CASTILLO, Hannah Leigh R.

ALHP 2-0
Child care is evolving, and most care providers and parents agree the changes are for the
best. What are some of the latest trends in child care and what should parents be looking for
when making an all-important child care decision?

1. Child Care Is Catering to Budget-Minded Families

More parents are taking a careful look at child care costs, and decisions to reduce hours
or even pull their kids out of organized programs entirely due to job losses or expenses are
affecting child care providers as well. As a result, more providers are offering flexible hours,
keeping rates the same or even reducing them in some cases, and working out payment
arrangements for struggling families to encourage families to stay. Special programs or fees
are also being scrutinized as providers scramble to find ways to lessen costs while
maintaining a quality care program for kids.

2. Child Care is Now Early Education

No longer is child care for young children simply babysitting. Child care centers have
mostly transitioned to centers for early education, where young tots are involved with early
learning. The trend to learning centers is partly due to high parent and school expectations;
it's also attributable to research that shows that kids are capable of learning early academics
and other skills that previously were not taught until later. Care centers often offer
formalized early education curriculum, and staff receives extensive training in instruction
geared for preschoolers.

3. Drop-In Child Care Is More Common

It's no surprise that drop-in child care is becoming more common. What may come as a
surprise to some is that these facilities typically offer high-quality, safe, and affordable care
options. The drop-in care facilities focus on fun activities for kids and often include
mealtimes and special theme events to provide parents with a worry-free evening or time
away from kids. Gyms, recreation centers, churches, and even schools are getting into the
act of offering Parent Nights Out or similar events. Look for this trend to continue with even
greater flexibility in the future.

4. Corporate Child Care Is Raising Quality Bar

Corporate child care is raising the bar in terms of quality child care. An increasing
number of companies are either offering (or considering) in-house child care centers as a
perk for attracting and retaining top employees. In addition, more companies are partnering
with child care centers to offer discounted rates or even special hours for employees. Some
developers are even focusing on including a child care facility as part of the master planning
of new areas, knowing that having a quality child care center nearby will make the area
more desirable for both employers and employees alike.

5. Technology Is Changing Provider/Parent Connection

 An increasing number of daycare facilities offer parents the peace of mind of being able
to check on their child while at daycare as desired through video streaming of classroom
activities throughout the day. Other providers regularly take photos of children and send
them to parents, post daily or weekly blogs or e-newsletters online for parents to view, or
even exchange emails or text messages throughout the day. The technology provides
parents and providers with another tool for staying in touch and bonding with activities and
events planned for youngsters.

6. Most Child Care Is Becoming Safer

While no system is absolutely fail-safe, and occasional stories will continue to occur
about child pornographers or sex offenders found to be working around children, the truth is
that most child care providers are increasing measures to protect children in their charge.
Increased security concerning picking up of children, additional background checks and
screenings being done on prospective employees, and more surveillance and monitoring
(both overt as well as the covert varieties) are helping to increase safety. Training and more
thorough checklists are also helping to keep kids safer on field trips and outings.

7. More Child Care Options Exist

Parents today can consider a wider menu of child care choices, and many families are
choosing to use a variety of care options based on current needs. Some families may use a
nanny for an infant, an in-home provider for a toddler, and then switch to a care center for a
preschooler. Some families use one type of care during the school year and then another for
summer months. Occasional care service options can include babysitters, drop-in care,
specified parent night out nights, and even child care co-ops. Options do abound in most
areas, although sometimes you have to really seek them out.

8. The Internet Can Help You Find Child Care

Word of mouth or driving around a neighborhood used to be the most common way to
find child care. Today, however, many families, especially those who have moved to a new
community, rely on the internet to find quality child care. Many websites offer free listings
of child care; most states have a child care site for review as well. Web-based babysitting
and child care services are on the increase, and parents can type in a zip code and find
providers who meet the specifications designated. Entrepreneurs are increasingly
advertising availability for child care as well. Of course, nothing replaces reference checks.

9. Communications Are More Frequent, More Useful

In today's instantaneous, "tell me now" society, communications between child care

providers and parents continue to strengthen. Where once a month newsletters used to
suffice in addition to daily greetings and goodbyes, child care providers are using a variety of
tools to provide parents with ongoing information about their child's day. Some providers
create websites where they post monthly menus, weekly day-by-day activities, and even
behavioral reports. Others provide parents with a daily update that is then emailed (written
during nap-time). Even with technology, face-to-face communication is still the best.
10. Child Care Caters to Time-Crunched Working Parents

Have you noticed how more and more child care centers are offering enrichment
options for tots to participate in while still at child care? Parents nowadays are busier than
ever, yet want their child to participate in an array of activities at the same time.

The solution for some is to sign kids up for optional fee-based ballet, karate, soccer and
gymnastics classes that kids participate in during the week while still in care. The instructor
comes to the facility rather than the other way around. This type of option may not be for
everyone, but it works for those who are very busy or have long commutes each day.

11. Vacation Destinations, Kid-Friendly Hotels Offering On-Site Care

In order to entice parents to stay at a particular hotel or area, many resorts and tourist-
based communities have added on-site or close proximity to child care. While some facilities
may have pricey fees for kids to participate, others are free and include crafts, special movie
nights, field trips and more. As tempting as it can be, make sure you thoroughly check out
the facility and are comfortable with the rules, safety procedures, staff training, health
practices, and activities planned for the kids. If everything checks out: have fun!

12. After-School Programs and Care Provide Child Care Flexibility

Choosing a quality after-school care program can have a tremendous impact on your
child's academics, self-esteem, and overall happiness. Many day cares transport school-aged
children from school back to the center, provide a healthy snack and then start kids on their
homework so that it is mostly done by the time parents arrive. Some schools have on-site
programs as well to avoid kids going home to an empty house until parents get off work.

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/top-trends-in-child-care-616937

What does gesture means?

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication or non-vocal communication in which

visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of, or in conjunction
with, speech. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body.
Gestures support your baby's receptive language development, or his ability to understand
language. They help babies communicate.

By 12 Months:

 Wave — Your baby does this clumsily until his fine-motor skills are more developed.
 Shake Head — He shakes his head to show you that he doesn’t want something.
 Put Hands Over Eyes (or similar) — He uses gestures to initiate games like peek-a-boo.
 Grab or Pull on You — He does this to show that he wants your attention.
 Reach — He reaches to touch something interesting, reaches out his hand if he wants
you to give him something you have, and reaches up with his arms when he wants you
to pick him up.
 Show & Give — He holds up an object that he’s interested in and wants you to see, and
may give it to you as a way to engage with you, show you that he wants to play, or ask
for help.
 Point — This is one of the most powerful gestures, which he does to draw your
attention to something or show you something he wants. His first attempts at pointing
involve all of his fingers. The classic index-finger point evolves alongside his fine-motor
skills.
 Clap (some babies do this as early as 6 months) — He uses clapping to show
excitement, or to engage with or entertain others.

By 16 Months:

 Nodding — He does this to indicate agreement or answer “yes.”

 Culturally-Relevant Gestures — These include gestures such as thumbs-up or high-five.

By 24 Months:

 Symbolic Gestures — These include gestures such as shrugging shoulders to say “I don’t
know,” or holding up hands to say “Where did it go?”

Source: https://babysparks.com/2018/02/16/baby-gestures-an-important-language-skill/

New Terms

1. Flying Kiss = “Blow a Kiss”

2. Heart Sign = “Oppa”
3. Beautiful Eyes = “Pretty Eyes”
4. Quiet = “Shhhhhh!”
5. Smile = “Say Cheese!”
6. Kiss = “Mwa mwa! Tsup Tsup!”