How to Choose the Right Day Care

Choosing a child care option that is right for you and your family is one of the most important decisions you, as a parent, will make. There are so many choices when it comes to child care: center-based day care, home-based day care, nanny, babysitter, family member, the list goes on and on. The early years of your child’s life are so crucial in brain development. You want your child care option to meet the highest standard of care but also aid in the development and social skills of baby.

It can definitely be overwhelming! Forget ‘can’, it IS overwhelming! So, where to start? Take it step by step and explore your options. Decide if daycare is the right option for you with this compiled list of pros and cons:

What are the benefits of daycare?

Pros:

• Sustained Care: From infancy to toddlerhood and beyond, most daycares offer care for 3+ month olds to school aged children. This is great because it gives your babe a stable routine, and gives you peace of mind not having to worry about finding something new in a few years.
• Budget: Daycares tend to be less expensive than hiring a full/part time nanny.
• Reliability: You will never have to worry about a caregiver calling off sick! It is the daycare’s problem to make sure that person’s shift is covered and someone is there to take care of your babe! A seriously huge weight lifted off your shoulders!
• Early Education: Looking ahead a few years, most centers offer programs for your tot’s development! Learning things like colors, shapes, even letters early help to create that genius in the making!
• Social Time: Socialization is so important in growth and development! Your babe will be surrounded by children their own age and will learn things like sharing early on.
• Center-based specific: All staff is fully trained and licensed!
• Home-Based Specific: Tend to be less children than in group daycare centers meaning a little more personal attention for your babe. AND less exposure to illness (this is HUGE, trust us)

What are the disadvantages of daycare?

Cons:

• Illness Exposure: If you’re looking into home daycare then this is a little less of a downside but still needs to be considered. Kids get sick, often, and pass around to everyone they contact. This constant exposure can lead to your baby getting sick more often than if they were to have a nanny/babysitter. BUT, early germ exposure can actually boost baby’s immune system leading to fewer illness later on!
• Center-Based Specific: Because they are a little more structured in nature, you may have less flexibility in scheduling. These also are probably closed on holidays causing problems if you have an abnormal work schedule
• Home-Based Specific: These tend to not be regularly inspected for quality because these are likely unlicensed. Some may not abide by child-to-caregiver ratios, group size, activities, etc.
• Home-Based Specific: If the caregiver is sick or needs to take the day off there is usually no substitute. This can cause chaos for you if they need to call-off last minute. Better have a backup on speed dial!

The bottom line:

Find the option that works best for your family and your schedule. What works for one mom, will likely not work for you. If daycare isn’t the route you want to take, explore other options like a nanny, babysitter, family member or friend. Trust your gut and think about what makes the most sense for your little bundle. Finding an option that you and baby are both comfortable with is key!