The Unofficial Guide to Childcare

By Ann Douglas

Childcare has always been a concern for parents. There are more than 20 million U.S. households with young children, more than half of whom receive care from someone other than the parents. So how exactly is a mother and/or a father to wade through the options to determine what's right for their family? The Unofficial Guide to Childcare can help set minds at ease with its unbiased, street-smart style and practical tools to help parents interview caregivers and evaluate childcare facilities. From assessing a particular child's needs to finding a caregiver, assessing health and safety practices to noticing warning signs in daycare facilities, to transitioning a child into daycare, this guide will aid parents as they make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0028624572
• ISBN13: 9780028624570
• Release Date: October 1998
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 546 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Answers every possible childcare question

I agree with other reviewers. This is a very helpful guide to choosing childcare, whether you are looking for childcare for a baby, a toddler, a preschooler, or a grade schooler. The author covers both in-home and out-of-home childcare options -- everything from family daycare to childcare centers to nannies and babysitters. I also thoroughly recommend Choosing Childcare for Dummies, another book by Ann Douglas (the author of The Unofficial Guide to Childcare) as well as The Nanny Book by Susan Carlton and Coco Myers (for parents who are considering hiring a nanny).

A smart person's guide to choosing childcare

If you're the kind of person who likes to research things thoroughly, this is the book for you. It's far more comprehensive than any other childcare book on the market, covering important issues that most other books ignore, like how to prevent problems in your relationship with your childcare provider (whether a nanny or a member of the daycare center staff) and how to troubleshoot any difficulties that happen to arise. There are also tons of great checklists and valuable resources (e.g. a list of caregiver-child ratios for various ages and for each state; lists of the most useful childcare web sites; the inside scoop on what to pay your childcare provider; and more). I think this book should be required reading for every working parent in America!

A terrific, comprehensive book that tells it like it is.

Having this book on hand is like having a sympathetic, understanding friend who knows everything there is to know about finding and keeping the best care for your child, how you and your child feel about all the childcare issues, and what you need to do to prevent trouble -- and to fix it all those times you can't prevent it! The appendixes are especially helpful, with their lists of organizations, books, websites, important documents and relevant statistics. I would recommend it highly for parents, caregivers and childcare professionals.

The questions you don't think to ask!!

Thank goodness for Ann Douglas and this book. It's so hard to know if you've done your due diligence in looking for childcare options. This book helps you take control and feel empowered to make good choices for you and your family. Hurray!

All your childcare questions answered expertly:

The Unofficial Guide to Childcare is unquestionably the most comprehensive guide to childcare on the market today. Whether your situation is best served by an out-of-home daycare provider, an in-home care provider, or care given by a friend or relative, this book provides the family with solutions and advice that really work--for everybody involved. You'll discover time- and money-saving tips offered by a dynamic mother of four who's tried it all and who dispenses her wisdom in a clear, concise, easy-to-follow format-thoughfully composed to make this aspect of your life easier to manage. And if you know of someone who's expecting, remember that this book is the perfect shower gift for a mom who will be returning to work after her baby is born. She'll feel confident in her childcare decision when armed with Ann Douglas and The Unofficial Guide to Childcare.