While children’s daycare centers provide a nurturing, safe environment for your child to grow, there are some misconceptions out there that can put people off from using them. We’re here to clear some up! Read on to learn the truths behind a few common misconceptions.
Daycare is Just Babysitting
This is a very common misconception, and it can sometimes cause people to avoid using daycare. But this misconception couldn’t be further from the truth!
Many parents utilize daycare services so they have someone to look out for their children while they attend to other obligations. From that perspective, it’s easy to lump daycares together with babysitters. But daycares do much more than monitor children. Quality daycares employ qualified childcare professionals who actively engage in learning experiences with children. They also create curriculum based on the latest research and development in regard to early childhood education to benefit your child’s development.
Daycare Negatively Affects Parent-Children Relationships
Before starting daycare, your child has been by your side every single day. So taking them to a new place where they’ll spend a good portion of the day without you can lead to some anxious feelings.
However, putting your kid in daycare won’t affect your relationship with your child. The teachers at children’s daycare are there to provide your child the attention, support, and guidance they need to develop and grow. They aren’t there to replace you. And how could they? The connection between a parent and a child is a special one, and one we know can NEVER be replaced. A strong, healthy attachment to a parent is something that forms naturally within a child and isn’t something daycare can take away.
Daycare Leads to Behavioral Problems
Some parents believe that children’s daycare facilities can lead to behavioral problems among children due to it being unstimulating.
Luckily, this is very much not true! Quality daycares always provide plenty of engaging activities throughout your little one’s day. Whether they’re singing, dancing, coloring, painting, having story time, or imaginative play time, they are receiving stimulating learning, interaction, and development throughout their day.
Kids Don’t Learn, They Just Play
In part this is true – there’s plenty of playing at daycare. But for some, there’s a misconception that play should happen after or apart from learning. The truth of the matter is children learn as they play! Children discover and make sense of the world best through hands-on experiences. And play is a natural form of exploration (a super fun one at that!).
Playing will help children with their creative thinking skills, communication and language, social skills, and develop their early brain development. Whether it’s stacking blocks, playing with playdough, or pretending to fly to the moon, your child is learning and growing all at the same time. The bonus: teachers at daycare help facilitate fun activities, games, and playtime to specifically help with developing gross motor skills, language development, and brain building.
My Children Don’t Need More Time to Play, They Already Get Enough
Many people believe that their children get enough play time, but there has been a steady decline in opportunities for unstructured free play. This kind of play is vital for children’s overall development, and daycare can provide it.
Daycares centers provide children a wonderful opportunity to really be a kid. They can engage in group play and pretend play, which in turn supports their development. If you’re a parent who takes time to provide unobstructed free play for your child at home – daycare is still an asset! When they play with others at daycare, they gain a great amount of independence and social skills that will follow them as they continue to grow and eventually go to school.
Children Get Sick at Daycare – It’s Safer for Them to Be Home
The perception children’s daycare centers are not hygienic is definitely a misconception. Quality daycares always maintain their facilities to the highest sanitary standards. They also teach children how to wash their hands and clean up.
So why is your child getting coughs and colds so often? During the first few months, you may notice your child is coming home with bugs, but this is often short-lived as this period is them building up their immunity.
Let us help your child learn, play and grow!
All Daycares are the Same
One of the biggest misconceptions is that all daycares are the same. Daycares can vary, especially based on curriculum, class size, and staffing requirements. And just because a daycare is licensed doesn’t mean it should be your pick. You should do your research when choosing a daycare and pick one that suits you and your child’s preferences.
If you’re on the hunt for a children’s daycare for your child, we’re love to be considered as an option. At our daycare and preschool, we focus on the needs of very young children and will help your child grow with guidance and encouragement from our teachers. We strive to make a positive difference in the life of every child by partnering with parents to provide an environment that is safe, nurturing, educational, and individualized. Let us help your child learn, play, and grow.
