The Pros and Cons of Daycare
Millions of parents across the country face the tough decision of whether or not to place their children in daycare each year. As the number of families with both parents working outside the home has risen, the need for daycare services has increased dramatically. These families may not have relatives that live close by or are able to care for their children. Others families may have a parent that works from home but needs uninterrupted time to complete work. Many daycare centers offer full day versus half day or full week versus partial week options, priced accordingly. This allows each family to match the daycare’s services with their needs.
Daycare, however, is debated among parents, health care providers, and educational professionals. Some support daycare, saying it offers socialization and educational opportunities a child would not have staying at home with a parent or a relative. Others claim those who use daycare services are allowing others to raise their children and have abandoned their responsibilities as a parent. Like any controversial issue, there are arguments for both sides. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of sending your child to daycare.
Pros:
Independence- Children who separate from their parents early and have a positive experience at daycare learn to trust that Mom and Dad will leave but they always come back. In addition, these children become confident in their own skills and thus, more self-reliant.
Socialization- Even with siblings, you can’t match the opportunities for social interaction that a child has at daycare in the home. Your child will be placed in a class with children close in age and have opportunities to play and negotiate with peers each day. Nicole, of Northvale, New Jersey, says she toyed with the idea of keeping her one and 2-year-old home with an in-home caretaker because they had each other to play with. “Even though they are young, I see them argue. I made the right decision-it’s good for them to have time apart and play with other children at day care.”
Academic Advantage- Many daycares provide some form of instruction or exposure to academic concepts. Calendar concepts, time concepts, letters, and numbers are all explored during circle time each morning. Many daycares offer music classes and art projects, exposing your child to a variety of experiences. Your child will learn to follow a schedule and the structure will prepare her for school.
Cons
Increased Exposure to Illness- One parent, Lynn of Harrison, New Jersey, reports her children have come down with more illnesses since they started daycare this past September. Lynn works to provide health benefits for her family of five as well as to supply a second income and time off from her job does not bode well for her paycheck. “My job allots a certain number of sick days for staff and I’ve used all those days and more. Now my pay is being docked every time I call out because one of my kids is sick. I feel like I have to choose between my kids and my job; of course I’m going to choose my kids.” She still worries about her job security because of her absences from work. Lynn also cites seeing other children come in to daycare despite being sick. “Not all parents call out from work and stay home with their kids like I do.” This leads to the spread and recurrence of illnesses in young children and staff.
Less Quality Time with Parents- Naturally, if you are working during the day, you are going to miss quality time with your child. All parents know, time away from your children cannot be regained. Danielle of Park Ridge, New Jersey, says “There are days my daughter comes home with beautiful art projects and I wish I had been the one to sit and paint it with her.”
Exposure to Poor Behavior- We cannot shield our children forever, but it is certainly discouraging to see children pick up poor habits from peers at daycare. From as early as 18 months, your child may mimic others’ words and actions. If a child at daycare is not speaking nicely to peers and staff, or worse, exhibiting aggressive behaviors such as biting or hitting, your child may see this as a way to gain staff’s attention. Communicate with the staff immediately if you see behaviors in your child that you did not see before daycare. Remember to approach staff as a concerned parent without accusing other children, families, or staff.
Whether you are comfortable with your decision to utilize daycare services or you are still apprehensive, there are a few ways to ensure you choose the right daycare. The best way to choose a daycare is to ask friends for references. Happy children often equal happy parents. If many parents in your community are sending their children to the same daycare facility, put it at the top of your list. Visit each prospective daycare and ask about safety protocol. Ask if there is a nurse on staff and if staff are CPR-certified. Also, ask how children with behavioral difficulties are handled. Whether your child is having a hard time adjusting to the new routine or is witnessing other challenging behaviors, you want to make sure staff approaches these situations with care and concern.
Jennifer Cerbasi teaches at a public school for children on the autism spectrum in New Jersey. As a coordinator of Applied Behavioral Analysis programs in the home, she works with parents to create and implement behavioral plans for their children in an environment that fosters both academic and social growth. In addition to her work both in the classroom and at home, she is also a member of the National Association of Special Education Teachers and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Tags: children, cons, daycare, education, health benefits, illness, income, Jennifer Cerbasi, Job, mother, parents, pros, toddler
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All three Pro’s mentioned in this article, actually have scientifically been shown to best be accomplished by the mother. Please do a search on attachment parenting. Some of the first research done, was by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth in the 1950s. Some more recent work was done by Dr. Allan Schore, a psychologist at the UCLA School of Medicine. This research has shown that it is best for a child to have only one primary caregiver, the mother being the first choice.
Securely attached children do better as they grow older in:
self-esteem
autonomy
ability to manage impulses and feelings
long-term friendships
positive relationships with parents, caregivers, and other authority figures
effective coping skills
trust, intimacy, and affection
positive and hopeful belief systems
academic success in school
My search started at the following article in the children’s health encyclopedia
Article by: Deanna M. Swartout-Corbeil, RN
Again a mother at home is the best option, but not everyone has that option. Thus a better article would be what to look for in a caregiver if you can not stay at home with your child.
Interesting article. I have an interesting experience – my first two children were in daycare from 6 weeks of age until school, while my 3rd child was raised entirely at home by me, as I had finally quit my job! All of them are smart. My older two children (day care kids) are very independent, but can be self-centered and insecure. My youngest (raised at home but now in elementary school) is a bit clingy and very shy but much more balanced in relationships with others and quite secure. Who knows?
Having lived both lives, I wish I would have stayed home with all of them. I certainly feel as if I have a stronger bond with my third child. I also found that my relationships with the older two became much stronger once I was home for them after school, in the summers, etc. I have found it is very meaningful to them to know that ‘THEY are my job’, and it is important and demanding enough to take my full attention.
I personally think staying home is best if you can do it. No work accomplishments can compare to nurturing your child. Just my 2 cents worth.
Please!!! Get socialized? Get into a school routine? Isn’t kindergarten early enough? Most of the kids I see in institutional daycare act awful (clingy, fearful, no confidence) or disrespectful, mouthy, and in charge of the house. Their parents are tired, irritable or overplaying “good” parents in public. When they come to play with my kids, they are so desperate for someone’s mom to pay attentiom to them, they follow me around instead of playing. Yes, it’s boring, there are no real breaks. Sometimes it’s fun and funny and you feel like you’re playing hooky from work. But no job is perfect. Grow up and deal with it!
Mother of Four, 12 and under
This article seems to have been written trying to talk one into sending their child to day care. Each Pro of day care was not countered with a pro of staying home, while the cons start off with sentences like “We cannot shield our children forever”.
All of the pros can easily be accomplished at home and further solidified by a caring family structure. You can socialized your child/dren by allowing them ample time to play with other children. Parents who make the effort can structure their childs day in such a way to have them ready for Kindergarten and the schedule that looms ahead. They can also introduce academic concepts such as numbers, letters, time and more… and have been for decades! And independence comes at a time when the most children are ready to have it… not want it, but ready for it. When they are 5/6/7 and entering Kindergarten.
I understand some families have no choice… but I also know many many parents who leave their children at daycare as late as possible. They say “I paid for care up until 6, I’m not going to pick them up until 6.” It’s shameful!
A loving caring home, being raised by parents is the best way to go when you can do it — that is for sure. I disagree with the UCLA study that claims it is best for the child to be with their mother, that’s an unfair bias that has been perpetuated over the years. I’d love to see the data on that study. Compare apples to apples, not apples to bananas and see what the results are
The “educational enrichment” offered (pushed) in too many daycare facilities are not developmentally appropriate. My young nieces proudly show me the worksheets on which they scribble/draw/scratch letters of the alphabet long before they are ready to control the strokes necessary for efficient writing. Teachers with whom I work often cannot override the mis-education to teach correct letter formation and writing. Then the schools refer students for possible identification as individuals with learning disabilities in written expression instead of identifying that they were mis-taught when far too young to handle the busy work.