The pros and cons of Childcare

The thought of outside childcare leaves some parents feeling guilty, but it does not have to be a negative experience. Sometimes, child care outside of the home can be very good for kids, but it is your duty to ensure that this will be the case. Below is a list of the pros of daycare, and we also list some of the possible cons.

Pros

Safety

The reality is that two parents must work in order to make ends meet. So, if one parent cannot be at home with the kids, daycare centers provide families with a safe place to leave their children while they are at work. Each state maintains licensing regulations for childcare centers, and this includes health and safety regulations, food preparation regulations, emergency preparedness plans and sanitation rules. Every worker must also submit to a background check.

Immunity

Children in childcare centers contract illnesses from the other children, and this does not happen when kids are being cared for at home. In a study that he conducted; Dr. Thomas Ball found that a sample of these children experienced fewer colds after they entered elementary school. The years spent in daycare caused these children to develop an immunity to these illnesses, and this immunity lasted until the kids reached the age of 13.

Education

The U.S. National Institutes of Health conducted a study with teenagers with a history of spending their early years in child care facilities. These students scored higher on academic and cognitive tests. The important thing to note here is that the day care centers these children attended were considered to be high-quality centers.

Advanced Degrees

A study led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered that when children attend high-quality care centers, they were four times more likely to go to college and earn their four-year degrees. In general, this group obtains more education than kids who remained at home with a parent.

Play

It is important for a child’s development to play with other children, and this occurs at day care centers. It is during play time that children develop their imaginations. This time also increases their physical strength and their emotional strength. Play with other children gives kids partners with whom they can explore and get to know their worlds as they practice adult behaviors. When children play in groups, they have opportunities to learn how to share and resolve any conflicts that come up. It also encourages brain development.

Cons

Danger

A licensed care facility located in Colorado Springs is the subject of all parents’ nightmares. Authorities discovered 26 tiny bodies behind a false wall at a care center, and the owner was charged with child abuse. Although the facility owner was licensed, the authorities did an incomplete background search. They weren’t allowed to check into the owner’s past in California, so they had no idea that the owner had similar charges filed against her in that state.

Cost

Care facilities are known to be very costly. In some cities, care facilities for children cost more than the monthly rent. In other cities, child care costs are not that high, but they are very close. Pittsburgh is an example of a city with child care costs higher than rental payments, but the cost of child care in Las Vegas is $30 lower than the average rent payment of $1,500.

Behavior

Children from day care centers experience behavior issues in large numbers. Researchers conducted a long-term study on behavioral issues and day care, and they discovered disturbing findings. For example, they found that if children spent long hours in a daycare setting, they exhibited behavioral problems well into their elementary years. Specifically, 26 percent of children who spent 45 hours each week in day care had very serious behavioral issues by the time they reached kindergarten. If children spent less than 10 hours per week in daycare, only 10 percent of the sample experienced the same behavioral issues.

Missed Milestones

Babies and toddlers experience many milestones, but if you are at work when they first begin, you may regret it. Every mother looks forward to the day when her child takes his first steps. They also enjoy hearing their babies say their first words. These small moments fill parents with an immeasurable amount of joy and missing too many of them may be a source of great sadness for you.

Missed Play

Day care is good for kids because they have the chance to play with other children but play between parents and children is also beneficial to both. Play time is a time for parents and children to build a special bond, and when you keep your kids at home with you, you have plenty of time to engage in play. Some games allow you to teach your child new skills, and other types of play give you the chance to get some exercise. You will just need to decide whether play with other children or play with you is more important.