Parents are placing a sacred trust in a preschool by letting them protect their most precious gift. As a parent, there are some questions that you must ask and have answered by the facility.

Some of the most common topics to consider when inquiring about the services being offered are: food, napping, education, staff and healthcare services. Each is a vital component of a quality center. Many may seem like common sense items but asking about them shows an interest in both the center and the welfare of your child.

With so many horror stories of children being abused or neglected while at a daycare center, parents must do everything in their power to ensure that their children are well guarded and receive the services for which they have paid.

Proper nutrition is a vital part of a growing child's life. Even children that attend part time will still need snacks, so get an understanding of what type of nutrition the childcare services include. Ask to look at a typical day's menu or look inside the kitchen cupboards and refrigerator.

Studies have shown that more and more children are overweight, so make sure the facility offers healthy meals and nutritious snacks. Also, how often is the child given the opportunity to have a drink of water? Some facilities think nothing of putting juice in a cup at snack or meal time, but often do not give the child easy access to a drink of water at any other time.

Children are very much like sponges. They will soak up the environment in which they are placed. Therefore, it is essential to provide them with one in which they can learn and grow. Childcare services often incorporate some form of teaching or lesson plan. Ask the individual care givers what their qualifications are or if they have a certain educational philosophy or instructional method that they follow.

It would be great if all child care centers were completely germ and disease free. Life does not work out that way though. There are some parents who knowingly send their child to school while he or she is sick. This creates an atmosphere in which other children are exposed to contagious conditions.

If you are one of these parents, then shame on you! A preschool's responsibility is to provide childcare services to healthy children in a healthy atmosphere. They are not there to nurse sick children or help pass contagion. If your child is sick: keep them at home or with alternative sitters.

At some time in a child's life, the parents will have to rely on someone else to take care of their prodigy. If the parents remain diligent and stay abreast of the childcare services offered at the preschool or daycare, the child will be in good hands. It is difficult allowing a stranger to watch over your children but you, or any parent, can make that stranger into a friend by keeping the lines of communication open.