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baby food, a favorite blanket, a playpen or fold-up mini-crib, teething ring, toys, and an emergency kit. The emergency kit should contain items such as cotton balls, band-aids, Ipetac syrup in case of ingestion of dangerous chemicals, phone numbers in case of emergency, the pediatrician's number and address, and any other items specific to your child's needs. The more the parents provide, the less the family member has to provide and the less it can cost to have a family member care for the child.

If neither of these options is available, it is time to check into daycare facilities and/or home-sitter services. Always ask for references and be certain to follow up on the references by making calls to other parents. Find out exactly how each parent feels about any given daycare facility. Check the Better Business Bureau for any negative complaints against said daycare. Take time to drop in unannounced in order to see the daycare employees in action. Do not let anyone know you are dropping by. The point of this experiment is to learn how the daycare employees in question are treating the children when the parents are not there.

Once you find the daycare that meets all your expectations, negotiate fees. Most daycares have set fees but some will haggle a bit on the costs especially if the parents are supplying particular items for their child so the daycare facility does not have to do so. The most important item to check is the late fees for picking up the child. Many daycare agencies charge somewhere in the neighborhood of one dollar to six dollars for every minute the parent is late in picking up the child. When your child begins daycare, continue to stop by unannounced to make certain the daycare workers are treating the children well. Law enforcement have experience with discovering daycare employees mistreating children. The more you stop in unannounced the better chance you can learn if the daycare is caring for your child in a safe, congruent manner that enhances the child's learning skills and bonding.

The other thing parents need to become aware of is the fact that children in daycare facilities tend to catch colds and viruses frequently from being around other children. It is much like when a child begins school. If one child becomes ill with virus, cold, or even chicken pox, it is likely that your child will become ill as well. Vaccinations against things such as the chicken pox are available from your pediatrician. Ask your pediatrician to recommend

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