Usually, children are placed in child care either because both parents are working or because they have been advised to do so by a child counselor. In either case, the one to benefit is the child. Parents do raise questions about child care before
deciding on where to send him/her. Day care centers or preschools have proven to be a boon to working mothers. Most parents who do not have the luxury of grandparents to look after their toddlers depend on daycare to do the same. Daycares offer these children security, a structured learning environment, proper care, and hygiene. These centers while having in place a clear cut agenda for children also have well laid out rules for parents to follow. Also, sending your child to a daycare is more cost effective than employing a stay at home nanny. Every teacher employed by day cares has formal training in childhood development which means, while your child learns he/she is also taken good care of by the teachers.
These centers strike a perfect balance between playtime and learning. Research has shown that children sent to day cares evolve intellectually faster than those cared to by nannies at home. One of the greatest advantages of daycare is the child’s ability to make friends right from an early stage in life. Kids learn how to co-exist and the biggest benefit of daycare is socialization. While they learn to make friends, they also develop stronger health, mentally and physically. While daycares are beneficial for working moms it can be helpful to even stay at home mothers.
The teachers at these day-cares not only teach children but also act as the child’s first role model outside the confines of his/her own home. Children at this age are extremely impressionable and grasp very easily whatever they are taught. The teachers ensure that this aspect in them is developed constructively. One of the key aspects parents don’t realize is the fact that while children forge new friendships their parents do so too. I know a lot of parents who made friends with their child’s friend’s parents. Child care centers are better for a child’s development than home-based child schooling. Daycares improve the child’s cognitive learning ability and language skills right from a very young age. Research has also proven that children develop better per-academic skills involving letters and numbers and exhibit fewer behavioral problems at ages 2 and 3.
Daycares concentrate on working towards creating a positive attitude in the child right from an early stage. They are encouraged to have positive physical contact with the children, which in turn develops their overall social skills. The teacher to child ratio is usually kept at a respectably low level which means they will always almost immediately respond to the children’s vocalizations and ensure a one on one interaction whenever needed. Basically, the more positive the care is given to a child, greater the intellectual growth in him.her. In short, the more standards a child care setting meets, the more positive the caregiving. The more positive the caregiving, the higher the quality of care and the better the children’s outcomes.
Parents should take utmost care when choosing a daycare for their child. They shouldn’t assume that all child care centers provide the same level of quality as the others. First and foremost they should look for evidence that shows positive care giving especially when it comes to communication between the child and caregiver. This can have a huge impact on the child. Parents should also consider the pros and cons when choosing a daycare center versus a home-based setting.