Choosing care for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. Daycare centers are one popular option that many parents rely on. Andrea O'Reilly, author of "Encyclopedia of Motherhood," writes that some of the disadvantages of daycare centers include less one-on-one interaction, cost, more instances of sickness, and less stability than home care. Knowing the disadvantages will help you make the best child care choice for your child.
Less One-On-One Interaction
Daycare centers typically enroll many children in each classroom. The disadvantage of placing your child in a daycare environment is that she will get less one-on-one interaction time with her caregivers. Baby Center reports that children need love and attention to grow and develop. Daycare centers may have good intentions for your child, but it will be impossible for caregivers to give your child the kind of attention she would get from staying home with your or with a nanny.
Cost
Daycare centers can charge whatever they want to care for your child. Baby Center reports that in addition to tuition, you may be charged fees for late pick-ups and may have to find alternate care on days that the center is closed for holidays. Daycare centers typically require your child to stay home if she gets sick, which can cost you a loss in pay if you have to stay home.
Sickness
Children who attend daycare are more likely to get sick more often according to Baby Center. The children in daycare settings are in close contact with one another, making it easy for them to spread germs around. Your child is exposed to more germs in daycare centers and your child is more likely to contract pinkeye and the common cold. Diseases such as Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, are more likely to spread through daycare centers because children share toys and other objects according to Kids Health.
Less Stability
O'Reilly writes that many daycare centers experience high turnover rates of staff members, making it a less stable environment for your child. Constant changes may overwhelm your child and she will need to adapt to each change in order to feel secure at daycare. Your child may also switch classrooms during the day, eat in a different spot each day, and nap in a different area on different days, making daycare centers less stable and less predictable than the care your baby would receive at home.
References
- "Encyclopedia of Motherhood"; Andrea O'Reilly; 2010
- Baby Center: Daycare Centers: Advantages and Disadvantages
- Kids Health: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
