New Privacy controls for the providers

Finding childcare requires parents to be able to find the providers easily. Location plays a very important role in this regard. However the childcare provider in wrong hands can be a big problem. To handle this we just introduces two new features to help providers keep their information safe and yet be accessible to parents.

Here is a quick demo:

Easily Shortlist providers

As parents when we search for a child care providers, it's always time consuming. To find the childcare, shortlist, contact them and so on. Totkare.com already makes it easier to find the childcare, now we also make it extremely easy to create a shortlist.


Here is a quick demo

Providers, take control of your listing

Hi,

We introduced this capability several weeks back. If totkare already lists your facility, you can now claim it and manage the content directly. More coming soon.

Watch a demo

Introducing Neighborhood safety information

You would have seen a lot of updates on totkare.com in recent months. There is one more that we want to introduce today. Now when you search for children daycare , home day care or preschool on totkare, along with the child care providers listing you will also see if we find any registered sex offenders around the providers also.

Whether you already have a child care identified or are looking for a child care provider, you'll find this information very helpful.

Here is how it works:

1. Enter your address

2. Use the link to create a free account

3. Confirm your email and you'll see little red dots on the map showing sex offenders

9 things to observe when visiting a childcare center

Here are 9 thing you must consider when visiting a childcare provider:

1. Kids to teacher/caretaker ratio
   This ratio should not really be more than 5 to 1, ideally more in 3 to 1 range. The more the number of kids the more divided the attention from the provider.
   
   
2. Age groups of other kids vis-a-vis your kid
   A mixed age setting is actually good for your kid unless the gap is too much. But there should be kids of same age as your kid also.
   
3. Cleanliness and Safety - for e.g. are there cleaners lying around ?
   You would be surprised when you look at county audits of the licensed day care. One of the most common issues we have seen are where cleaning liquids were lying around in children's reach.
   
4. The toys, posters and other such kid items - how and where are they placed
   Toys, books and their condition tells a lot about kind of activities as well as discipline that the care take is able to maintain.
   
5. Is the care take CPR certified.
   In case your kid is an infant there is a separate Infant CPR - ask for the certificates. The certificate should not be expired.
   
6. Look at the sleeping arrangements for the kids
   Where do the kids sleep, is it comfortable, quiet and safe?
   
7. Presence/Absence of television
   Lost of provider keep television in the same area as the kids play. There is a just a greater tendency to use the television this way, especially in a mixed age setting.
   
8. Backup plans
   What happens when the provider has to take a vacation
   
9. Provider's flexibility
   Time and again you'll find you get late, or leave early. The kids get attached to providers, it's important to choose a provider who is flexible enough that you don't have to ask the kids to adjust to someone else also.
   
   

Time with your child

To a child, LOVE is spelled TIME...

Watch this inspirtional movie taken from Simple Truths website:

http://www.tacmovie.com/

'Mommy bloggers' vow to avoid ethical conflicts

A nice article at about how mom bloggers found themselves blogging commercially and an ethical conflict. It's important for the authenticity of a medium that it is used truthfully.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/10/mommy.bloggers.ethics/index.html