If you are a new parent then it’s likely that you’re finding yourself in a situation where you have to decide if day care is for your child or not. You probably have feelings of guilt because you’re getting quite excited about not having your child for a few hours a day and you need to remember that this is perfectly normal. This isn’t something that is just for you because it is perfect for your child as well because it allows them to improve their social skills and hopefully make many new friends.
When it comes to childcare, having the daycare options open to you can be a real lifesaver and it will contribute heavily to your child’s overall development. It is probably your hope that you can return to work and so having somewhere to leave your child during the office hours allows you to pursue your career while also taking care of your new family member. If you’re still a little apprehensive about putting your child in daycare and you would like to get some reassurances then please keep reading.
- Their first learning experience – This will be your child’s first opportunity to start learning about things like reading, writing, singing and dancing and this early learning provides them skills that they are going to need when it comes to going to primary school and then on to secondary school.
- Social skills – Up until now, your child probably hasn’t learned anything about sharing and communicating with other kids and so this provides them with the opportunity to do so. They will get to meet people like their new teacher, school attendance and all of the other kids. This is a skill that they are not going to learn at home and it should help them with their language skills as well.
- Learning about discipline – Your child will learn about routines and how important it is to follow them. The teachers there will provide them with a good balance of learning, play and rest time. It is the perfect environment for parents who want to go back to work and who don’t have the time to set up a routine for the child.
Your kid will learn about having their own independence and while there won’t be a moment when your child is left unattended, it does give them an opportunity to learn about self care and being able to engage with the other kids.