Should You Leave Your Baby to a Day Care or Not

Going back to work after having a baby is often very challenging. A research by myfamilycare.co.uk found that about 80 percent of women feel guilty about going back to work. As a parent you have many things to consider – whether you will find the right day care centre, how will your child react when introduced to a new environment, etc. If your child is younger than six months, the challenges would be even tougher.

You might get relieved knowing the fact that about three quarters of babies and toddlers who have working parents are in some type of childcare and studies show that children living at day care centres are socially, emotionally and cognitively more stable than other children. So even if you have mixed feelings when leaving your baby at a day care centre, it is perfectly alright to do so.

But as a parent you must ensure that your baby gets the best ever care in your absence. So here are some things you must consider when deciding to leave your child at a day care:

1. The Type of Caregiver Suitable for Your Child

Being a parent you will know what kind of care is best for your child. Depending upon your child's preferences and special needs, you must choose between a group day care, in-home day careand a personal caregiver (a nanny).

2. Start Searching as Early as Possible

If you want to put your baby in a day care, you must start looking for one much in advance. If you want to leave your child with a group day care, ensure that they have a separate baby room that has lots of toys, comfy child beds and trained caregivers. Ideally, the day care must have separate baby room, toddler room and pre-school rooms to cater to the specific needs of the children of particular age groups.

3. Personally Interview the Staffs

Most people do an online search to find day care centres close to their home or workplace and rely on the reviews posted by other parents. But in order to make sure you make the best choice, you must visit and interview the staffs of the day care, personally.

Ask general and specific questions – how many trained caregivers they have, how are they going to handle specific situations, ask about the quality of food provided, etc.

4. Check Out What Age Group ofChildren can the Day Care Handle

Not all daycares are equipped or experienced enough to take care of babies. So you must ask about the preferred age of babies that a particular day care accepts. Never force a day care to accept your baby (if they are not accepting babies) no matter how good they are.

The needs of babies younger than 6months are quite different from those who are above one year old or older; so the day care must be equipped to handle the specific needs.

You must not feel guilty while putting your baby in a day care, since it is going to have a good effect on the overall development of your child. Only make sure that you choose the right care giver and the right day care.