As a new parent, one of the first big and important decisions you’ll be faced with will likely concern daycare. The purpose of daycare is simple: to provide parents with enough help (and enough time) to be able to continue to function as independent adults: to go to work, to do chores, to take care of other responsibilities, and so on. Considering the pros and cons of daycare can help you make the right choice for your family, your circumstances, and yourself.
After all, daycare is a tool. And not every parent is required to (or will want to) utilize this tool. When deciding whether to send your newborn to daycare or keep them home with you, there is no single best universal answer. Every family will need to make the decision that’s best for their needs.
In other words, there’s no “wrong” answer and no “right” answer. There’s only the best solution for your family. For most parents then, the daycare decision comes down to balancing your priorities.
What Are Your Care Options?
Caring for a newborn (or any child) is a lot of work! And it doesn’t always leave you time to take care of your daily life. As a result, it’s sometimes necessary to hand off care to a trusted party so that you can get some work done.
For experienced and new parents alike, there are several possible care models to choose from. Some of these models are very structured while others are much less formal. The most commonly used childcare options available today include the following:
At home parenting: Some parents can work with their children around or may not need to work. Full time parenting is certainly a viable option for caring for your child. With this option, you may need to think less about the pros and cons of daycare, and more about self-care and ensuring you get the rest you need!
In-home daycare: You don’t always have to bring your child to daycare. Sometimes you can bring daycare to your child. In-home daycare options include a nanny, an au pair, or even a babysitter can help you cover your child care needs.
Daycare from family and friends: In some cases, relatives can offer care. This can help provide necessary observation, but will likely not entail the structured enrichment offered by professional daycare services. However, your child may form stronger bonds with family members, and that can be a nice benefit.
Off-site daycare: Many parents will opt to send their child to a professional, offsite daycare facility. These facilities offer the structure and enrichment that many parents are seeking.
Parents can choose which of these options best suits their childcare needs–and most parents will find the coverage they need by combining several of these care types. Each care style will have its own unique benefits and drawbacks. The majority of this article will focus on the pros and cons of daycare facilities run by professional educators and daycare providers. Typically, these facilities will charge a weekly or monthly rate to reserve your child’s spot. They also tend to be one of the most common care choices for new parents throughout the United States.
The Advantages of Daycare
Parents who are looking into the pros and cons of daycare are often looking for both reassurances and realistic benefits. Parents know that daycare will have both benefits and drawbacks, so being honest about both is essential.
Some of the most significant advantages of daycare include the following:
Academic growth: It might be too early to start thinking about your child’s academic career, but research has shown that daycare programs will often have a positive impact on your child’s academic achievement over time. Many of these studies show that children who attend daycare have a better grasp of numbers and letters when they start primary school–and that this knowledge can provide a nice boost during those early school years.
Cognitive development: In the same vein as academic achievement, daycare facilities can help improve the cognitive development of your child. That’s because many daycare facilities are designed to keep your child busy in very specific ways. It might look like play–but these activities are designed to help your child develop linguistically and cognitively while also boosting fine motor skills. Whether it’s cutting out shapes or coloring or playing with blocks–these activities can help enrich your child’s development.
Social development: When your child is around other children (and other adults, for that matter) they’re exposed to a wider variety of social situations. As your newborn and your child grows, this time around others can help improve your child’s social development (and social resilience) over time. They’ll have kids their own age to talk to (or make sounds in the direction of). This can help your child learn how to make friends, resolve disputes, share toys, and more.
Consistency of care: A daycare facility does not close down when one employee is ill. Instead, they hire a sub for the day. This means that parents are provided with a reliable and consistent source of care. (That consistency–seeing the same faces every day–also tends to be good for your children, too.) As a parent, you won’t have to scramble if someone on the care end of things gets sick. This makes your schedule and your responsibilities slightly easier to manage.
A stronger immune system: Children who go to daycare are going to be exposed to all kinds of new germs. This may not seem like a benefit, but it is! (This is not to say there are no downsides.) As your child’s immune system is exposed to those new germs, your child’s immune system starts getting a little practice and experience. A healthy human immune system gains effectiveness from this experience. That said, you may want to give the very youngest newborns a little extra time to develop their immune system before enrolling them in daycare. (Talk to your child’s pediatrician about when that right time might be.)
You, as a parent, get a break, and get some rest: This might sound trivial, but it’s not. Getting a break from your child can help you recharge. And when you’re recharged, you’re more likely to spend quality time with your newborn or older kids (instead of watching television together). Giving yourself the space to preserve your own identity can help give you the energy to be a truly present, engaged parent.
What Are the Drawbacks of Daycare?
The advantages of daycare may seem apparent. But so too are some of the drawbacks. Some of the most common “cons” of daycare include the following:
Cost: This is almost always the most acute and painful downside to professional daycare. Daycare is not cheap. And it can eat into your income considerably. It may not be a factor for all parents, but it is for most. Which means it’s something to think about when it comes to your daycare plans. That said, there are scholarships and grants available to many parents, and they can help you find more affordable care.
Germs: Yes, germs are great for building your child’s immune system. But your kids are going to be bringing those germs home–to you–every day. Which means you might have quite a few days where it’s not just your child that’s sick–it’s everybody in your house. This may be especially true during cold and flu season.
Strict sick policies at daycare: Children who are ill cannot attend daycare. They have to stay home. And in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many daycare facilities have very strict sick policies. This means that if your child is sick, they can’t attend daycare. This can cause some unexpected disruptions to your schedule.
Limited hours: Most daycares are open during the day, which works great if you’re working a 9-5. However, if your occupation requires you to work nights or other odd hours, a typical daycare provider may not be the best solution for you. Daycare providers may also not be ideal if you need sudden or emergency care.
Your child may receive less individualized attention: This, of course, depends on the daycare (and on your child). But at a daycare facility, your child is one of many. And while each provider limits the number of children to ensure they all receive adequate supervision, your child may not receive significant individualized attention–certainly not as much as they would at home.
Waitlists and competition: Most daycare facilities can only accept a certain number of children. This means that the very best daycares tend to be quite competitive. Your child may even be waitlisted, which could throw your daycare plans into chaos. Additionally, your child may lose their place at the daycare if you need to take them out for an extended period of time. This can introduce a significant amount of daycare stress.
So How Do I Balance the Pros and Cons of Daycare?
Of course, knowing the pros and cons of daycare is one thing. The next logical question is, well, how do you choose? Many parents may want to discuss daycare with their child’s pediatrician during an annual wellness visit or a newborn care visit. This can help you evaluate your options, especially as they pertain to your child’s health.
For most parents, however, it will all start by evaluating your priorities and your circumstances. Every family is unique, so this can be a challenge. However, most parents will consider at least some of the following:
What are your needs? For example, do both parents need or want to work? Will a multi-year gap in your resume set your career back?
Does your child need a lot of individualized attention? If so, daycare may not be the greatest option.
What can your finances support? Daycare can be a significant drain on your monthly budget. In some situations, it’s definitely worth it. In other circumstances, it may not. This will vary from family to family.
Do you qualify for aid? There are many federal and state programs that can help parents pay for daycare or similar education options. This can help make some daycare facilities an option when otherwise they might not be.
What are your options? Knowing all of your care options can help you make the choices that’s right for your family.
For many parents, these decisions may be straightforward. That’s okay! For other parents, these decisions may be laborious. That’s okay too! What’s important is that you start making plans–understanding, of course, that your plans can change if things aren’t working the way you need them to.
If you want to talk to your child’s pediatrician about the pros and cons of daycare for your child, contact our Chicago or Northbrook offices to schedule an appointment today!