Single dad

The right daycare center is important to ensure your child's safety and well-being. While quite a few daycare centers are good, others are not. It is therefore important to select a center where you can be sure that your child will be well looked after.

Here is how you can select a good daycare center for your child:

• Determine your requirements: Decide whether you would prefer a big center where several children are present, or a smaller one with fewer children. Location is another consideration: Decide whether the center should be close to your home or your place of work.

• List centers: Once you know your requirements, make a list of the possible daycare centers that fit the bill. You can do this by looking up the Internet and the yellow pages, or by inquiring with your pediatrician or local hospital. An even better way is to consult friends or family members whose advice you can rely upon.

• Research details: Find out important details about the daycare centers you have listed. For instance, is the center certified by the National Association for the Education for Young Children, or the National Association of Family Child Care? Phone them to get details regarding timings, fees, activities, and policies.

• Visit the centers: Once you have narrowed down the list to a few potential centers, pay these places a visit. Look around the place and talk to the people in charge. Decide whether your child would be happy when left here.

Finally, in the weeks after you pick the perfect day-care center, make a few unannounced visits-just to see what goes on when there aren't any parents around. Your parenting style is likely to impact the way your child grows up. Being responsive to your children, and at the same time, setting clear rules and limits, is crucial for you as a parent.