When it comes to selecting the best child care for your family’s specific needs, there are many important factors to consider. However, when you are not fluent in these factors, how can you measure quality and make the correct choice for you and your child? This surprising poll from NPR (“NPR Poll: Are Parents Overrating The Quality Of Child Care?”) points out the gaping misalignment of parent perception and apparent reality — how far too many parents, according to a study from the National Institutes of Health, overrate their child care selection.

Exploring the potential causes of these findings, this article inherently highlights the importance of equipping parents with the knowledge necessary to break down and define quality child care. With this exposure, parents could make informed decisions based on research such as the latest brain science instead of relying on a gut feeling.

In his latest book (Helping Children Succeed: What Works and Why) and recent lecture in the District of Columbia, best-selling author Paul Tough emphasized the critical role environments — and character skills developed in these environments — play in a child’s first few years of life and future success. Reviewing and applying his principles to child care could be a great first step for parents. Learn more about Paul and his visit with us, and download the free online version of his book.