Pat Tweedie
Child Care Aware Project Assistant
Oklahoma State University
Copyright/Access Information
Be sure your friend or relative really wants to care for your child. Studies show that a relative or friend may watch your child just to help you. They may not know about good child care. They may not know how to keep your child safe. When you are counting on them for child care, at the last minute they may find something they would rather do. They might cause you to miss work.
They should always be with your child and not entertain other people without your permission. They should not smoke, drink, or date while they are with your child.
Telling a friend how to better care for your child can be hard to do. Sometimes a friend or relative will think she or he knows what is best for your child, even when you want something done differently. Be ready to talk about these differences in a calm way. Consider if a licensed family child care home or center would better meet your needs.
Choose a friend or relative with the same good qualities that you would look for in any other kind of child care. They must:
For Parents' Sake, Tips for Parents. A Survival Kit for Parents and Kids, Vol. II. (This is available from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Child Health and Guidance Service.)
Kontos, S. et al., Quality in Family Child Care and Relative Care, New York: Teachers College Press, 1995.
Mitchell, A. et al., Child Care Choices, Consumer Education and Low-Income Families, New York: National Center for Children in Poverty, School of Public Health, Columbia University, 1992.
Child Care Consumer Education: Providing Critical Information to Low-Income Parents, National Center for Children in Poverty, Child Care Consumer Education Issue Brief, 1993.
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