The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare [Paperback]

Michelle Ehrich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999

The complete childcare reference for parents--includes handy checklists, sample ads, contracts, interview questions, childcare options, and an essential list of resources.

In the modern American family, dependable childcare is becoming more of a necessity than ever before--and harder to find. In an easy-to-use format, The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare answers the questions concerning this most important decision. Topics explained and explored include:
* Coming to terms with the need for outside help * Learning to trust others to assist in your child's upbringing * Choosing between in-home and out-of-home care * Finding the perfect nanny or day-care facility * Screening, interviewing, and checking references * Conducting on-site visits to day-care centers and knowing what to look for * Establishing and maintaining a positive relationship with your caregiver

* Identifies each step in finding appropriate and reliable childcare
* Covers the wide range of childcare options--from nannies to day care centers to out-of-home caregivers
* Provides a list of resources to help parents in their decision
* Includes sample ads, interview questions, contracts and checklists

Editorial Reviews

Review

A must read for parents to make this most important decision about who will be caring for the children. Well-organized and thorough, Michelle takes you step-by-step through the child care search process The author is, in my opinion, an expert in this field. She's uniquely qualified as a parent who has successfully navigated all the options out there, and come up with a winning formula you and I can adapt and use Beside being valuable to parents, this guide has much to offer the child care professional looking to meet and exceed the classification "high quality." By adopting some of the best practices parents like Michelle Ehrich are looking for, caregivers can expect to form lasting, quality relationships with the families they care for I only wish I had found The Anxious Parents Guide to Quality Childcare when I began my search for childcare two years ago. -- About.com - Daycare Guide, November 1999

A thorough easy-to-read guide that leads parents through the entire process. [It] should be added to any working parent's shelf... -- CareGuide.com, April 2000

If you are a working parent or are thinking about going back to work, this book is a great resource. It covers every aspect of how to find the right childcare provider for your children and how to keep good childcare as well. One of the hardest things for me to deal with is the guilt of leaving my son I am filled with such a sense of torment concerning the whole childcare dilemma. The first pages of this book discuss the whole notion of accepting the need for childcare. It was very important for me to come to accept that I will HAVE to find someone to care for my child; this book helped me to do just that... One of the things I liked most about this book is that it is very encouraging and optimistic -- you CAN find the right person to care for your children. -- ParentingPlace.com - November 1999

About the Author

Michelle Ehrich is the mother of two boys. She worked in banking and investment banking for sixteen years, seven of which as a working parent. During that time, she was able to find and keep two high-quality and loving caregivers for her children, first in a family day-care arrangement and then with a live-in nanny. Moreover, both were productive long-term arrangements. When Ehrich realized that many of her friends and colleagues were having considerable difficulty with their own childcare situations, it led her to examine the reasons for the successes that she and others did have, as well as the possible causes for her friends' problems. The result of this process is The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 209 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399525157
• ISBN-13: 978-0399525155
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,011,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daycare search relief, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare (Paperback)

Being the typical anxious parent with worries about daycare upon my return to work, I found Ms. Ehrich's information about researching daycare centers to be an invaluable part of her book. It was really a stress reducer. There were many valuable insights in a well written, easy to understand book. Being a NJ resident, I saw an article about Ms. Ehrich in a local newspaper whereby it mentioned the anxiousparents.com website. It is well worth a viist there too. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking to find stable, quality help with your daycare needs. It gave me the direction and confidence I needed, especially since I am a first time Mom.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Anxious Parents' Guide gets 4 pacifiers from BabyLounge.com, February 27, 2000

By 

Vicky Collins - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare (Paperback)

If you need to start looking for childcare and you're not sure where to begin then you've come to the right place. The author of this book takes you step-by-step so that you'll feel confident that you are leaving your child in the best possible childcare.

You'll learn what kind of childcare best suits your family's needs and then you'll learn how to go about finding and keeping the best quality day care that you can afford.

The appendix boasts useful information such as interview questions, example contracts, and a safety evaluation checklist for out-of-home-care.

Feeling comfortable with your child's daycare provider is essential. If you feel like you need some guidance with this important decision, then be sure to read The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare. The book will give you insight, information and peace of mind.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare, February 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Anxious Parents' Guide to Quality Childcare (Paperback)

I have read the book and am just embarking on my own search for quality childcare. I was surprised to read the review of another from NJ who said the book was not helpful for daycare situations. I am seeking a daycare center environment for my child and found the book invaluable. As this is my first, I am the anxious parent as described. Ms. Ehrich's book gave me the confidence and direction to channel my search in a productive and time-efficient way. The guidelines for daycare interviewing and selection focused me and gave me many things to investigate and interview for. Thank you Ms. Ehrich for this most valuable resource.