Parents with children in childcare- what are the effects on your child (positive and negative)?

Question

I am considering putting my child into care so I can go back to work a couple of days a week and was wanting to know if anyone knew of any studies done into the effects this has on a child or to get personal opinions from those parents who have their children in care. Did your child take time to settle in and what age they started. What are the positive and negative effects on your child?

Answer 1

Ok here's the thing, it really depends on the age of your child. I wouldn't want to put my baby in daycare at too young an age, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do. There are pro's and con's either way. Your child will learn the socialization skills that he or she will need in daycare. They also learn routine, which makes it easier for them when they start school. My little cousin only went to a lady who kept three or four children, so Pre-K and Kindergarten were hard for him, when it came to following the rules and the routine. Other kids who had been to daycare knew the rules (come in, hang your coat up in your cubby, sit down quietly etc).

You do miss out on time with your baby, but the reality is you can not and will not be there for every single moment in your child's life. Plus you need a break away from your child to keep yourself from getting burnt out. Find a day care or a child care center that is good and that really cares about your child. Weigh out the pros vs. cons. I worked at a really well known day care chain for 3 days and I quit because they did things there that I wouldn't want done to my child, but I realize that all places are not like that. For example, the children that were being potty trained, after they used the toilet, they didn't wipe the kids or wash their hands. They said the kids had on pull-ups so it was ok. This was not acceptable to me! Visit the centers and see what you think. I've pretty much decided to put my baby in the daycare where her father went all of his childhood life. Although it's not the most modern facility, I see that she loves the children, they have a routine, she teaches the children numbers, letters, colors,etc. it's clean...it reminded me of being at your grandma's house...and granny doesn't hurt the kids :)

Answer 2

I have my own in-home daycare, in which I have my own two children ages 4 years and 6 months, as well as a 3 year old, an 8 month old, two 3 month olds, and a 2 month old. Here's what I can tell you from my experience.

I worked back when my son was little and he attended daycare two days a week and my mother watched him the rest of the week. He learned very important social skills from attending daycare that he might not have otherwise learned being without other children all the time. He is well mannered and considerate of other's feelings. He started daycare when he was 18 months old and didn't have any kind of seperation anxiety, he's always been pretty friendly and outgoing.

Now fast forward to today...my 6 month old little girl has been around the daycare kids I have here since she was a week old and has been sick somewhere around 4 or 5 times from all the germs the other kids bring in. She is a perfect baby and rarely demands attention which may seem like a good thing but in all reality that means that often times I find myself thinking at the end of the day that I spent much more time interacting with the demanding/fussy children than with her. That's the way it is in any daycare as well (I've worked in several). The fussy babies get more attention but will sometimes be forced to cry while another is being tended to, and the even keeled babies kind of just blend into the background of the busy atmosphere. It's harsh but the truth. Now this isn't to say that daycare is bad, if it were I wouldn't be in the profession. I'm simply saying it does have it's pros and cons and they need to be weighed individually.

I hope this helps and wish you the best of luck with whatever decision you make.

Answer 3

I think if a child goes to daycare it will make the switch to going to school alot easier then those that are home with mom everyday. Even if they dont go alot If they go some it will make it easier. My son did go, and he had no trouble starting school. My daughter didn't go much at all. and she cried everyday for months when she started pre school.

To the one that said mothers should not work, until kids go to school then just part time............. that's not available to some moms. Some moms are divorced, single, or they just dont make enough to stay at home.

Some parents both work to stay off welfare, so you shouldn't judge a parent that works, it doesn't mean they love their child any less.

Just make sure the daycare is doing it job, stop by un anounced, I never used daycare centers, I used people i knew with my son, Until i started taking him to work because they opened a center in my building.

Answer 4

I have a 2 year old daughter and a 7.5 month old son. My daughter started daycare about a year ago and the first couple of days were tough for her since she wasn't used to it. Now she loves it. She has lots of friends and has really learned a lot. She knows her ABC's, how to spell her name, counting to ten, etc.

My son has been going since he was about 9 weeks old and he didn't have any adjustment issues.

Please realize that not all daycares only want your money. Research numerous daycares in your area and go with your gut instinct. Ask neighbors, friends, and family if they have any recommendations. I chose the daycare my children go to because friends of mine take their children there and they love it.

The only downside to daycares, in my opinion, is not having more time to spend with your children and possibly missing out on different milestones.

Answer 5

My kids loved it that much they would cry the days they did not go. They learnt to interact with other children and have a lot of fun in the process. Childcare also prepared them for big school in which they were ahead of the others that didn;t attend. Your child will give you indication if they are not happy and you believe in your gut instincts also.........

Answer 6

I know I am not a parent, but I am 19, and was in daycare (with my sister) from the age of 2 until I was 13 (at 13 I started going 3 times a week, and then stayed home with my sister by ourselves every day just before I turned 14).

We both LOVED going to daycare every day when we were younger. I had great babysitters, and have fond memories of going for walks, having water fights with sponges on the driveway with every one, going to the park, going sledding, etc. My mom used to get so angry because it would take us FOREVER to leave when she picked us up because we were usually having a ton of fun.

I have had two bad experiances, however, neither of which were my moms fault but she feels bad about to this day. When I was 6 my babysitter got breastcancer, so we had to go elsewhere. We went to a new babysitter for about 2 months, when one day my mom came home and found me and my 4 year old sister locked in a trailer playing with knives while my babysitter fought with her husband. We never went back. Also, when we moved when I was 10, I went to a new babysitter for a year. She ignored us and treated us like we were crap compared to her kids. In the middle of the winter (-20C or so), she got mad at me and locked me out on the covered deck in my socks, jeans and a sweatshirt for an hour. I told my mom and we never went back.

Overall, I think I got a posative experiance out of daycare. I am very social, can get along with lots of people, and it pulled me out of my shy stage. One of my babysitters my mom still sees once a month for coffee, and she always says it is great to see me grow up like I have. A great suggestion, however, is REFERENCES! The only two times my mom didn't get them (both times because she was desperate), things went wrong.

Answer 7

Daycares don't care about your children. They care only about the money that they get from you. In the meantime, you're missing out on opportunities to bond with your child and instill your values and attitudes in him/her.

Wait until you kid is in school--actual school, not pre-school--and then pick up a part time job.