have the money to double pay. I know there are a lot of day care providers out there that do that and feel they are entitled to that. My feeling is that I am paying you for a service, why pay you for a service that you're not doing that week?

Being a good teacher to my kids and me being able to talk with them about anything from discipline to food to how long naps at home should be. I had one daycare that cared about my daughter, but would not be willing to talk to me about those kinds of things, she said I should already know how to be a mom (my mom passed away and that was my first daughter).

Also, I dont think I should have to pay if the daycare decides to close for personal reasons, holidays I can understand. And the cost should be equal or less to the majority of childcare homes in your area. Also, discounts for siblings!

daily posted schedule, including nap times and a food menu.

If the children are older, a list of what words/letters/numbers they might be working on so parents can work with the children at home and they know what is going on with their children.

Clean, safe, positive learning environment, but that should be the case without saying.