Child Care Guide

LODI - Children on bikes, skateboards and scooters have been common sights on sidewalks and in parks since Lodi's schools let out for spring break March 12. Such two-week breaks between school quarters can pose a quandary for parents.

The availability of quality child care, in the short term, means thousands of San Joaquin County children are looked after while their parents are at work.

The first child dropped off at Angela Constantino's home day-care center arrives at 4:30 each morning. The last to leave goes home around 5:30 p.m. During that time, Constantino feeds them and protects them, she said. She wants to help teach them.

Jackie Bouscher’s two children loved day care when they were younger. She remembered them smiling and waving at her and her husband after being dropped off all those years ago.

After months of endless care, you need to finally let go of your child and return to work. Here are some tips on how to choose the right child care center for you and your child:

Paying for child care can be a burden. It’s so much of a burden that sometimes you are paying just as much in child care as you are making at work. Which brings you to the conclusion, what’s the point?

What to pay a baby sitter may well be one of the great mysteries of parenting.

With plenty of headlines spelling out the potential for trouble in child care, parents have every reason to ask themselves: Who’s taking care of the kids? And what do we really know about them? Knowing who you’re hiring before you hire is critical, say child care experts.

Instead of slinging hamburgers, many teenagers around the region will begin baby-sitting this summer.

Imagine a child stealing a break from mom’s healthful eating rules, joyfully chomping on a chocolate bar from a birthday party goodie bag. Now imagine a child that would be willing stop after the first bite, spit out the candy, and use a napkin to scrape the remainder of the taste from her mouth.

So, you’ve finally found the perfect child-care. Well, you’re pretty sure you have, anyway...

Time was, kids hung out at home after school. But that’s not always possible in households with two working parents.