Thursday, November 26, 2015

Day Care - Making The Right Choice

The importance of day care in this day and age cannot be underestimated. More and more women are going out to work and families are increasingly seeking these services. Identifying a day care that will cater to your needs will enable you to have peace of mind as you attend to other duties that need your attention. There are many day cares offering services even in your locality, and here are a few pointers to help you identify a quality day care for your child:

Physical Development

A quality day care center must ensure that the activities the children engage in are all focused towards the personal development of the child. There are three areas of development that a child goes through. Physical development is the growth of the child and one of the main contributors of proper growth is a healthy and nutritious diet. Motor skills also form part of physical development, and have to do with the child producing coordinated movement. Gross motor skills include walking and running, while fine motor skills include drawing and coloring.

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development involves language skills and the ability to solve problems. The development of cognitive skills enables your child to make comparisons and remember past experiences. Cognitive skills can be inherent within your child, but majority of them are learned. The day care should ensure that their programs involve discovering and experimenting, and should also have sessions for practicing listening and reading skills.

Social/Emotional Development

Social/emotional development of your child is the ability for her to interact appropriately with others in a group setting. The experiences that your child goes through in her early years will result in the shaping of her personality and emotions into her adult life. A quality day care will provide your child with a positive and healthy environment to grow in that will give her a strong personality and the ability to control her emotions as she grows up. The experiences your child goes through in early life have a great impact on her future, even though she may end up forgetting the experiences themselves.

Centre Based Care

Centre based care is also known as long day care and is a service provided in a building designed to be used as a child care centre. Most day care centres open their doors at 7.30am and close at 6.00pm. Child care is offered to children aged from a few months to six years. The children are normally cared for in different rooms depending on their ages. Some day care centres are open the whole day; others offer services only during morning sessions, while others are only available in the afternoons.

Most centres prefer to provide the children with meals, but some do not offer meals and you will be required to pack food for your little one. Long day care centres have programs with an educational element that enables your child to learn as they are being watched. Most long day centres are child care services that have been approved. If you use their services, you may be eligible for the Child Care Rebate or the Child Care Benefit.


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Carolyn enjoys each moment she spends with children. She has a passion to see them prosper and flourish. To learn more about a day care centre in Northern Beaches that will offer your child the best quality care, please visit http://www.madchildcare.com.au/ .

Monday, November 23, 2015

Day Care - Identifying The Best Center

If you are a parent, a day care is a very important part of your life. This is because a day center will allow you the flexibility to carry out other activities even when you have a child. Much as a day care centre will help free up some time, a day care that does not offer your child a safe and healthy environment to grow can be detrimental to your child's development. It is therefore important to take the time to identify a day care that will take good care of your child.

Policies

Before you commit your child to a day care center, it is important to find out the policies of the center. Finding out the policies of the day care will enable you to know whether you share the same parenting values with the center. You can find out the type of discipline that is used on unruly children and how they put babies to sleep. Find out about meal times and the types of foods that are served to the children.

Health and safety also plays an important role in the development of your child, and you can find out how the center deals with changing diapers and washing hands. You need to know how sick children are dealt with and what symptoms should keep the child at home. The caregivers at the day care should have skills in first aid and CPR which they can use to attend to children in the event of an emergency.

Nurturing

When you visit a potential day care, you should pay attention to how the caregivers handle the children. A good sign would be a caregiver that is on the floor playing with the children and holding them on their laps. This is because at an early age, warm, nurturing and loving care is important to enhance the development of the child. A good adult to child ratio will allow your child to get the attention that she needs, and you can find what this ratio is at the potential centers you visit.

Turnover

It is important that the day care center you select has a low turnover of caregivers. A low turnover will indicate to you that the caregivers are motivated and that your child will be in a stable environment. On the other hand, a high turnover indicates that your child will have to keep adjusting to new caregivers that takes a lot of time and effort. This will cause her development to be slowed down. The same caregiver should watch your child for at least a year for her healthy development.

Structure

It is important to identify a day care that has put in place a proper plan for the children. You should be able to have access to the lesson plans which will show you what your child will be doing during the day. Children feel safe in an environment that has structure and a well-organized day care will offer your child an environment that will trigger healthy development. The day care should be focused on development and learning. You should be able to notice materials and toys at the center meant for the children's development.


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Carolyn and all other teaching staff will offer a learning experience customized to each child's needs. If you are looking for expert care for your child, please visit http://www.madchildcare.com.au/centres/beacon-hill/centre-page/ to get in touch with a quality day care in Beacon Hill.

Monday, November 16, 2015

How to Keep Yourself Safe Living in a Small Student Community

Copyright (c) 2015 Athens Commons

Student communities do have their own fair share of safety concerns. Students have electronics and gadgets that are pretty expensive and targeted by criminals. To keep yourself safe, you need to take some precautionary measures.

Always tell someone where you are going

If you are planning on meeting someone you don't know or visiting a place you've never been to, make sure you tell one of your friends. Everyone is vulnerable to crime and it's important to keep people on the loop in case of anything.

Use safe means of transport

Using your own car in a small student community can be costly and inconvenient which is why most students use public transport. However, if it gets late, don't over think about the cost of a taxi because your safety is more important especially if you've visited a place you are not familiar with.

Know what's happening around you

You need to always be on the lookout for any signs of danger or security concerns. Listen to the buzz around campus to familiarize yourself with common criminal activities and how to keep yourself safe. Beware of the people around you and do not invite strangers into your apartment while you are alone. This applies to fellow students as well.

Don't show off

You might have the latest electronic gadgets in your apartment but nobody needs to know. Make sure you position these items in such a way that they can't be easily spotted from the window. Don't leave money lying around in your apartment especially when you have friends coming over.

Keep your spare keys safe

Leaving your spare keys under the mat or close to the window is a huge security risk. In fact, your spare keys should never be left outdoors. Have one of your close friends keep one for you and do not attach a tag on the key that reveals your name and phone number. Criminals can connect the dots and find their way into your house.

Lock all doors and windows

Leaving your doors and windows open when you go for classes can be a huge risk. In fact, many burglaries can happen during the day when most students are out for their classes. If your doors or windows cannot lock properly, call for maintenance services to be done as soon as possible.

Get insurance for your valuable stuff

Student insurance is quite cheap and you can be able to protect your most valued assets from theft. Keep photographs of all your stuff that you want insured together with their receipts and serial numbers. It's going to be easy for them to be found if they are stolen.

Consider secure storage when you are away

If you cannot manage to travel with your valuables when you are going home for the holidays, arrange for a storage company to keep these items for you. You can enjoy your holiday in peace; resting in the knowledge that your valuables are safe.


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Athens Commons offers student housing across the street from the University's Business School. We take pride in managing our property to ensure our residents have the opportunity to enjoy the great social and academic experience Athens University offers. http://athenscommons.com/

Saturday, November 14, 2015

5 Tips to Make Student Community Living a Great Experience

Copyright (c) 2015 Hayden Commons

Living in a student community can turn out to be the best experience you ever had. Not only do you enjoy more independence compared to living on campus but also learn how to become a responsible adult by managing your bills and everything around you.

From noisy neighbors to anti-social behaviors, you are certainly going to experience some of these things when living in a student community. But depending on how you choose to handle them, you will love the entire experience. Here are some key things to note when living in a student community.

Be a good neighbor

There's nothing wrong with saying hello to your neighbors when you meet them outside. Create these social relationships with people around you because you never know when you'll need them. Make an effort to become part of the community in which you live by taking part in certain activities that help you to know your neighbors better.

Plan your apartment well

Consider the way you organize your room or house so that you don't cause any disturbance unknowingly. For instance, you may want to position your TV away from the walls because noise travels easily along walls. If you have noisy neighbors, then you'll want to keep your doors and windows closed at all times and also avoid adjoined rooms.

Notify your neighbors when planning a party

It is common courtesy to have your neighbors know that you are planning on throwing a party. Let them know in advance when you are planning to start the party and also at what time it's likely to end. Avoid noisy equipment that will cause disturbance and advertise your party only to your group of friends unless you want to end up with more guests than you expected. Most importantly, avoid throwing parties on weeknights for your neighbor's sake.

Clean up your mess

Don't get into the habit of leaving a mess outside your house especially after parties. Remember that it's a student community and everyone has a responsibility to maintain a hygienic environment. Get rid of trash and keep your environment clean.

Keep your car at home

University parking can be pretty expensive and you may not need a car if you live close to campus. Don't bring a car if you study in a heavily congested city because it will be a great inconvenience to you. It may be a lot cheaper to use public transport and you will also be contributing to a cleaner and greener environment.

The best way to enjoy your experience off-campus is to make wise choices and take measures to protect yourself at all times. When you get into your apartment, lock your doors and windows before you go to bed. Get a house that is comfortable and offers maintenance when needed. Interact with your neighbors because there is a lot that you can learn from them about living in the community. Most importantly, take your time to enjoy the whole experience because time flies and you'll soon be out of college.


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Hayden Commons offers student housing for the FSU campus. We take pride in managing our property to ensure our residents have the opportunity to enjoy the great social and academic experience Florida State University offers. http://haydencommons.net/

Thursday, November 12, 2015

7 Things to Check When Viewing a Student Apartment

Copyright (c) 2015 College Park Apartments

If you are planning on renting a student apartment, you need to take your time to choose wisely. Start by understanding your budget and needs so that you can find something that is comfortable for everyone especially if you are planning on having a roommate. Most importantly, look out for the following when viewing an apartment.

Check the walls and ceilings for any signs of dampness. You will see patches of black mold forming especially on the cardboard ceiling. Make sure you look for signs of water damage in other areas like the wardrobes. The dampness can cause diseases and needs to be addressed before you move in.

You also need to look out for signs of pests' infestation. Students can be really messy and you may end up in an apartment that was used to having piles of trash and hence has rodents and cockroaches all over. Make sure they do something about these nasty invaders before you move in.

Consider the location of the student apartment. An apartment that is close to the bus stop or your university is most convenient. Some of the nicest homes for students may not be situated very close to campus so you'll have to spend a lot of time and money commuting. Consider what's more important for you: a nice looking apartment or one that is close to school?

Make sure there is adequate supply of water to the apartment. During viewing, make sure you turn on the taps to see if the water comes out with adequate pressure. You might also want to check the toilet and bathroom to ensure there are no water issues.

The other import thing to check when viewing the student apartment is the security. The construction of the house itself shouldn't compromise on your safety. Check whether the apartment has alarm systems, safe doors and window locks. If you have any concerns in regards to security, communicate it to the landlord and find out what measures they have put in place to make the apartments safer for students. You may also consider speaking to a few people in the community around to find out how secure the area is.

Check the electrical components to ensure that you are not at risk of safety hazards. You don't need to be an expert to tell if a building has basic wiring issues. If you see hanging electrical wires, loose cables or poorly installed plug sockets, they should be a cause for concern. If the apartment has appliances, make sure the size and type present will work for you.

Proper insulation is also very critical in any apartment you choose. Look for features such as double gazed windows and a reliable heating system. Check out the exterior of the building as well and inspect the roof to see if there are any signs of missing tiles or poor flashing. These roofing issues may present insulation problems.


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College Park Apartments is a student based Community.Our complex is offered to Darton State College students.Each building has a parking lot for convenient parking for our residents.College Park Apartments offers a 10 month lease and a 12 month lease. http://collegeparkapartments.net/