For a working parent, the biggest nightmare that comes alongside nurturing a child is to go back to work again. Figuring out how to provide a safe haven to the baby. Ensuring the baby is safe and protected.
What Is The Worst Age To Start Daycare?
There is no specific number which can be pinned in order to decide whether a child is ready for daycare or not. In any given scenario, the worst age for a child to go to daycare is when they are not emotionally, socially or physically ready for it.
A lot of theories have stated that the parents feel comfortable in sending usually a one year old to a day care considering it’s a huge milestone. Pediatricians too have mixed feelings about starting a child daycare. Some feel that a child will adapt to a daycare easily. While some completely disapprove of it.
However, financial conditions vary for each individual. Each parent or caregiver has to make their own call when it comes to choosing the age appropriate for child daycare.
Albeit, the circumstances for each parent may vary. Time, finances, energy and space could be important considerations.
Risks Of Starting Daycare Too Early
It is a fact universally acknowledged that the way a parent can indulge in child care, no one else can. Nobody can replace them. Child daycares specifically come with their own risks. For a child also, being sent to a daycare setting is a huge transition. Adapting to a new place comes with its own challenges and our little muffets are too small to make such huge transitions.
The Parent And Child Bond Falters
Sending the child to daycare will result in lesser time being spent together between the parent and the child. According to a study published in Developmental Psychology, using more and more daycares directly corresponds to a decreased bonding and interaction between a mother and a child. In comparison with situations where no daycares or very little daycare facility was used.
The quality time spent between a parent and a child knows no bounds. It only leads to the strengthening of their bond which is created for life. The bonds that develop in the nascent stages are developed for life. The care and love that a parent can shower is of utmost importance for the development of a child.
Separation Anxiety and Stress
Even though separation anxiety is considered to be a normal characteristic in the developmental stages of a child. In some children it can transform into a disorder called ‘separation anxiety disorder’ starting as early as preschool age. If a child is forced to go to a daycare, he or she might resist. Prolonged pangs of separation can also lead to stress and weight loss in children.
Constant and excessive worrying and insecurities about losing a parent can further make them under confident and can also give them panic attacks. In extreme and rare cases, separation anxiety leads to phobias, social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia. In rare cases, it can also cause Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or depression.
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Behavioral Issues: Aggression and Tantrums
Forcing children to go to daycare when they are not ready for it not only leads to separation anxiety but also to other behavioral issues such as aggression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Anxiety.
A child may start showing different behavior patterns and may show his resistance and disapproval through different modes of behavior such as defiance, fussiness, refusal to eat, hurting other people or excessive anger.
A child may start throwing tantrums, and would kick or bite if they don’t get what they asked for in the first place. Screaming, tattling and teasing are some of the other common behavior problems which a child would indulge in.
Incompetent Daycares Can Hamper Human Development
On a lot of occasions, in order to mint more money, these daycares are often not well equipped, lack efficient staff and the surveillance state is not upto the mark. If the caregiver at a daycare is not well equipped or well versed in handling a baby, it could lead to disastrous ramifications and a negative impact on the child.
Sometimes such daycares lack proper supervision and the children can get into brawls. In the process they can end up hurting or getting hurt. Even when it comes to surveillance, sometimes the systems are not in place. The parent is unable to watch the child closely and the child might get neglected in the scheme of things and develop behavioral problems.
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What To Consider Before Putting Your Child In A Daycare
Daycares might look and sound easy till the time you as a parent are in the spot. When it is time for you to decide whether to send your child to daycare or not, then comes the big conundrum. There are so many things to consider and weigh before choosing the right daycare. Especially for working moms, it comes as a saviour.
Trained And Experienced Caregivers
The childcare workers in charge of taking care of your toddler should be trained and professionally equipped to take care of your child. You would not want to leave your child with any Tom, Dick or Harry.
A proper check should be made into the background and credentials of the daycare teachers. Whether the childcare worker is fully equipped to take care of your toddlers who are already growing at such a rapid pace.
Proper Surveillance System
A good daycare centre comes with a proper surveillance system in place. Cameras should be installed in proper places and angles.The apprehensive and anxious parents can keep a check on the activities of their toddlers. If the system is not in place, it will add to the stress levels of the parents. Therefore a proper surveillance, CCTV cameras, easy access are a prerequisite for a good daycare system and daycare hours.
The child and daycare worker ration should also be optimal.
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Age Appropriate Toys and Play Area
A daycare center should look appealing and should give a soothing and calming effect. The premise shouldn’t look gothic or scary. It should exude a good vibe. The infrastructure should look inviting and the children must feel attracted to it.
There should be lots of toys and a spacious play area to keep the children engaged. Infrastructural facilities should definitely be kept in mind while looking for a daycare to take care of your child as well as develop their social skills.
Hygiene Standards and Cleanliness
One of the most important factors that should govern your choice of a daycare is whether it maintains the requisite levels of hygiene levels or nit. Children as such are at lower levels of immunity.
Even a slightest level of negligence would make them fall sick. No parent or caregiver would want that for their child. All protocols should be in place. Proper sanitation and cleanliness should be taken care of.
Daycares can be a very tricky option especially for parents who are at long hours of work. They have no support system to take care of their little one. They have no choice but to send their child to a daycare or arrange for a home daycare.
It is definitely a personal parenting choice yet all parents should be extremely mindful of several factors that helps them to determine whether the daycare is safe for their kids or not. When it comes to children, one should be extremely cautious and wary. Children are soft targets and may or may not realize if anything wrong is being done to them.
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FAQs
What’s The Best Age To Start Daycare?
There’s no ‘best age ’ or ‘worst age’ to start daycare. It should be started only when you feel that your child is emotionally, physically and socially ready for that kind of a leap. In any case, if a child is not ready for daycare, they may start showing signs of distress and annoyance. This can have serious consequences with respect to their personality, later on in life.
Even so, a lot of experts feel that a very young child of 12 months can be sent to a daycare. Having said that, each child is different and has different temperaments. A similar yardstick can never be used to measure their behavior. They may require a different kind of child care.
What is The Hardest Age To Take Care Of A Baby?
A lot of parents feel that after the first month of the baby, the real ‘fourth trimester’ begins. Sleep regression starts taking place. A baby’s clock is also not functioning fully. They have no understanding of day or night snd their sleep training cannot be started. After several sleepless nights, a parent will already be exhausted.
Therefore, child care can become much tougher and draining. Months two, three and beyond can get extremely tough. The emotions already continue to adjust and you are already grappling with so many newer things as a parent of a child. A baby’s neck is also not stable and needs constant support. One has to be extremely careful while taking care of them at this stage.
What Is The Most Difficult Baby Stage?
The first week after a baby’s birth can be extremely tough and disorienting for a lot of parents. Undoubtedly a baby brings utmost joy into the lives of the parents, but with it also comes a lot of responsibility. A baby’s clock is also not functional and they have no understanding of day or night. Sleepless nights can prove to be extremely draining for the parents.
The mother is already recovering from her delivery (normal or C Section). She gets no time to rest and plunges herself fully in nurturing and taking care of the baby. As per a common poll, the first few months after a baby’s birth are the toughest to handle, also because you are acclimatizing with a big change.
What Is The Easiest Age To Parent?
According to a recent survey of nearly 2000 families, the best age or the easiest to parent was age 6. By this time, children become quite independent and even want to help their parents with a chore or two. Many parents consider age 6 to be magical.
Of course as parents, it’s not that we love our kids less at a certain age, but it gets slightly easier when your child grows up a little. They don’t need constant hand holding. Even though each age group comes with its own challenges.
As a parent you just have to be patient and steady with your child. Relish each phase and enjoy your parenthood because very soon it will be time for them to fly away from the nest.