Should I Send My Child to Daycare?

Many people have disagreeing opinions about whether daycare is good or bad for children. Some people feel that children should be at home with their parents until they are at the age when they can start school. Some parents have no choice but to send their children to daycare because they must work. Some parents think that daycare is wonderful and see the benefits of their kids going there. No matter what school of thought you have when it comes to day care, it is important to realize something: Day care is good for your child in several ways!

Healthier Children

Many parents complain that daycare makes their child sick often, however there is a benefit to this. Getting exposure to germs that can make him or her sick this early allows them to start building a resistance early. This makes their immune system stronger and more prepared for sickness in the future. In many cases it can help condition the body against certain conditions like allergies and even types of cancer. According to one study, kids who attend daycare are 30% less likely to develop leukemia. Many people say that the reason is the strengthened immune system. Another great thing from daycare is when they start school they will already have a resistance built up to the germs that stay at home kids are just now dealing with.

Better Educated

One of the many benefits of daycare is that good daycares will get the kids started with their learning early. Many daycares have curriculums in place to teach the kid's things like colors, numbers shapes and even the alphabet. This can be a real jump start for children who are starting school. Kids who know this information are already ready to start sounding out words and reading some things. Daycares generally do not teach math, but the fact that they know numbers and the values associated with them gives them a great head start. Research has shown that children who attend daycare do better on literacy and number tests when they get older.

More Social

Children who attend daycare get the opportunity to develop a wider array of social skills. They get to practice their interaction with groups of others their age earlier and more frequently than kids who stay at home. This helps them with their relationship building skills as well as understanding others. Their interaction with others teaches them that they aren't the only person in the world who has needs and emotions. They also learn to be more assertive when it comes to going after things they want. This continues well into their adult life. Another social benefit of children who attend daycare is that they learn how to cooperate and work together.

Finding a Quality Daycare

When looking for a daycare there are several things that you should look for. The first thing that you need to look for is a government certification. This is important because it says they meet government standards for a safe place for your children. Second you want to consider the staff. It is important that at least some of the staff have education or degrees in the development of children or education of children. You also want to look for a daycare that has personalized care. There should be no more than 6 children in each class. This way there is a large enough group for interaction but it is small enough that the children can be watch closely. Finally you will want to go with your feeling. If you see something that you don't like then try somewhere else. Make sure it is a place you are confident about.