State law does not require family providers to separate children of different ages because the family providers are in smaller settings and do not have separate classrooms, says Terrence McGrath, spokesman for the state Department of Children and Family Services. Family day care usually offers more flexible pickup and drop-off times for parents who have unpredictable schedules, says Cindi Swernofsky, education coordinator of the Child Care Council of Nassau. But the less structured nature of family care also has its drawbacks. Day care centers, which are located in schoollike settings and with more children than in family day care, tend to have better facilities such as computers and a wider selection of toys and art materials. Centers also often have more structured programs, with play geared toward teaching basic math and reading skills.
Centers also tend to be more structured than family day care.
I asked one family center where the kids take a nap, and they pointed to the floor, Jenkins says while helping Jawan put on a red plastic backpack that nearly engulfs him. I also wanted a more structured environment that will prepare him for grade school. Jenkins' choice of centers was limited by her lack of money. Without a car, she had to find a center within walking distance of her home. She moved to Hempstead from Jacksonville, Fla., in August, where she worked as a clerk at a naval base.