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I read a story of a daycare provider who gave the children Nyquil so they would sleep all day and she gave one toddler too much and he died. So horriable, but for every bad sitter there's 10 good ones. You just have to do your research and trust your instinct.

Food still stays good after the experation date.

some daycares are better than others, some babysitters are better than others, but the fact of the matter is that no one loves your child like you do - and they can and do have preferences and treat the children differently. www.daycaresdontcare.org has a wealth of info....mostly from former providers who tell what really goes on there - switching formulas, leaving babies to cry, tossing b___stmilk, etc. not a pleasant thing to read, but it's always good to be informed of both sides of an issue - instead of just seeing things through rose colored gla__ses. esp. when your child is involved.

If you can stay home with your baby, it is best. No one will ever care about your baby as much and as good as you do no matter how good or expensive the daycare center is. I have decided to stay home with my babies. Sure, I do feel as I don't have the financial freedom I used to have but I would not do it any different. I'm sure there are good people out there but how do you know?? You can't rely on references anymore. Another thing one could do. is wait until the child is old enough to tell you about their day or better yet until they go to school.

there was a situation here in Louisiana this past summer where the day care van was dropping the kids off at their houses one afternoon. Well, he couldn't make a right turn on the first kids house so he decided to skip that one and come back later. He was in a hurry b/c he had something to do after work, so you would know that he forgot to come back and parked the van at the daycare. The toddler, strapped in his car seat died in the van in the sweltering summer heat. I will NOT be leaving my kid at daycare!

I'm not doubting your story, but it sounds like the place you worked was a little odd. C-stores get credit for expired chips with the vendor, so they don't have to try to sell them on clearance. How would you see the daycare teachers feed the expired food to the kids? Had they taken the kids out of the day care? And you don't feed popcorn to toddlers because they can choke.

my friend, who works at daycare, says that the babies who aren't cute get made fun of by the teachers. you mentioned that in your post - and i remembered her saying that. she also said that the toddlers don't get much cuddle time - they aren't allowed to play with them one on one or hold them when they are fussy because then they'll always want all the attention. it's really sad. she refuses to do daycare when she and her hubby get pregnant. i stay at home. i love it. it's rough money wise but if maya was in daycare i'd miss so much!

well i can tell you a bit on both side, sa iam a stay at home, babysitter, but i worked in a daycare center too, before i was pregnant with my daughter. the daycare was for preschool children, but it was really nice, their was a toddler/infant daycare too, attached but that wasnt my department, so i dont know about them, but i know that the one i was in, the kids got treated really nicely. kids from age 5to12. their wasnt any "favorites" and the food was baught right fresh that same day. (we were located beside gianttiger) and most of the time it would be pudding/yogourt/applesauce/jellos/veggie with dipp/ cookies and milk- the kids had a really good routine. and on days off school, they would have wonderfull outings (with schoolbuses,not vans) and kids would get "treated" extra lol. cause it was a day off. And about the cuddling, iam not sure about the toddler/infant one, but the one i was in, you coudnt have a child sitting on your lasp. or kissing/hugging them. as they were the rules. UNLESS the child was sick or injured. Sometimes the little ones would want to cuddle up to me, and i would let them for a couple of second, then tell themi had to get up to go do "something" i was told to do that, so we dont hurt their feelings about it. and the rule was their, because of "s_xual molestation accusation" their is too much around the world, and it was to protect the daycare. and we could not be left alone with a child either. especially if they were injured, and "cuddling was required, of fixing up "for plasters" but the kids were still being showed care and love. we were 8 woman, their was between 60-80 kids in morning and afternoon.(before after school hours) and we wernt aloud to leave a child doing nothing (be by themselves, when they had no ones else to play with) we had to ask them "would you like to play a games?" we had a room full of games/puzzles/ and stuff. and they would always say yes. even colouring. i think it was the best experience of my life !!! Now iam a babysitter i have beween 1 to 5kids daily plus my own kids. and i enjoy it very much, as my kids get to have all the "social" times they need. iam alone, so i cant take the kids out on the days that iam full, but we still go outside in the yard and play. the days that i have less, then we go for walks and to the park. the kids all love me and love being here, the parent know that. i think you have to "try" all the possibilities. try a babysitter first "as their are more cuddly" if thats what you want for your child. you should know by your childs reaction if they are enjoying it or not. and if you think they arent, then try somthing else, but do it a month or two before work, so your child gets used to it, and you can find the perfect one.

I have been both a babysitter and a daycare worker, and I care for the children I would watch as though they were my own, and the daycares I worked for were very kind to ALL kids, always served fresh foods, and provided good care. You always have some bad ones in the bunch, but they are not all bad. Luckily my family watches my son while I work, so I absolutely trust them. I still wish I was home with him, but it is not an option at this time, maybe in the future.

As far as babysitters go you never know unless you have a nannycam as to what they are up to unless you really really trust them or unless you have an older child that tells you everything. Daycare centers are another story. I would find a daycare that you know is certified and degreed certified teachers. If they have a degree usually you would think they care about the children they are caring for. Also make sure the center has an open door policy so that you can stop in whenever you want. There are good and bad of both I am sure.

I think the important thing is that you feel comfortable with your daycare. Mine is across the street from my office, so I spend an hour in the room each day, feeding my baby and regularly pop in to check things out through the observation window. I communicate daily with the teachers and director and feel VERY comfortable with my children being there. Otherwise, I wouldn't leave them (it is hard enough when you are 100% certain about their care, I can't imagine not having that security!).