Daycare vs. In home care by relative?

Question

what is better

-my sister with whom we have had to work with as far as our expectations with a preschool program 4.5 hrs total per week

OR

daycare with a school component m-f?

Answer 1

This really depends on what type of care your child will get with your sister.  I would also leave my children with family first before opting for a daycare.  Your child will not get the attention he/she deserves if in a daycare.  Many times daycares have one teacher for 12-20 kids depending on the age of the children.  Good luck-this is a tough choice for you.

Answer 2

I would go with my sister (and I planned to really ask my sister, until she went into nursing), but I would insist on socialization.  Play dates with church friends or neighbors, going to parks and playgrounds, storytime at the library are all good opportunities for your child to meet and be with other children.

However, by 4 your child should be in preschool a few times a week.  As an elementary school teacher, I have seen that kids who do at least a few days a week in preschool are better prepared for kindergarten.

Answer 3

I would trust my sister if the problems were not very serious (safety, etc).

I used to work at a daycare...it was a "very good" daycare and very expensive. No one would ever have known that it was actually bad...I had to make many calls about the place and believe it or not most other daycares where worse. Parents unfortunately just do not hear about the problems with the daycares (mold, we even had a case of abuse by caregiver, lots of new daycare workers all the time, out of ratio sometimes, some daycare workers were very mean - verbally and what not to children...anyway, I could go one and on and on)....

I would NEVER put my child in a daycare..any daycare.

Answer 4

Tough decision to make.  I would go with my sister if my child is very young (say 0 - 2), and I would definitely consider daycare for my older children (2 1/2 and up).  Unless the child has special needs, of course.  Less social frustration for the child.

Answer 5

Daycare definitely gives your child the opportunity to meet new children and adults and realize that the world is bigger than home. Daycare, preschools, and learning centers have more resources for early education than someone who is keeping their child in their home. The benefit to a relative keeping your child is, of course, trust.

I work at a preschool that offers a variety of programs for ages 6 months - 4 years of age. We are a half day program and offer two and three day classes. You might opt for one of these programs if you want to keep the balance between early education and trustworthy childcare. Be aware of the difference between a daycare center, that focuses only on keeping your child occupied while you are away but can still provide for social growth, and a learning center or preschool.  Either way do your research, find out how the program is funded, tour their facilities and ask around. Don't be afraid to ask the director questions about structure and what teaching methods are used to prepare your child for kindergarten.

Answer 6

if your sister is reliable and safe i would use her as long as you can.  family is always better than strangers.  they will usually have your child's welfare more in mind than a center will.  but, as i said, IF your sister is reliable and safe.  i would also plan things for them to do: playgroups (mommy and me,  little gym, story time at the library, park visits, etc).  be pro-active and devise your own schedule with your child and sister in mind.

Answer 7

I would go with the daycare. It will give your child the chance to meet new adults and children and when its time to go to kindergarden the transition will be easier.

Answer 8

I would go with a daycare.  It's good to socialize children with other kids their age, they can learn a lot from one another!!   And, you will have peace of mind knowing that your child will be challenged to learn and stay on track developmentally.  My advice is to do your homework before selecting which childcare best fits your situation. Here is a link to help weigh your options when deciding: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/COLUMN...

Below are a couple of links to national childcare facilities by rank, and what is offered.  (I have a lot of experience in childcare and as a parent educator, and the difference in the quality of care really shows in the children!!!)

Answer 9

If it were my child, I would use in  home care by a relative as long as possible, and plan play dates with other children, join play groups, etc. for social skill building.

I believe that daycare brings a whole host of problems.  My mom still tells me that when I was young, I never got sick until I started preschool. Then I was continuously sick. I was also very cranky when I got out of preschool and was in a bad mood all evening. She had no idea why, but it is impossible for the teachers/daycare providers to watch every kid all the time. You can't monitor their cleanliness (at my preschool they cleaned the kids' faces with the same rag they cleaned the tables), washing of hands, etc., and you can't always monitor what they eat, drink, etc. Your relative is more likely to treat your child like their own.