The verdict is out, and the news is that a child’s education begins before kindergarden, or rather it should. If you are looking for a daycare provider and are unsure of what aspects should be most important to your child’s experience, do not leave out the ability to grow and learn in their new environment.
Day care has been an American tradition for longer than you may know. The first established daycare was the New York Day Nursery, which was founded in 1854. Since then, going to daycare has become a natural part of an American child’s experience. According to national statistics 80% of children have spent some time in daycare by the age of four. While daycare has solidified its place in the modern American family. The industry of daycare is changing. There are more hurdles than ever being placed in front of our nation’s children, and having a strong foundation in daycare and preschool is being shown as more important than the average parent may think.
Recent studies show that people who received early childhood learning in daycare and at preschool earn on average $5,000 more per year, are 24% more likely to have attended a four year college, and are more likely to own a home. Educating a child beyond the basic sounds and alphabet may seem like a lost cause, but it is not. When left in the hands of experienced professionals who have dedicated their time to nurturing the growth of young minds, children can flourish.
Some of the basic learning experiences that a great daycare provider can offer are dance programs to develop better coordination and listening skills, technology and basic STEM skills beginning with letter and number recognition, even second language programs that can help a child develop their memory and move them forward later in life. Many daycares also offer noncompetitive sports which help children learn to play on a team and even develop a sense of responsibility.
With all of these factors tho think about finding cost effective daycare may not be the foremost item on the to do list. Howoever, it is still important. Finding affordable day care means knowing what to look for in a daycare service. There are two basic forms of daycare: those provided by large facilities and teams of people, and those run by home daycare providers. An alternative to the large facility daycare is home daycare providers. These professionals can offer your child the individual attention that is allowed by smaller daycare sizes. Smaller class sizes and lower costs are only two of many advantages to using home daycare providers. Ultimately the choice on what daycare programs will be sought out and which form of daycare – the larger public facility, or the smaller home daycare providers – will be yours. As a consumer and a parent you should think carefully about which questions to ask daycare providers, and how the answers will affect your daycare decision.
Issues to ask about are, attendance policies, educational opportunities and daily schedules, cost of daycare and the daycare’s absence policies. Other great questions may included topics such as the parents ability to participate in daycare or observe their child at play. Seeing children adapt and thrive in their new environment can be great for the development for both parent and child.
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