BEGINNINGS Chapter 5 Child Care

Discussion

Child care is an extremely important and sometimes complicated issue. We know that if it's a safe, healthy, nurturing, environment and relationship, mommy and/or daddy care are almost always best. Second best under the same conditions is close family or kinship care, next best is paid child care. (Kinship care is simply defined as close friends who are “like family.”)

Sometimes even a parent who would love to stay home with their child; has to go to work. Hopefully this is to meet needs and not just wants. No matter what you do, you will never do anything more important than raising your child(ren). One of the complications that sometimes arises is the decision of whether a parent should stay home and receive public assistance or go to work and place the child in child care. This can be a difficult decision. Attachment during the first couple years of life is especially important, and it is also very important for children to understand that money comes from working. Another issue that sometimes may arise is that some adults do not have the temperament to spend a full day every day with children. There are many ways parents can be involved in outside activities, sharing child care while one parent is involved in another activity, such as part time employment, service, or recreation, and trading off watching each others children. No matter who is watching the children there are some things that are always paramount in importance. Safety is always first, (and close behind are all the basic needs of food, shelter, warmth, and sanitation), second is consistent relationships. All children, young or old, need consistent child care. They need to develop especially deep relationships with just a few adults. Next is a healthy, nurturing, enriching environment which includes a good child to adult ratio. 

Most adults need a break from their children, and most children need a break from their primary caregiver from time to time, whether it’s a parent, grandparent or other provider. When a child is securely attached and when the child knows that s/he can trust the caregiver these relatively short breaks are good for the child.

As the baby becomes a toddler, at least some socialization becomes more and more important. By the time a child is a preschooler it is especially important to understand how to get along with other children. This can be accomplished in many ways such as play groups, nursery at church, joint family activities, and when the child becomes a preschooler, part time preschool.

Key Words

Google Scholar below: Child Care Disease; Child Care Children Health; Children Social Skills; Mommy Care’ Daddy Care; Kinship Care; Quality Child Care

Google parenting search engine below: Child Care Disease; Child Care Children Health; Children Social Skills; Mommy Care’ Daddy Care; Kinship Care; Quality Child Care

Supplemental Material:

BYU study: Good parenting all about the right 'dad-itude'

Concerned Women for America - Nothing Can Replace Mom’s Care

Ways Parents Can Help Infant Development: Child Care & Development