Daycare Manager.net - Forum - providers general discussion - classroom management

Daycare Manager.net - Forum - providers general discussion - classroom management: "I am not a daycare provider, but I am involved in a program in which I teach dance at different daycares and preschools all over the city. This is my first week, and this morning I had a class of 13 3-4 year olds. It was completely chaotic. I had a very hard time controlling the class and keeping the children focused. Do any of you have any tips for managing a room of small children? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!"

Daycare Manager.net - Police find drugs in home daycare (14 WFIE Evansville)

Daycare Manager.net - Police find drugs in home daycare (14 WFIE Evansville): "One man is arrested when police find pot in a home daycare. What should you know before you leave your child behind?"

Daycare Manager.net - Daycare building closes with baby inside (The Pantagraph)

Daycare Manager.net - Daycare building closes with baby inside (The Pantagraph): "DALLAS A woman arrived at her child's daycare center to find the building closed with her 14-month-old daughter locked inside alone, authorities said."

Daycare Manager.net - Day care or nightmare? A look at DCF inspections (The News-Press)

Daycare Manager.net - Day care or nightmare? A look at DCF inspections (The News-Press): "Children come home from day care centers with black eyes and bruises on their face."

Daycare Manager.net - Forum - providers general discussion - web sites

Daycare Manager.net - Forum - providers general discussion - web sites: "Does anyone know how to make a personal website for your own daycare? I'm in desperate need of assistance.Thanks:>"

Daycare Manager.net - Child Care Resources receives $291,140 grant (The Journal News)

Daycare Manager.net - Child Care Resources receives $291,140 grant (The Journal News): "Child Care Resources of Rockland has received a $291,140 grant from the state Office of Children and Family Services. The money will be used to fund a large part of the referral agency's annual budget, said Jane Brown, executive director of the Spring Valley-based group."

Daycare Manager.net - Time served for daycare provider convicted of killing baby (KTVA Anchorage)

Daycare Manager.net - Time served for daycare provider convicted of killing baby (KTVA Anchorage): "Sat, 06 Oct 2007 03:15:41 GMT A daycare provider convicted of killing a 10-month-old baby more than a decade ago was back in court Friday. She left a free woman."

Daycare Manager.net - Mother Claims Sons Pushed, Forced to Clean Urine at South Bend Daycare (22 WSBT South Bend)

Daycare Manager.net - Mother Claims Sons Pushed, Forced to Clean Urine at South Bend Daycare (22 WSBT South Bend): "Thu, 04 Oct 2007 20:33:17 GMT (WSBT) Police are investigating a daycare center after allegations a teacher got rough with children while forcing them to clean up urine. The Growing Kids Learning Center in South Bend says there is more to the story."

Daycare Manager.net - Childcare voucher program underfunded (University of Washington Daily)

Daycare Manager.net - Childcare voucher program underfunded (University of Washington Daily): "According to the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS), during the 2006-07 school year, the UW experienced the longest waiting list in the history of its childcare voucher program."

Technology in Early Childhood Programs

The Following Article is reprinted from an article appearing on the NAEYC Web Site can can be seen in its original form at http://www.naeyc.org/resources/eyly/1996/09a.htm

The NAEYC is the National Association for the Education of Young Children

Technology in Early Childhood Programs

As technology becomes more accessible to early childhood programs and computer software becomes more user-friendly, early childhood educators have a responsibility to examine its impact on children and prepare themselves to use it for all children’s benefit.

Here are some tips for professionals in evaluating computer programs, which can be used -- like any other learning tool -- in developmentally appropriate or inappropriate ways.

1. Early childhood professionals must apply the principles of developmentally appropriate practice and appropriate curriculum and assessment when choosing technology for use in their classrooms or programs. Even technological learning tools must be appropriate for the age and experience of children in a particular group. Software that is little more than an electronic worksheet does little to increase children’s understanding of concepts.

2. Used appropriately, technology can improve children’s thinking ability and help them develop good relationships with peers. Developmentally appropriate software engages children in conversation and creative play. It also helps develop children’s problem-solving abilities. Ideally, computer software should be designed to grow with children, offering more challenges as they learn new skills.

3. Technology should be integrated into daily learning activities. Computers should not replace or disrupt existing program routines. This can be accomplished by locating computers in the classroom rather than in a separate lab. Teachers can choose software to further enrich the every-day curriculum, and bridge the gaps between different subjects, like music and math.

4. Teachers should work for equity in access to technology for all children and their families. Research has found that girls use computers in and out of school less often than boys do; African American students have less access to computers than White students; and richer schools buy more equipment and more expensive equipment (Sutton, 1991). If educators do not work to provide access to technology for all children, the gaps in children’s ability and familiarity with technology will widen. Technology has many potential benefits for children with special needs, and may be essential for successful inclusion. Software may function as an "on-demand" tutor, meeting children’s individual needs, learning styles, and preferences. And, when used appropriately, it may encourage and enable all children to think and work independently.

5. Technology has a powerful influence over children’s learning -- it must not teach them to stereotype or use violence to solve their problems. Software can reflect children’s diverse cultures, languages, and ethnic heritages; it should depict the world children live in and encourage them to appreciate diversity. Teachers and caregivers are challenged to discover software programs that promote positive social values, and encourage tolerance and exploration of the richness in their own and other cultures. Beware of violence and brutality in today’s software, which often mirrors that of movies and TV. It is even more disturbing when destruction is used as a means of solving problems in computer software, because the software allows children to cause violence themselves, rather than just witness it on the screen. Software that allows children to destroy without facing actual consequences may hinder them from learning personal responsibility.

6. Work together with parents to promote appropriate uses of technology. Early childhood professionals and parents both have a responsibility to educate themselves on the benefits of technology for children’s education. Yet they must also make smart choices as consumers and inform software developers when they are unhappy or happy with products. Together, parents and professionals can advocate for software that encourages cooperation among children, caters to the needs of children with varying abilities, reflects productive and non-violent ways of solving problems, and offers positive representations of gender, cultural and linguistic diversity, and physical abilities.

To receive a copy of NAEYC’s position statement on "Technology and Young Children, Ages 3 through 8," see the September 1996 issue of Young Children, or send a SASE to:NAEYC Public AffairsBox #6021509 16th St., NWWashington, DC 20036-1426.

Visit the NAEYC Web Site at http://www.naeyc.org/

Books on Child Care

Books on child care - there are a million of them...

There are more books than you can imagine on every topic you can imagine related to children, child care, child psychology, and more.

Every month a new one comes out and it is always a new opinion, new strategy, or new way of doing things.

My child-rearing strategy has always been a simple one. Don't overthink it - Humans have been raising children for thousands of years - There were no books then, I sure as heck don't need one now.

In retrospect however, raising children today is quite a bit different than even just 100 years ago - Maybe we do need books, T.V. and Dr. Phil..?

Now, as I type, I am really thinking about this whole "Thousands of Years" thing. Actually, I suppose there was/were books on the subject. Not so much for the average reader, but in a religious context, the Bible (and texts from other religions) contain a fair amount of information related to raising your children. These ideas were taught by priests, rabbiis and the like for Thousands of years.

Today we still have these great books, and more. Ok - so what is the frustrated child care professional or parent supposed to do. Which ones to read, which ones are right?

For starters, in this day and age, we have to be careful I suppose. Every parent with children in our care probably has a slightly (or drastically) different set of opinions on what is right. I believe it to be critical that as a child care provider, that you discuss and document what your approaches and techniques are, so there is no confusion between you and the parent. If you use religion in your day care, make sure every parent understands that and is comfortable with it.

Recommended Books
I bet you read this far and are itching to see what books I recommend - I really don't have any...
The reason is, most childcare books are so opinion based that I wouldn't want sway anyone either way.

There are a few things that I recommend for finding childcare and daycare related books on particular topics.

1. Try Google Print Search http://print.google.com - This is an awesome site that allows you to search for keywords on a specific topic
2. Find the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble (www.amazon.com / www.bn.com )
3. Get the best deal for a book you want on ebay (www.ebay.com)

Good luck and if you have any books you want to recommend - post a comment!

Eric Kubischta
www.thedigitaldaycare.com

7 reasons not to mess with children

I got this in an email today - Loved it and just had to post:

7 reasons not to mess with children.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.

The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".

The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"

The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".




A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, "I'm drawing God."

The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like."

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl: replied, "They will in a minute."




A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds.
After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."


One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"



The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

"Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."



A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face."

"Yes," the class said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

"Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples.

Daycare Child Left Alone - No-one's in trouble

Folks, read the following article from ABC News in Toledo, OH

October 10, 2005 - They're supposed to keep a close eye on your kids when you drop them off. But that's not what happened to a local woman who says she found her daughter wandering outside a local daycare alone!
It happened last week at the Noah's Ark Daycare on West Alexis Road in West Toledo.
Last Friday Bridgett Gifford dropped her little girl off here at Noah's Arc Day Care but when she picked her up, she says she found her on the fenced in playground crying alone! The mother of four raced inside Noah's Arc Daycare for answers.
She says she found her daughter wandering around crying with dirt on her hands and face with a dandelion in her mouth. Bridgett says this morning she knew that bringing little Madison back to Noah's Arc Daycare was no longer an option so instead she brought her little girl to work.


Bridget says the staff at Noah's Arc offered an apology but no explanation. But they did release this statement to 13abc action news.
It says "We deeply regret the fact that Madison Gifford was left unsupervised for one or two minutes. It was in a fenced in enclosed playground that is adjacent to the classroom door and the teachers were in the process of a head count when it was noticed that the child was missing."
Bridget believes her daughter was left outside for at least an hour. She says the kids return from recess everyday at 4:00 and she arrived to pick her daughter up sometime after 5:00. That's why Bridget will just bring her little girl to work until she finds another daycare.

From the following link:

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/story?section=local&id=3523916

Ok - did anyone else see the problem here. Apparantly no action was taken against these people! - They said "Oh, just for a few minutes" and no other explanation.

Now, I live in Bismarck, ND, where in February we have temps down in the 20 to 30 below zero range, where a nice day is 5 above, and normally most schools and daycares will take the kids outside.

If this would have happened here, in Bismarck, in February, that child may have died from the cold - 1 Hour! - The mother sure thinks so and I think that this daycare center should definately be held responsible.

Child Care and Day Care Blogs

I happened across the following blog the other day from Judy Lyden:

http://childcarebyjudylyden.blogspot.com

I read with interest her posts, articles and thoughts and realized how great again the Internet is, blogs, and forums, etc. - So much information and ideas can be exchanged that could never have happened before..

She seems to post quite regularly and I recommend reading as often as possible.

After reading through some of her posts I went on a search for more child care blogs -

For starters - there are a few located at http://www.daycaremanager.net (Sroll down on the home page) - although not well updated yet, they are a new site and hopefully we will see more and more.

To search through blogs - try the following link from Google:
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&q=%22day+care%22+or+%22daycare%22+or+%22child+care%22+or+childcare

Or just go to http://blogsearch.google.com and type in Childcare or Daycare or some combination thereof. - Any blogs with those keywords listed will appear in the search results -

Starting your Own Blog
There are many places on the net today to start your own blog -

You can try a premium membership at DaycareManager.net (http://www.daycaremanager.net/join.asp) and along with your subscription you get blogging tools, although not a lot of templates -

You can also create your own blog on this site (www.blogger.com)

Good luck and let me know your blog addresses when you start them!

Eric
The Digital Daycare Blog

Day Care's DO Care!

I recently read through a site on the Internet called "Daycares Don't Care" (http://www.daycaresdontcare.org/) - This site contained articles and content related to and supporting the idea that day care is detrimental and almost harmful to children.

An interesting "quote of the month" reads:
"Would you lend a complete stranger your automobile? Probably not. Your car is a prized possession that would be expensive to repair or replace if it were damaged or wrecked.If you would not let a stranger borrow your car for just a few hours, then why would you let a stranger take care of your baby (in a day care) all day everyday?"

I read with interest the content and articles on the site all the time thinking to myself - Ok, now what? -

There are 20 million children 6 and under in day care in the United States today - does this author advocate removing all 20 million of these children from day care centers and homes?

hmm - let's look at the consequences of this:

1. In order for these 20 million children to leave daycare and return full time to home, one of the parents can not work (and sometimes there is only 1 parent) - This may remove 5 million parents from the workforce today PLUS another 1 million child care providers will be out of work. This fact alone would drive those families and our overall economy down - we would have loss of income, spending, small businesses would be forced to close, and those children would be worse off then they are today

2. The author (who by the way appears to be anonymous) cites many articles attempting to prove that day care providers could care less about your child. They show news articles about abuse, etc. - Is this indicitive? - No, there are some day care providers out there who probably don't care - however, it is the parent's job to find the right provider for their family.

Daycare Providers I call out to you to show how wrong this idea is - I have talked with many of you over the last year and I know that you do care - you care for your children, your families and even in developing our daycare management software (http://www.daycaremanager.net) - I find the common need from providers everywhere is time-saving - "I need to spend my time with the kids - not using software)

Day care providers DO Care - They care deeply about the children in their care, they develop relationships with the children and their parents, they watch them grow up and these children become almost part of an extended family -

Parents - when you are looking for a daycare provider - it is your responsibility to interview, research and find the right provider for you and your child - Take the time to visit the center, conduct lengthy interviews and ask lots of questions - You will find the provider that will care for your child they way that you want.

Eric Kubischta
President - The Digital Daycare
http://www.thedigitaldaycare.com

Try our new day care search tools at http://www.mydaycaresearch.com - create a checklist, print interview sheets, and more!

Advertising your Daycare Openings

First Steps to Consider when advertising



Before starting your advertising plan, first begin to map out what you are advertising for. There are many factors to detail. How many openings do you have? - How many children in each age group can you care for? - Do I have openings right now? - Will I have openings in the future? - Have I locked in my rates? - What questions will I ask prospective parents?




Once you have these detailed out, this will help you to write your descriptions and target your advertising.




Writing your Ad and Description



The next step is to actually write a description. Write your description before setting up your listings - Use a common description that you can then copy and paste and modify appropriately for each service you plan to use.





Key things to remember about your description:




1. Proper Grammar - This is critical! Nothing is worse than HERE IS MY AD IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and "here is my ad in all lower case letters with no punctuation and misspellleled wooorrds and and run on sentances that never end. - Use proper grammar, use spell check and make sure your description looks professional




2. Why are you the best daycare? - Be sure that your description includes information for parents that let them know WHY your daycare is the best - What activities do you do, what curriculum do you offer, what do you have that no one else has?


3. Where are you located? - List your general area, what schools are nearby, etc. - This helps parents to see that your daycare is in the area that they are looking for. Are you close to any parks or activity centers?





Posting your Ad




There are many many many (many) places to post your daycare advertisement, some are free, some are not - Look for the free ones first as they don't take much time and are worth it even if you get no referrals (hey - didn't cost you anything right)





If you haven't signed up for a free Daycare Manager.net account yet - you should - it is free and easy - Click here to Join Click here to Join


Look for other free online advertising such as Craglist, FindADaycare.com, etc.






Next - look at your local newspaper - are other daycare centers advertising? - Check on the cost of an ad, most newspapers are very reasonable.



Put up signs - Signs are a great way to advertise - put up signs at your local grocery store, gas stations, etc that people will see everyday - Make a nice sign and put it up in your front yard for people driving by - Make sure your phone number is listed and this will help to get your name out today and for anyone seeing it that has daycare needs in the future.

The Importance of Childcare Contracts

Contracts between Daycare Provider and Parent are a crucial component to the business of operating even the smallest home-based daycare. A contract ensures that there is no miscommunication between you and your parents and ensures that you have covered all of the bases and have planned for various conditions and situations that come up.

The following is an excerpt from the Child Care Resources section of the University of Minnesota Extension Service:

A contract spells out the agreement that parents make with a provider when they place their child in a provider's care. It can include the hours, costs, and services provided by the caregiver. Some providers may also have a set of rules covering emergencies, sick-child policies, sleeping arrangements, supplies that parents need to provide, as well as many other issues that parents and providers need to agree on. Contracts and rules may be written or verbal when parents first enroll their child in child care. Putting the contract or rules in writing will make things much clearer for both sides when misunderstandings arise. Parents might want to compile their own list if their provider does not have anything formally written out. The following list covers some of the specific areas that should be covered in the contract and rules. Parents may need to bring these points up themselves if their provider doesn't discuss them. The following list can be checked after a review of a provider's contracts and rules.

Operations

• What are the hours and days the child care home or center is open, including regular daily hours as well as vacation and holiday schedules?
• What do fees include and when is payment expected?
• What is the policy on caring for children beyond the hours of operation, such as who will care for the child and are there additional fees?
• What meals and snacks are served?
• What are the procedures for enrolling and withdrawing the child, including the length of time and if written or verbal notification is required?
• What are the provisions for trial enrollment?
• What are the provisions for when a provider is ill, has an emergency, vacation, or holiday? How is payment handled and who provides back-up care?
• What is the provider's insurance coverage?
• What are the ages and number of children in the facility?
• What are the sign-in procedures?
• Does the provider have proof of licensing?
• What parent conference opportunities are there?
• What are the policies on caring for more than one child from one family, including fees and reserving space for additional children?

Illness and Medication

• When should a child not attend child care? What is the provider's definition of a "sick" child, including physical symptoms?
• What are the procedures when a child becomes ill while at child care, including how soon a child needs to be picked up when ill?
• When is written authorization necessary in order for the provider to give a child medicine?
• What are the procedures for notification of exposure to contagious diseases from both parents and providers?

Emergency Procedures

• What are the provisions for inclement weather, fire, or other emergencies?
• What are the procedures for notification and documentation of injuries that occur both at home and at child care?
• What are the procedures for notifying parents if the provider has an emergency and cannot provide care?
• How will the provider handle the care of children who are not picked up at the close of hours—where will parents need to go to retrieve their children?

Child Guidance and Educational Programs

• What would be an example of a typical daily schedule?
• What would a description of the provider's child development philosophy include?
• How would the provider deal with the different developmental needs of the children in their care?
• What is the policy on television use?
• Does the provider use community facilities and participate in community activities?
• What is the policy on child guidance? What does the provider do when a child behaves inappropriately?
• What would be the parent/provider cooperative plan for the timing and method of toilet training?
• What are the provider's religious, political, or philosophical beliefs on child care? Does he or she support nondiscriminatory practices in his or her business?
• Does the provider have a list of classes that he or she has taken (CPR, first aid, child development) in order to meet licensing requirements?

Daily Activities and Rules

• What are some sample menus of nutritious meals and snacks?
• Are there any labeling requirements for food brought from home?
• What is the schedule and what are the arrangements for the children's rest time?
• What are the provider's transportation plans and requirements?
• Does the provider have any pets?
• What is the policy on smoking?
• What are the policies on toys and treats from home?
• What outdoor activities are the children involved in? What is the policy for accommodating parents' wishes on keeping their child indoors?

What Parents Need to Provide

• What supplies do parents need to provide (food, diapers, changes of clothing, car seat, fees for special events, bedding, etc.)?
• Does the provider keep signed immunization forms on each child? Also signed release forms allowing him or her to administer medication?
• Does he or she keep permission forms to allow him or her to transport children?
• The provider should be given phone numbers where parents or other persons authorized to pick up their children can be reached.

For Further Information

The following sources can provide further information on many aspects of child care:

• County Social Services, Child Care Licensing for family child care homes
• State Department of Human Services for child care centers
• Your local child care resource and referral service
• Your attorney
• Child Protection

The above article and more information can be found at:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/

Some additional childcare contract links:

http://www.punkyschildcare.com/homes/contract.html

http://ideabox.debatenation.com/archive/index.php/t-5777.html

http://www.redleafpress.org/

http://www.childcare-resource.com/

Provider Communications - Learning from your Peers

Provider to Provider communications and sharing is so much easier this day and age with technology - There was a time that if you were a daycare provider and had questions or needed advice, you had nowhere to go unless you already knew someone in the business.

Today there are many methods of communication available to daycare providers all over the U.S. on the Internet. The most popular of these are daycare and childcare related forums and message boards.

With message boards and forums you can pose questions to other daycare providers and get answers and advice from daycare providers everywhere. There are so many questions especially for the new provider. There are licensing and regulation issues, certification program questions, form requirements, information tracking needs, plus just help on basic day to day issues on working with parents, problems with billing, etc.

Check out the following sites for provider to provider communications:

http://www.daycareforums.com/
http://childcare.about.com/mpboards.htm
http://amazingforums.com/forum1/DAYCARELIS/forum.html
http://www.vpmom.com/messageboard
http://www.daycaremanager.net/forums.asp

In addition to forums - get involved in a local daycare association - These associations exist in every state in the U.S. and membership is usally very inexpensive.

The following is a list of places to find daycare associations
http://www.americatakingaction.com/childcare/dcassociations.html
http://www.childcare-resource.com/childcareassociations.htm
http://www.earlychildhoodlinks.com/providers/associations.htm
http://www.nccanet.org/discover/states.asp

I hope that these links are useful for you and I encourage you to keep communicating with other providers and offering your advice, recommendations and feedback.

Eric Kubischta
The Digital Daycare Network
http://www.thedigitaldaycare.com

Internet Daycare Cameras - Good or Bad?

The subject of Internet Daycare Cameras is a touchy one.  Although more and more daycare centers today are embracing this technology – the opinions of most daycare owners (and employees) seems to be split.

 

It just seems to come down to worry from the daycare provider about the parent “seeing something” they could misconstrue or take out of context.  Since most Internet daycare cameras do not have sound – all you get is what you can see.

 

With this said – I want to argue the reverse point – why not? – Why not install cameras for the parents to use? –

 

Become the parent, put yourself in their shoes.  If you have a choice of choosing a daycare with cameras versus one without, what would you choose?  I myself would choose the cameras.

 

The reason why is the critical point – I don’t want cameras so I can watch my kids all day while I am at work (my boss wouldn’t care for that) – I want them because then “I Know…” – I know that there are cameras in my child’s daycare, watching him constantly – Because of this simple fact, most of my worries I may have had start to disappear – Even if I am not watching the cameras – I am sure that some other parent is.

 

Overall daycare cameras are a good thing, and they are becoming more and more affordable as competition increases in the market.  

 

For more information on daycare cameras, check out http://www.luvview.com

 

Eric Kubischta

The Digital Daycare

www.thedigitaldaycare.com

 

 

Purpose: Link Technology Resources with Parents and Providers

Purpose: Link Technology Resources with Parents and Providers

Our purpose and the purpose of the entire Digital Daycare Network is to provide a common, interconnected set of properties to ensure that Parents, Providers, Sponsors, Partners and related groups have one place to go to find, research and use technologies in the field.
Not only are constantly researching and developing new technologies that support our Vision, Mission and Purpose but we are coordinating with partner sites and companies to bring them into the Digital Daycare Network in order to share content and tools. Visit our Partners section for information on becoming a partner with the Digital Daycare Network and learn how you can be a part of the vision.

Mission: Enable Parents to Stay Connected and Involved

Mission: Enable Parents to Stay Connected and Involved

With nearly 20 million children in America under the age of 12 currently in daycare of one form or another the "raising of our children" is becoming more of a function of a collaboration between child care provider, parents, federal, state and local organizations and associations.

With this trend on the rise, our nation of children is missing out on the quality time that they had with their families in early childhood that was commonplace just 50 years ago. With no likely reverse of this trend, we need to begin to develop ways to create communication mediums and increase the involvement of parents and families with their children while in the care of others. The Mission of The Digital Daycare is to create, support and promote those technologies that allow parents and providers to communicate and share with one-another. Whether it is online collaborate software, integrated messaging systems or Internet daycare cameras, we are commited to researching these technologies and others in support of this mission.

The Digital Daycare - Vision

Our Vision is to promote the use of technology in child care and education in order to assist the parent, the provider, and the educator in finding, learning about, and making use of these tools to create a more interactive and communicative environment.
Technology today allows an entire new world of doors to open up to parents, providers, associations and educators. These technologies enhance communication and sharing and help to bridge gaps that exist between family and child. Technologies such as online collobration tools, Internet daycare cameras, readily available research and articles are available at low cost or even free. Our vision is that all members of the collective group of individuals and organizations in or related to childcare will take advantage of these technologies and use them to help increase the quality of child care in America. Technology is an aid, an assistant and a tool - The Digital Daycare is committed to providing information, knowledge and access to the variety of technologies that exist today.