Parents should be sensitive to the caregiver's capacity to relate to children of different ages. Some individuals can work well only with children at a specific stage of development. It is wise for parents to find out how long the individual plans to work in this day care job. High turnover of individuals, several turnovers, or any turnover at critical points of development, can distress the child. If parents think or feel the day care they have chosen is unsatisfactory, they should change caregivers.
All parents have the right to drop in during the day and make an unannounced visit.
Many children, particularly after the age of three, benefit from good, group day care, where they can have fun and learn how to interact with others. The parent and child can stay for a longer period each day until the child wants to become part of the group. Though parents may worry about how the child will do, they should show pleasure in helping their child succeed. If the child shows unusual or persistent terror about leaving home, parents should discuss it with their pediatrician. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry represents over 6,900 child and adolescent psychiatrists with at least five years of additional training beyond medical school in adult, child, and adolescent psychiatry.