Parents may often feel like jugglers as they balance work, household chores, and free time all while tackling the responsibilities that come with parenthood. Fewer than one out of every three children have a full-time stay at home parent; raising a child isn’t cheap and many young parents have no choice but to work to support their growing family. Finding some kind child care management service is essential to stay at home parents and working parents in equal measure. It is estimated that 75% of full-time employed mothers utilize some form of child care management. Even within the realm of child care there are a wide variety of options for parents to choose from, here is what you need to know to make a safe and informed decision regarding who watches your child when you’re at work.
Baby Sitters
Baby sitters were once the first option for parents who are looking for a childcare option. Although baby sitters are still a viable option today, many Americans may not be comfortable leaving their children unattended with a babysitter. Since there is no training or certification for baby sitting, parents are forced to hope for the best. There have been incidents where unfit baby sitters have stolen from clients, abused children, and took advantage of the family’s amenities. If you have to go with a baby sitter, make sure it is a trusted individual; it would not be unwise to install video recording devices to ensure that they are taking care of your child properly.
Daycares
There are approximately 32.7 million children in childcare arrangements across the United States. Daycare require background checks from their employees and have strict protocols set by every state that staff must adhere to. Some daycares require backgrounds in early childhood education of their employees and many ensure parents that their staff are experienced and fully qualified. More advanced daycare and after school program software allow daycares to monitor child check-in and check-out times as well as offer payment schedules to parents.
Early Learning Centers
Some parents believe that educational success starts at a young age. It is proven that during the first few years, a child’s brain is developing at an incredibly rapid rate — many parents choose to capitalize on this by choosing an early learning center as their child’s daycare. Although similar to daycares, early learning centers are more like preschools that accept students as young as a few months. By focusing on developmentally appropriate exercises and activities meant to stimulate the growing minds of young children, early learning centers are shown to give children the head-start that they need for academic success. Every early learning center has different child care management programs that adhere to a educational philosophy — there are a number of these philosophies that all approach early childhood education differently. For those looking for a more educationally solid option for child care, early learning centers could give your child the academic advantage they need for the future.
