When considering daycare, many parents are reluctant to release their children to the custody of another person. As children grow up, they need to learn to take or themselves and socialize, so daycare centres are a great way for Australian children to prepare for school.
In fact, there are at least 9 undeniable benefits of daycare both for children and their parents.
The child’s age
An important factor in determining whether their child should attend daycare is his/her age. Most daycare centres have several groups where children are placed according to their age. Moreover, there are even groups for babies that are 2 months old.
It is at this age that babies develop a sense of security and safety. Next, there are toddlers that are slowly discovering the world of socializing, making them the ideal candidates for daycare. There, toddlers learn a lot about life through play, arts and crafts, singing songs, etc.
Finally, children older than 2 years will benefit the most from a high-quality daycare program. They will reap all the benefits listed above, from developing social skills to simply having fun. Moreover, they will learn a lot of new things before they start school, giving them a comparative advantage over their peers.
Interaction with other children
Even when a child has siblings, they cannot replace meaningful interaction with other kids their age. Parents can give their children all the love in the world but social skills are something that kids learn through talking and playing with their peers.
Unlike adults, possibilities for interaction among children are limited, as an hour of playtime at the local park won’t suffice. That’s why pre-school is a great way for your child to learn early on to behave in social situations.
Through building relationships with other children, your son or daughter will learn how to behave in the company of other people, thus developing his/her emotional intelligence. The best thing about daycare is that it’s a supervised environment, as social interaction occurs under the watchful eye of teachers.
Parents get time off from parenting
There isn’t a mother or a father on the planets who haven’t once wanted to press an imaginary “pause” button on parenting. This is a perfectly normal feeling and daycare is a form of that pause if we can call it as such.
Therefore, daycare is not only a lifesaver for busy parents who work all day but for all the mums and dads in Australia who want some quality time for themselves. When their child returns home from pre-school, they will be well-rested and ready to look after them.
The child will learn to communicate in English
A child doesn’t want to “rest” from their parents’ attention but they definitely benefit from interacting with their peers and teachers alike. As the child communicates more intensively in a daycare centre, he/she is actually practicing their English.
Language proficiency is just one of the benefits of childcare centres in Australia that are located from Darwin to Throsby. Once you pick up your kid from the daycare centre, you will be surprised to find out that they had picked up a couple of new words and expressions.
A familiar, yet a foreign environment
Daycare centres are not considered home but they are nevertheless safe. In this sense, the child will away from home but since the centre and its temporary “inhabitants” are familiar to him/her, they will feel safe there.
This accounts for ideal learning conditions, as a foreign, yet familiar environment will make the child feel safe and comfortable, allowing them to practice their expressive language and motoric skills at each developmental stage.
Getting into a routine
As adults, we have learned a long time ago that getting into a routine can help us get through the toughest of days. Children still have to learn this, as they yet have to master the skill of consistency. This is where the daycare centre steps it, as life there takes place according to a certain schedule (lunchtime, playtime, etc.).
This provides a structure for children, allowing them to predict and anticipate events with a huge degree of accuracy. Over time, this will boost their self-esteem, as they realize that days can be planned. This way, even introverted children will find their place in the world with ease.
The valuable lesson of independence
As soon as your child learns to make plans, they will feel powerful in the sense they will become more independent. Although playtime is supervised, children are still given the freedom to roam freely about and explore the world around them.
After a while, the child noticeably starts developing autonomy and independence, which are two skills that will come in handy in later life. Quality daycare programs in Australia and across the globe are designed with promoting autonomy in mind.
Starting school early on
Daycare centres are often referred to as pre-school since children are taught what school will be like. Because they have an educative segment, daycare centres act as miniature classrooms where children experience everything they would in school: separation from parents, socializing, learning, homework, etc.
Many Australian parents make the decision of enrolling their children into pre-school precisely because they are afraid their children will have trouble adjusting to school. Introvert and shy children stand to gain the most from starting school early in the form of a daycare program.
Daycare is a lifesaver for single parents
Finally, single mothers and fathers stand to benefit the most from daycare centres. Namely, a centre with dedicated educators will literally serve as the parent’s missing parent, showing them all the love and support they presently lack.
Also, many single parents work two jobs, so children would have to spend time with their parents, or even worse, older kids would stay home alone. An educative daycare centre is the perfect institution for children of a single parent, as they provide them with enough stimuli even when their parents are not around.
As you have seen from the 9 examples listed above, a daycare centre is a win-win situation for parents and their children. Parents are given enough time to relax or get another job, while children receive basic education, develop their social skills, and learn how to become independent.