Daycare is something of a sensitive topic among parents. For those who don’t have children, this fact may seem a bit puzzling. After all, daycare is something that many people take advantage of, isn’t it? What is there to be ashamed of? This is, of course, the truth. There is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to taking advantage of daycare. But despite knowing this, some parents — mothers in particular — do feel guilty or ashamed of using daycare. Many feel as if they’re the only people they know who use professional childcare. Of course, this is not the case, and no one who uses daycare is any less of a parent than those who don’t. Part of the reason why many use daycare is because, in this day and age, it’s difficult to support children financially without both parents working. Indeed, some families are single parent households, and in that case the single parent almost always must work. Not all families can rely upon family members or friends to care for their children while they’re working — and as you’ll read below, there are plenty of reasons why daycare may be a better option than family members watching children, or for that matter babysitters watching children.
How High Is The Demand For Daycare Services?
First and foremost, there is a high demand for child care centers in the United States — that much must be made clear. No parent is alone in taking their children to day care centers. While in 1975 — a single generation ago — it’s true that over half of all children had one stay at home parent, usually the mother, the times have changed. Fewer than one in three children now have one full-time stay at home parent. It’s estimated that 23.4% of all children under five are in some kind of organized childcare arrangement, including daycares, nursery schools, and preschools. As long as a parent chooses a good day care center for their children, they needn’t worry about daycare having a negative effect on a child’s psyche and life. There is more to childcare than what might initially meet the eye, and while a parent wants to spend as much time as possible with their children, remember that a good child care center does employ professionals. These are people who know what they’re doing, and care deeply about the children they’re charged with.
How Can I Save Money On Childcare?
Even if you’ve accepted the idea of professional childcare, you still may — understandably — hesitate over issues like cost. It’s true that childcare can get expensive, and of course nobody wants to save money on childcare at the risk of their child’s safety and happiness. Over two-thirds of Americans believe that the government should do more to fund childcare for working parents, but the options as of now are limited. It’s believed that only around 22% of children in low-income families receive the federally subsidized childcare that they deserve. If you’re not one of those families, there are other ways that you can find affordable daycare. For one thing, you’ll likely find that the more local daycare is to you, the less you’ll spend in the long term. Parents spend a lot of time — and gas money — on commuting to and from daycare, and as such the closer a daycare center is to your workplace or home, the more you’ll save. Some child care centers also offer deals for parents who are looking for daycare for more than one child.
What Should I Look For In A Daycare Center?
When it comes to childcare, the first thing you want to look for, obviously, is a high level of care. This means more employees and fewer children. You should also question the center you’re looking at about how it will work with your child on things like homework and learning. With these elements in place, a daycare should be all you want and more.
