Commercial Daycare
At some point almost every parent faces the decision to use either a commercial daycare facility or an at home daycare. Some families are lucky enough to be able to have one of the parents stay at home or have a close family friend or family member that can provide childcare. Other family’s children must be cared for outside of the home. Commercial daycare and at home childcare represent two different ways of providing childcare. However, they share similarities and differences that will be evident throughout this essay. There are several deciding factors that may render one option more appropriate for a family than the other. In this essay we will discuss how both options stack up in the areas of finances, developmental benefits, and environmental disadvantages.
Finances
The monthly cost of childcare is often the biggest consideration when deciding on having
2
the child cared for at an at home daycare or sending them …show more content…
to a commercial daycare center. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a typical family in Alabama has to spend 20% of their family’s income to have a child enrolled in a commercial daycare facility. In contrast, an at home daycare is basically free besides the regular basic household costs. In some cases families cannot afford to lose an income by one parent staying at home, while others find that quality and reliable daycare is to costly even when both parents are in the workforce.
Developmental Benefits
There are developmental benefits to a child attending a commercial daycare as well as there are by caring for a child in the home.
Daycare provides an environment that can enhance a child’s social skills, intellectual skills, and help them to develop a sense of self sufficiency. On the other hand, an at home daycare provides a warmer, more nurturing environment where a child can form a close bond with their caregiver and receive more one on one attention.
Environmental Disadvantages
Both child care options provide positive aspects, but there are disadvantages to both options as well. Children that attend a commercial daycare are subjected to germs at a much higher rate than their counterparts in an at home daycare, this is due to having contact with more children and l
3
ess time spent on sanitizing the area. At the same time a disadvantage of an at home daycare is that children may not develop the same social skills and can experience separation anxiety when it is time to start attending public or private
school.
When considering which child care option to go with, it is important to keep in mind that both commercial daycare centers and at home daycares have their own advantages and disadvantages. Every family situation is different and regardless of whether you choose home care or a center; the quality of care, safety measures, and developmental curriculum should be of utmost importance when deciding what is best for your specific family situation and child.
Finances
The monthly cost of childcare is often the biggest consideration when deciding on having
2
the child cared for at an at home daycare or sending them …show more content…
to a commercial daycare center. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a typical family in Alabama has to spend 20% of their family’s income to have a child enrolled in a commercial daycare facility. In contrast, an at home daycare is basically free besides the regular basic household costs. In some cases families cannot afford to lose an income by one parent staying at home, while others find that quality and reliable daycare is to costly even when both parents are in the workforce.
Developmental Benefits
There are developmental benefits to a child attending a commercial daycare as well as there are by caring for a child in the home.
Daycare provides an environment that can enhance a child’s social skills, intellectual skills, and help them to develop a sense of self sufficiency. On the other hand, an at home daycare provides a warmer, more nurturing environment where a child can form a close bond with their caregiver and receive more one on one attention.
Environmental Disadvantages
Both child care options provide positive aspects, but there are disadvantages to both options as well. Children that attend a commercial daycare are subjected to germs at a much higher rate than their counterparts in an at home daycare, this is due to having contact with more children and l
3
ess time spent on sanitizing the area. At the same time a disadvantage of an at home daycare is that children may not develop the same social skills and can experience separation anxiety when it is time to start attending public or private
school.
When considering which child care option to go with, it is important to keep in mind that both commercial daycare centers and at home daycares have their own advantages and disadvantages. Every family situation is different and regardless of whether you choose home care or a center; the quality of care, safety measures, and developmental curriculum should be of utmost importance when deciding what is best for your specific family situation and child.