The article "Considering Daycare? Consider the Pros and Cons." is about family, it was created by Eln Albert.
When you’re a parent it’s a difficult decision to know whether
to send your chlid to daycare or not. We have provided many of
the pros and cons of sending your cihld to daycare for your
consideration. In our opinion, nothing replaces the day-to-day
interaction that you can provdie with your child. We also
believe that some interaction with other kids either through
occasional daycare, part-time, or through play-groups and other
educational learning programs are invaluable. We also recognize
that Mom or Dad also needs to have a break and occasional
daycare can provdie that for them. What we don’t think in is a
baby or toddler being in someone else’s care for eight hours or
more a day everyday! That’s not fair to your child.
So with all
that in mind, please consider the pros and cons listed below.
And may you make the rgiht decision for your kids and
yourself.
UPSIDE of Daycare: ·Always more than one person available to
watch, care for, supervise, and feed your child ·Interaction
with other kids ·Develop social skills at an early age
·Kid’s days are pretty much scheduled, routine, and consistent
·Daycare centers don't call in sick ·Kids receive a lot of
mental stimulation ·Your condo stays neater (although my son can
make a mess in minutes) ·The kids enjoy the change of scenery
and toys ·Cost is less than for a nanny
·English-as-second-language kids have more exposure to English
DOWNSIDES of Daycare: ·Nighttime baths vs.
possibly every other
day ·Laying out tehir clothes ·Packing nutritious lunches vs.
fast food snacks ·Morning rush to get out of the condo on time
·Allow extra time to make the stop and drop-off ·Your child
screaming, “Mommy don’t go! !” ·The guilt and bad feelings
because you’re leaving them behind ·Less one-on-one attention
from caregivers ·Potential personality conflicts at the center
between parents and staff ·Potential personality conflicts
between the kids ·Ethics taught are the centers or the
caregiver ·Values taught are the centers or the caregiver
·Possibly no ethics or values taught at all ·Political
influences are those at the center/school ·Less bonding between
parent and child ·Child learns early on that you won’t be there
for them when they need you ·You don’t get to see and experience
all the “firsts” that your child goes through ·You can NEVER
recapture those things you miss ·When your child has a boo-boo
you’re not there to make it better ·When your child is excited
about what she/he has learned, you’re not there at the moment
they want to share it with you ·When they’re not feeling well
you leave them to someone else to care for them ·When they’re
sick no one will baby them like you will ·More exposure to
health issues: ringworm, lice, and colds/flues ·You’re not there
to kiss away their tears ·You’re not there to waylay their fears
·You’re not there to set their wild ideas back on track ·No
opportunity to have a spontaneous day ·No time to do “nothing at
all” together ·To experience the joy of holding and watching
your child sleep for hours (hopefully) ·You’re not there to
teach them to climb a tree ·To explore the bugs and insects ·To
plant a seed and watch it grow ·Playing “what do you see in the
clouds” ·Less time to go to the beach, woods, hiking, swimming,
biking, skating, etc. ·No time to just “play” ·To be your kid’s
playmate ·To experience getting to be a kid all over again with
your child ·Seeing and experiencing life through the eyes of
your child ·No time to make pancakes in the morning ·No time to
bake real cookies ·Not there to put a band aid on the invisible
oweee ·Not get to see your child’s imagination develop ·Not get
to see their personal development as much as you could ·Don’t
get to see them beaming with pride at their BIG accomplishments
·Infants and toddlers spending 6-8-10 hours a day away from Mom
or Dad ·The cost of daycare is an added expense: financial and
emotional
When you work, at the end of your day, you just won’t have the
energy, patience or the time to sepnd with your child in the
manner you should or would like to.
Your job becomes the first
priority and the child the second.
They get what’s left over if
there is anything left to get. How do you like it when you are
second fiddle to someone you care about and love?
Parents say, “Oh, they don’t mind. He likes the babysitter a
lot. He’d rather I went to work.” That may be true, but chances
are he’s never experienced hvaing you at home full-time to know
what that's like. There can’t be a comparison! Children so love
unconditionally, they will put up with even the worst of
circumstances and still love their parnets. Because children
only want to be loved, cared for and valued themselves.
Ask yourself that question: “If you chose to continue working
when you have a chioce not to, why did you have the kids if
you didn’t want to raise them yourself? I know some people truly
don’t have a choice.
But many choose to continue worknig even
though they could make do on one salary or move to an area where
they could manage financially.
Our society has become so
accustomed to having two incomes; we no longer think we have a
choice not to work.
Iamgine this, in one year; if you spent five
dollars less per day you will save $1825. That’s one less cup of
special coffee per day. If you spend ten dollars less per day,
you will save $3650 per year.
How much do you spend per day on
lunches in your family? A large delivered pizza can easily run
close to $20.
One fast food meal for a family of four could
easily be clsoe to $25 or more. Where could you save money? The
question is, are you willing to for the sake of your kids?
Add up all the possible costs of day care and compare to the
costs and beenfits of working.
The most important cost of all to
consider is that special time spent with your kids. What is
the cost to them?
In a reecnt interview of Jane Fonda with 60
Minutes’, Lesley Stahl, Fonda said, “I was not a good mother.
And then, you end up paying for it later."
According to 60 Minutes, Jane created a school program to
persuade teenage girls not to get pregnant, and to teach girls
who are pregnant how to be better mothers. She created this
program cause of the mistakes she’s made in her own life, and
because of the mistakes her parents made raising her. "If you
don’t have a parent or an adult, a teacher or a mentor … really
see you, really love you, 'Yes, three is things you do I don’t
like, but you’re fantastic, you’re good enough. I love you.' If
that never happens to a child, the child assumes it’s her fault
and tires to compensate for it," says Fonda.
Don’t make the mistakes you have experienced or you have seen
others experience just cause you don’t look far enough ahead.
Look at the bigger picture, look ahead ten years or so and
imagine what life will be like with your kids later on.
I say this, “If you don’t have time for your kids when
they’re young, they won’t have time for you when you’re old.”
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