Daycare.

Daycare

There are approximately 370,000 daycares in the United States (Statistics). Being a daycare worker allows one to interact with the youngest people in America. Preschool daycares provide a safe, discipline, and educational environment for children ranging up to the age of five. The number of mothers joining the work force increased very rapidly during the 1980s, especially for mothers of children under the age of six (Eberts 7). The need for daycare centers increased because mothers of preschool aged children were forced to find jobs due to the economy and the high divorce rate (How to start a Daycare Business).

Running a daycare requires more than a motherly heart. There are strict safety guidelines that must be followed. The teacher- to-child ratio ranges by ages, size of the daycares, and by state. The average is one licensed teacher for every fifteen to twenty children (How to Start a Daycare Business). In Florida, the teacher to child ratio is less for younger children between the ages of birth up until two years of age (Shields). All daycares are governed by the Department of Health. The Department of Health sets up safety guidelines to regulate things such as: sanitation, medical care, and playground restrictions. Sanitation is required to keep children and the daycare workers healthy.

Operators, substitutes, and children must wash their hands with soap and running water, dry their hands thoroughly, and follow all hygiene procedures for themselves or when assisting others (State Laws). All dirty diapers should be placed in a plastic lined and covered container that children cannot get into. Potty chairs should be cleaned and sanitized after every use. For children in diapers, there should be a diaper change area with an impermeable surface, which is cleaned with a sanitizing solution after each use. (State Laws). Some...