Simply put, working parents need reliable and affordable childcare. It’s considered a necessity in today’s society. But there isn’t necessarily one type of childcare that’s right for every family. With so many options available to today’s families, it can be difficult to know which kind of childcare arrangement will serve your needs. But if you thought that day care centers should be at the top of your list, you might want to rethink your strategy.
While there are some high-quality daycares out there, these arrangements are not always in the best interests of both parents and children. There may be some viable daycare alternatives you’ll want to consider after you read through today’s post.
3 Reasons Day Care Centers Aren’t the Only Answer For Childcare
- The staff might not be as qualified as you’d think.
Although some day care centers do promote the presence of staff members with advanced degrees and childcare experience, you don’t always have absolute control over who cares for your child. Daycare staff members may come and go on a frequent basis, with some facilities choosing to hire anyone with a limited background in caring for toddlers. These staff members may be perfectly lovely people, but they might not meet your own qualifications due to their level of experience (or lack thereof). What’s more, you might not always be told about changes to staffing or be informed about the credentials of a given staff member. When you enroll your child in preschool, however, you can rest assured that staff members have the training, knowledge, and the first-hand experience to provide a high-quality education to all young students. - There might be too much screen time.
Ultimately, day care centers are not meant to provide educational stimulation for young children. They’re meant to provide care, supervision, and fun. Through these activities, natural development will occur. But the main focus is not educational. Therefore, staff members might rely on activities like television or screen-based games to keep young children occupied and quiet. That’s not always the case in an everyday care facility, but it may be a concern for parents who are making an effort to limit screen usage at home. If you’re looking for a facility that will provide mental, emotional, social, and physical development, you may want to consider having your child join the three-quarters of young children in the U.S. who participate in a preschool program instead. - There’s a lack of communication between staff and parents.
Before you choose your childcare facility, it’s essential that you closely examine the philosophy of the program and ask about its level of communication. Ideally, the lines of communication should be kept open between family and staff, as this is one of the best ways to ensure your child is adjusting and progressing. Daycare programs might not always prioritize these communications. Alternatively, staff members might be overworked or inexperienced enough that they cannot provide the information to families in the way they should. There are exceptions, of course, but it’s essential for families to probe for information prior to enrolling their child in daycare or preschool if your aim is to stay up-to-date with your little one’s benchmarks. While many of those updates are built in within a preschool setting, the same cannot always be said for daycare programs.
Your decision pertaining to childcare should depend on the individual facility itself, rather than the generalizations about the type of arrangement. However, it’s important to become familiar with the potential advantages and drawbacks of certain facilities so your family can make an informed decision. As this post shows, there may be considerations you hadn’t considered that might make you pause prior to enrolling your child in daycare. To find out more about why our preschool programs are beneficial alternatives to daycare centers, please contact us today.