I would like to know what is better for a baby...daycare vs..staying at home with someone who loves them??

Answer 1

I believe that if a parent is able to stay home with their child, that would be the best option for the child. I think that it is best for a parent to raise their own child rather than bringing him/her someplace else for 40 hrs. or more per week. However, if the parent is not able to (financially or otherwise), then there are lots of different options as far as daycare goes. There are homes, centers, nannies, etc. You need to do what is best for you and your child.

Answer 2

Well, take it from someone who has recently had to make that decision. I went back to work 3 days a week when my son was 11 weeks old. My sister came to my house those days and watched him. This was no longer working for her and at 9 months we put him in daycare. At that time, I had a lot of pressure financially and professionally to return full time to work and decided to do it then. It's been 6 weeks that my son has been in daycare and I'm still not adjusted (neither is he). When he was home, and I was working part-time, our lives were near perfect. Now that I'm full time, I miss him too much and hate that he's at daycare all day every day.

Having said that, I think that a child "should" be home with a parent for at least the first 12-18 months, but not everyone has the opportunity. I don't! If you can swing part-time, do that. It's the best of both worlds.

I think that if a mom has a choice to stay home or work, she should stay home. I would give anything to be able to spend that kind of time with my son.

Answer 3

I think having the baby stay home with the parents for the first 2-3 years is best, that way it can give the parents and child a special bond. Also it gives the parents a chance to teach there kids one on one. However after this I think it's great for the child to be put into daycare or pre-school it will give the child a chance to interact with children there own age and learn to get along with them before they start grade school.

Answer 4

It depends. Can you afford to stay home? Can you handle taking care of your child every day (mentally)?

Stay at home moms are great. In today's society however, they are becoming very rare. Most families need 2 incomes to make ends meet. If you can afford to stay home, do you want to?

I personally would not be able to stay home with my kids all day. After a very short time, I would resent them and stress beyond limits. Staying at home is not an option.

If you stay at home, what are you planning to do? Are you going to watch TV all day or bring your child to the playground/events/playgroups/ etc? Being a stay at home mom is very demanding. You can't just sit in front of the TV and expect to raise a well adjusted child. They need stimulation (heck YOU need stimulation!). Can you provide it?

If the answer to any of these questions is NO, then you really should think about daycare, if only a few days a week. Daycare gives a child socilization skills that they just can't get from staying home with mom. These skills need to be taught young, otherwise the child may have issues as they grow up.

Most daycare providers are licenced by the state they work in. They have to pass strict health code rules and must be trained in early childhood development and other age apropriate issues. They may not be better at raising your child than you, but they are a great sounding board to make sure what you're seeing is normal, and what you're doing is right. They are not the devil.

Answer 5

This is a difficult decision and I don't think there is 1 right answer.

There are bad parents who can't wait to drop off their kids at daycare and there are great parents who can't stand to leave their baby at daycare and visit on lunch breaks (me.)

There are also bad parents who stay home with their kids for selfish reasons and neglect their children and their are great parents who stay home with their kids and teach them and love them every minute.

I had to take my son to daycare. I could not afford to stay home. After struggling for the first 3 weeks I finally decided that being upset about it wasn't helping anything. So here are the positives.
1. Daycare provides your baby with a change of scenary and people so that he can grow accustom to many different things.
2. Daycare provides your baby with friends to play with every day.
3. Daycare keeps your baby on a very good schedule each day so that meals/bottles/diaper changes are not missed.
4. Daycare teaches your baby to learn to play on his/her own and put themselves asleep (both are beneficial!)

If you choose a daycare, make sure you visit more than once and I would suggest making "pop in" visits from time to time to make sure they know you're watching closely. I see my son each day for lunch. I don't eat, I spend every minute with him. That isn't always possible, but maybe once a week you can take a break and go visit.

The most important thing is that you love your baby, all the time, no matter what.

Answer 6

The obvious, would be staying at home with someone who loves them. They get more attention and better care. Plus less germs so they get sick less often. When they get to preschool age 3-4 they should start daycare part time or full time. I wish i could have stayed home with my kids but both went to daycare since 6 months old.

Answer 7

I think that its a good idea for baby to stay home with their parents when they are an infant. Some parents have to work and are obligated to put their child in daycare so i don't disagree with it. From experience i believe that a child learns a lot more in a good center. Studies actually show children who are in daycare learn a little more than stay at home kids. Probably because they re able to learn and interact with many children their age vs. being at home with parents all day. My child has. GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

staying at home with someone who loves them!! Day cares pretty much only have time to tend to the basic needs of babies and don't really have time to play and interact. I worked in daycares and swore I would never put my children in them! Some people just have to b/c they have no other choice but if there is any way to avoid it then please do. I have seen what goes on and its not pretty. The day care was supposed to be one of the best! It was so sad to see those babies setting in their car seats almost all day.

Once a child is 3 or 4 they need some interaction but there are play groups and library story hours and things like that.

Answer 9

my mom stayed at home with me until i was in 3rd grade, and then she started working at my school. my boyfriend, on the other hand, was in day care, had babysitters, went to camps.

now, I really enjoyed having my mom around all the time to do things with me. I never doubted that she loved me, and today i have so many memories to sit and talk about with her.

my boyfriend LOVED the way he was raised. He got to meet a lot of other kids, do some really fun activities, and is now probably a lot more independent because of it.

so, it really is going to depend on you, and how comfortable you are in leaving the baby during the day. daycares are great places, and i've worked in one for many years. the kids there may get upset in the beginning but never hold it against their parents, and after a week or so, most of them can't wait to come back the next day.

Answer 10

A small baby is a very sad sight in a day care! trust me- I worked in a few. I liked one of your answers that said Day cares have dirty little secrets that you don't know till you work there! So true!!
The infants are fed 2 at a time while each one is seated in their car seats-not even being held. They go from there to a swing or bouncy chair if old enough. There just isn't enough workers to hold and love on these babies. They get their diapers changed when its time for them to be picked up-they probably have not checked the diaper in hours before that. They cannot nap properly in a room with all the other babies.
If there is any way around it-don't do it!

Answer 11

well as someone in the childcare field Ive seen both.. i myself have worked in a home daycare and I'm currently a nanny... if u have only one child a licensed family daycare i find is the way to go there are other children they can interact with and start to make friends at a young age... if u have more than one child a nanny or a loved one could work well for you as well.. its all about the environment u want your child raised in... the younger they interact with other children and adults i find the less stranger anxiety they have later on and the less of for lack of a better word they don't BULLY other children....