There are many heart-in-throat experiences when it comes to parenting, but the one that’s really high on the teeth-grinding list has to be choosing a daycare.
Many of us have meandered through endless daycares as we make our choice, firing a near million questions as we sceptically eye-ball the centre, the facilities and its carers.
Our baby might not have mastered rolling or know the difference between cat and dog, but we want to know the centre’s curriculum, its values, a nutritional breakdown of each meal and how many times the French teacher comes per week.
We are on high alert and justifiably so. When the daycare door swings shut, with our cherub-faced baby on one side and us on the other, all we have is trust. Trust that the centre and its carers will give our child the best possible care.
As a parent to a 16-month-old and a seasoned daycare attendee since he was eight-months-old, I thought I had the whole interrogation process down.

Top Comments
I feel like it depends what the child was crying about. If he was throwing a tantrum about something small (as kids do), then no hugging makes sense. "I will not reward you screaming and hollering for some small trinket."
But if the child was scared or missed their mom, then hugging would be appropriate, maybe even just an around-the-shoulder hug?
Centres should have a list of questions for new parents to - "what would you like us to do when your child is upset?", "What would you like us to do if your child won't eat?" Parents and centres could come to an agreement on what is best for each child.
I agree with you Kristy. The answer to all the questions though should be 'be kind to them and use your judgement'. No normal persons judgement would ever be leave a 2 year old girl outside when she is distressed. Just SO AWFUL. If I had been the mother I would have exposed them big time.