Daycare is often a solution for families that are faced with lower incomes, demanding work schedules or other obligations. And while they are touted as providing many benefits for your baby through his formative years, infant daycare centers can also have their disadvantages. Knowing the pros and cons of daycare can help you in choosing the best source of childcare for you and your baby.
Pro: Cost
If you need outside assistance for childcare, daycare or nannies are common alternatives. However, sending your baby to daycare is cheaper than setting up a private nanny. On average, the cost for full-time care from a daycare is $679 a month. This is starkly cheaper than the average cost of nanny care, which can range anywhere from $2000 to $3000 a month. While live-in nannies typically receive less than this figure, it's only a little bit less than out-of-home nannies.
Con: Frequent Sickness
Your baby may come home with ailments, including ear infections and colds, more often if she goes to daycare. This is due to constant interaction with many other babies and multiple providers. In addition, many centers do not want to provide daycare services to children who are sick, as they will spread germs to others. This may leave you in a rush to find an alternative childcare option or having to call off work to tend to the baby.
Pro: Safety and Peace of Mind
Daycares cannot operate without meeting minimum safety and sanitation regulations, says Pregnancy.org. In addition, daycares cannot operate without passing certain criteria. This includes licensing and being supervised by experienced administration, according to the Start a Daycare website. As a result, the government tries to make sure daycares provide some form of infant curriculum, the site says. Also, childcare providers at daycares are instructed in how to handle children in a professional manner and are trained in early childhood education, leaving you peace of mind that your baby is supervised by professionally trained staff.
Con: They Get to Call the Shots
Daycares usually try to dictate some of your childcare decisions, such as when your baby should be off the bottle, when she should take naps and when she should be weaned off of a pacifier, says Pregnancy.org. While some parents may like this, you may not. Gauge how much your daycare will have an influence on your child's routine, and determine if this influence is too much.
