It must be stressful and overwhelming for you as a parent to decide, whether to send your little infant to a daycare center or not!
Searching for the best daycare near me for infants might give you lots of options. However, are you prepared to send your little one under anyone else’s supervision and care?
When this supervision is carefully selected, the decision to place your kid in a daycare feels a bit relaxing. There is a lot of research available for both supporting and not supporting the idea of sending your infant to childcare. In the end, the choice is yours to make!
This article will guide you through both logical and emotional aspects of sending your infant to a daycare. So that, it becomes easy for you to reach the final decision.
WHAT RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT IT?
“Children’s Elevated Cortisol Levels at Daycare: A review and meta-analysis”(Vermeer & IJzendoorn, 2006)
It is a research based on the observed elevated levels of Cortisol (stress hormone) in infants in a childcare center.
Being a part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA), Cortisol is responsible for influencing stress-related and different emotional responses. It was observed that the levels of Cortisol were highly notable in children younger than 36 months showing a diurnal cycle.
This is because sending little infants to daycare centers causes separation anxiety, as they are still learning attachment styles.
IS THE INCREASE IN CORTISOL LEVELS A MATTER OF CONCERN?
Increased Cortisol levels can weaken the immune system as a physiological response to the hormonal imbalance. An experiment was conducted on Rhesus Monkeys about maternal separation during infancy.
As a result of this study, increased startle anxiety and flattened diurnal rhythm of cortisol (blunted nighttime cortisol decrease) were observed. It was bad across sexes, but worse for females.
Various monkey studies show heightened cortisol levels in baby monkeys in groups. The researchers think that there is something about peer attention sharing that causes higher cortisol levels in infants.
RESULTS OF THIS STUDY:
- 35% of the infants aged 3-16 months showed elevated cortisol levels.
- The heightened levels of cortisol also depended on kids. It means those kids who were shy and restricted environmental instability showed higher cortisol levels.
- For kids aged 16-38 months, the levels of Cortisol rose if they were at the daycare center for more than half a day.
- For kids aged 3-6 years, there was no notable difference in the levels of cortisol at home and daycare. It means they were okay to be placed in a daycare center.
SHOULD YOU ENROLL YOUR LITTLE ONE IN A DAYCARE CENTER?
Based on the research we studied, it is somewhat dependent on each kid whether to adapt to the daycare environment easily or not.
Some kids might find it difficult to adjust to the interchanging environment between home and daycare centers. However, if this admission is delayed for about 3 months, it can offer some benefits for your little one. Such as:
- Establishing a secure attachment style.
- Umbilical cord healing.
- Establishing firm feeding and sleeping patterns.
- Adjusting to new routines.
In the US, most working parents don’t have the flexibility of getting paid parental leave. In that case, it becomes difficult to not consider the option of sending your little one to a quality daycare program.
Considering different aspects of parenting and the requirements of your little one, careful consideration of a daycare center is highly important. At High Achievers Learning Center, your kids find new homes under our quality day care program for infants near La Porte Texas.
CHOOSING A CHILDCARE CENTER:
Making the right choice of a childcare center is a challenging and time-consuming process. However, the results of it are highly positive with regard to your little one’s overall development.
In an infant program of a childcare center, the main focus is your kid’s:
- Emotional development.
- Social development.
- And most importantly cognitive development.
Apart from that, they are engaged in different playful learning activities. Some of the infant activities for daycare center include:
- Storytime
- Baby signs
- Attentive talking
- Rhyming and singing
- Rocking and cuddling
Learn more about choosing a childcare center here.
PROS OF ENROLLING YOUR INFANT IN A DAYCARE CENTER:
Enrolling your infant in a daycare center brings many benefits to their growth and development. They include:
- Interaction with kids of different ages. It helps in social development and the ability to interact with kids from different age groups.
- They get used to a structured routine.
- They learn to adapt to different environments.
- They develop better language and memory skills.
- Proper healthcare facilities including essential immunizations and screenings.
CONS OF ENROLLING YOUR INFANT IN A DAYCARE CENTER:
While there are lots of benefits, some drawbacks are also there for enrolling your little infant in a daycare center. They include:
- Interacting with different kids can result in unimmunized contagious diseases.
- Less individual attention as compared to nannies.
- Most often, high-quality daycare centers have a long waiting list leaving a very low probability of vacant spots.
FINAL VERDICT:
Placing your little infant in a daycare center can be a challenging and courageous milestone to achieve. However, this decision is based on several factors. Including your parental position, working stability, available paid leaves, financial position, etc.
It is recommended to do thorough research about quality and affordable daycare centers for your little infant. Furthermore, a detailed discussion with your partner can help you sort out whether to choose a daycare center or not based on your infant’s developmental abilities.
If you are looking for high-quality and affordable daycare for infants near La Porte Texas, High Achievers Learning Center is your one-stop solution!
With our safe and secure location with a team of loving and careful staff, we ensure your little one’s healthy development.
Book your consultation now to learn more!
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