Child Day Care
From LoveToKnow Pregnancy
In the United States, nearly 25 percent of all children under five years of age are cared for in an organized child day care center. Most of these children spend between 30 and 50 hours in day care each week. However, there is much debate about how the day care environment impacts a child’s development.
Positive Effects of Child Day Care
Many mothers say the greatest advantage of child day care is the new perspective it gives them on parenthood. After having a chance to interact with other adults, they return to their children refreshed and eager to resume their parenting duties. Since many instances of child abuse, neglect, or mistreatment involve a parent perpetrator, a quality day care environment can be a lifesaver for a child at risk.
Child day care may also provide kids with an opportunity to develop their social skills. This can be especially important for only children, since they don’t have older siblings to act as built-in playmates. Many day care centers plan activities that focus on sharing, teamwork, and other communications skills.
Although many parents feel that children in day care are sick more often than those who stay home, some researchers believe day care can boost the immune system. For example, there is evidence to suggest that babies who are enrolled in day care have a decreased risk of developing asthma as adults.
Negative Effects of Child Day Care
In 1999, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) published a “Study of Early Child Care” that linked a child’s time in day care with a less positive mother-child interaction. This weakening of the parental bond may be the result of a stronger relationship with the child’s care provider. It could also be attributed to the mother’s increased stress level as she tries to balance work and family responsibilities. However, since the study only followed children from six months to three years of age, it’s hard to draw any long-term conclusions from the research.
Another concern with day care is that time spent away from his/her parents may make a child more prone to behavioral problems. For example, one study found that young children placed in day care for more than 30 hours per week had twice the likelihood of developing behavioral problems in kindergarten when compared to children who were enrolled in day care for 10 hours or less per week.
Although many parents believe a structured child day care center can boost baby’s intelligence, psychologist Elizabeth Harvey has found that two-income families have children with lower verbal ability than families with a stay-at-home parent. However, her research only measured achievement scores in children ages under 12.
Choosing a Care Provider
Regardless of what researchers conclude, there will always be mothers who must place their children in a child day care center. Choosing a high-quality care provider for your child can minimize any potential negative effects of the day care environment. Consider the following when selecting a facility for your child:
- Does the day care provider have CPR training?
- What is his/her background in child development? Does he/she have a degree in early childhood education or related work experience?
- Does the facility conduct background checks on employees?
- How often are safety inspections done?
- What activities are planned for the children? For example, do the children play outside, read stories, or watch TV on a regular basis?
- What is the discipline policy?
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