As a mother or father, you know that the first experiences your child has have a huge impact on their entire future. The love and care you give your child are the foundation of all of this. However, another place that affects your child's development is Day Care, or a day care center. Today, we will talk all about this.
What is this day care?
Simply put, a daycare is a place where parents can take care of their young children while they are at work. These are usually registered businesses that operate in a separate building. They are where children of the same age are grouped together and cared for by trained staff.
Nowadays, especially for families where both parents work, a day care center has become a necessity. Some parents choose a day care center as a place where they can provide their children with the basic knowledge and skills they need before sending them to school. Also, sometimes, if a child has a developmental need or social needs, even doctors recommend sending a child to a day care center.
But not all of these places are the same. There are government-approved, registered day care centers in Sri Lanka. You can also find places that operate without any registration. For example:
- Pre-schools run by religious places.
- Centers for young children run by schools.
- Short-term programs like preschools or nurseries.
- Before and after school care services for school-going children.
What types of day care are there?
There are three main options you will encounter when choosing a childcare provider. Each has its pros and cons. The key is to choose the one that best suits your family's needs and your child's personality.
| Care method | Simple explanation | Who is suitable? |
|---|---|---|
| Center-based care | This is the day care center we usually see. It has trained staff, a formal program, and rules and regulations regarding safety and health. | For parents who want to accustom their child to a structured, planned environment and want them to be with other children. |
| Family child care | This involves someone else taking care of several children in their own home. This system is very common in Sri Lanka. | It is suitable for those who prefer a home-like environment rather than a large center and want to send their children to a less crowded place. |
| In-home child care | Here, a caregiver (Nanny/Babysitter) comes to your home and takes care of your child. This person may even be a relative of yours. | It is best suited for those who want their child to receive personalized attention in the comfort of their own home. However, the cost can be higher. |
What are the benefits of a good day care?
There are many benefits to sending a child to good, high-quality day care.
- Opportunities to interact with other children: The child gets to play, share, and learn to work together with many friends of the same age. This is very important for the development of the child's social skills .
- Trained staff: Good daycares have people who are trained in child psychology and early childhood development. They know what toys and activities are appropriate for the child's age.
- Regularity and consistency: Centers like these are open year-round without closing for holidays or sick leave, which is a great convenience for parents.
- Additional services: Some good places even offer extra services to children, such as field trips, music classes, and health screenings.
High-quality care improves a child's language skills, cognitive abilities, and ability to build good relationships with others.
Things to consider before choosing a day care
Along with the advantages, there are some disadvantages of a day care or things we need to be aware of.
Daycare is usually open from 7am to around 6pm. If you work shift work , it can be difficult to find a place to care for you at night or on weekends. Also, you can't just pay for the hours you need, you have to pay for the whole day or week.
Another thing is that these centers have a very formal, organized structure. So sometimes they may not be able to give special attention to your child's individual needs and interests. Also, even if the child is used to one caregiver, if they change frequently (high turnover), that can also affect the child.
The most important thing is that low-quality day care centers can have adverse effects on the child.
- Decreased ability of the child to speak.
- Increased behavioral problems.
- Decreased learning abilities.
- Decreased school readiness.
Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing a day care.
How to choose the best day care?
Okay, so how do we choose the best place for our child? Here are some step-by-step instructions you can follow.
1. Visit first: Before deciding to place your child in a place, visit the place yourself a few times. Pay close attention to the way the staff there talk to the children and treat them. Their language use directly affects the child's development.
2. Look for cleanliness and safety: Is the place clean? Are the toys clean? Check for sharp edges, exposed plug points, etc. that could pose a danger to children.
3. Verify registration: Make sure the center is registered with the provincial council or a relevant government agency. Check the certificates.
4. Ask other parents: Talk to other parents who are already sending their children to that place. Their experiences are very valuable to you.
5. Check the staff: Do the staff have training in childcare? How many children are cared for per staff member? (staff-to-child ratio) is also very important. If there are fewer children per staff member, the child will receive more attention.
6. If your child has special needs: If your child has any special needs, talk openly with the day care director about it. Make sure they can provide the facilities and attention that such a child needs. Be sure to talk to your child's doctor before making a decision about this.
Remember, increasing the number of hours spent in daycare will not necessarily improve a child's development. Sometimes, it may be better to stay home for a year and give your child time to learn to control their behavior at home.
Ultimately, whether your child goes to daycare or not, the most important and decisive factor in a child's development is the home environment and the love and attention they receive from you. The time a child spends with their parents, siblings, conversations, and playtime with them determine a child's future.
Take-Home Message
- Choosing a daycare for your child is a big decision. So don't rush it, do your research and choose the best place.
- Before enrolling your child in a place, visit it yourself a few times. Observe the environment and the behavior of the staff carefully.
- Be sure to verify the center's government registration, staff qualifications, and safety.
- Listen to the ideas and experiences of other parents.
- Remember, no matter how good the daycare is, the most important thing for a child's development is the love, care, and quality time you spend with your child at home.
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