Karen Shelby

* YMCA Childcare Resource Service - Karen Shelby

Karen ShelbyYMCA Childcare Resource Service

Karen Shelby • R&R Department Head 619.521.3055 x 2300kshelby@ymcacrs.org

Karen ShelbyVice PresidentSouthern Regional Vice PresidentYMCA Childcare Resource Service

The most important thing working parents can take away from the study is that it still is vitally important how they choose the care their children will have, says Karen Shelby, head of resource and referral for the YMCA Childcare Resource Service.CRS helps San Diego County working parents find the place for their children among 3,900 licensed family child-care homes, 850 licensed child-care centers and 300 school-age programs.

Tips for choosing proper day-care

These are some of the things to keep in mind while you're deciding what care setting is best for your child - whether that is infant care, a family day-care program, a preschool or an after-school program.Karen Shelby, head of resource and referral for the YMCA Childcare Resource Service, and Katy Kenshur, president of the San Diego County Family Child Care Association, suggest you consider the following to minimize problems for your child:
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And given the study results, Shelby says parents should pay as much attention to choosing one that encourages social and emotional development as much as any academic focus.

That's what drew Kallen to Los Arbolitos Preschool in Spring Valley.

"I didn't know anything about (the preschool's) academics.What I knew and felt was that this is a happy place," she says.
...
Shelby went to the child-care facility to take a look.She says she watched the teacher line up 20 3-year-olds to get ready to wash their hands and go to the restroom.They stood in that line for 20 minutes until all of them were ready.A child-care facility that works that way could be breeding misbehavior.

"Three-year-olds can't stand in line for 20 minutes without pushing and shoving," says Shelby, who has been at CRS for 15 years and worked at or directed preschools for another 15 years, as well as taught parenting classes.

Kallen and her husband, Bruce, were so pleased with Ian's experience at Los Arbolitos that his little sister, Ali, 4, is going there now.

She sees the study as a nudge for some parents.

"If they weren't happy to begin with, this is the time to look at their child care," she says.

The most important thing working parents can take away from the study is that it still is vitally important how they choose the care their children will have, says Karen Shelby, head of resource and referral for the YMCA Childcare Resource Service.CRS helps working parents find the place for their children among 3,900 licensed family child-care homes, 850 licensed child-care centers and 300 school-age programs.

And given the study results, Shelby says parents should pay as much attention to choosing one that encourages social and emotional development as much as any academic focus.

That's what drew Kallen to Los Arbolitos Preschool in San Diego.

"I didn't know anything about (the preschool's) academics.What I knew and felt was that this is a happy place," she says.
...
Shelby went to the child-care facility to take a look.She says she watched the teacher line up 20 3-year-olds to get ready to wash their hands and go to the restroom.They stood in that line for 20 minutes until all of them were ready.A child-care facility that works that way could be breeding misbehavior.

"Three-year-olds can't stand in line for 20 minutes without pushing and shoving," says Shelby, who has been at CRS for 15 years and worked at or directed preschools for another 15 years, as well as taught parenting classes.

Karen Shelby

(619) 521-3055

Ext. 2300

1-866-CARESSD

The most important thing working parents can take away from the study is that it still is vitally important how they choose the care their children will have, says Karen Shelby, head of resource and referral for the YMCA Childcare Resource Service.CRS helps working parents find the place for their children among 3,900 licensed family child-care homes, 850 licensed child-care centers and 300 school-age programs.

And given the study results, Shelby says parents should pay as much attention to choosing one that encourages social and emotional development as much as any academic focus.

That's what drew Kallen to Los Arbolitos Preschool in San Diego.

"I didn't know anything about (the preschool's) academics.What I knew and felt was that this is a happy place," she says.
...
Shelby went to the child-care facility to take a look.She says she watched the teacher line up 20 3-year-olds to get ready to wash their hands and go to the restroom.They stood in that line for 20 minutes until all of them were ready.A child-care facility that works that way could be breeding misbehavior.

"Three-year-olds can't stand in line for 20 minutes without pushing and shoving," says Shelby, who has been at CRS for 15 years and worked at or directed preschools for another 15 years, as well as taught parenting classes.

Kallen and her husband, Bruce, were so pleased with Ian's experience at Los Arbolitos that his little sister, Ali, 4, is going there now.She sees the study as a nudge for some parents.

"If they weren't happy to begin with, this is the time to look at their child care," she says.

Karen ShelbySouthern Regional Vice PresidentYMCA Childcare Resource Service

Karen Shelby (619) 521-3055 ext. 2300 kshelby@ymcacrs.org