Most parents nowadays are unable to stay at home to take care of their children, as many families require dual incomes to get by. The rigors of the current economy make this even harder for single parents. This makes daycare a necessity for many families, but it can be tough to come to terms with this decision. However, there are many benefits young kids can receive by going to daycare. With that in mind, we’ve gathered some of those benefits that can help with your child’s development and prepare them for when they start going to school. Whether you’ve got lingering fears about sending your child to daycare or you just want to know what to expect, we hope you find this to be a helpful resource. If you’re looking for daycare services for your little one, call Texas Children’s Academy.

Regular Schedule and Activities

When kids are young at home, what they do throughout the day is often free-formed and based on what is either convenient or entertaining. While this is completely fine when they’re little, when they’re getting ready to enter the school system it’s important that they learn how to stick to a consistent schedule with regular activities. While in daycare, kids get a better understanding of how a normal day will typically be structured. Teaching kids about a structured schedule early on will prepare them for going to certain classes at specific times once they enter elementary school. This will also help parents out, since kids will come home after daycare and won’t behave erratically, as they will have had a chance to eat, play, and nap at scheduled times.

Academic Advancement

A long-running study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health showed young children who had spent time in high-quality daycare were able to score higher on cognitive and academic achievement tests as teens. The definition of “high-quality” daycare provided by the study describes it as a facility that provides extensive interaction with care providers, a good sense of support, and activities designed to boost cognition. By establishing a foundation of learning early on, daycare can foster a love of education and a desire to succeed at an early age.

Social Time

While stay-at-home parents do what they can to schedule regular play dates for their child to interact with other kids, it can be tough to make it happen often with how busy schedules can get. Starting at a young age, kids need a chance to develop their social skills, learn how to interact with other children their age, the value of sharing with others, empathy, and how to solve problems as part of a team. Daycare provides ample opportunity for these skills to develop, all under adult supervision, with structure and safety prioritized. This prepares them for the daily interaction they’ll have with their peers as they continue their schooling and gives them a chance to develop their personalities separate from their parents.

Interaction With Other Adults

At a young age, kids predominantly learn about adults from their parents and other family members. Daycare presents adults outside a child’s family as mentors and authority figures who can provide positive guidance. This helps to instill a respect for adults that is needed to get the most out of schooling later in their lives. When adult caregivers provide encouragement, respond to a child’s vocalizations and needs, display a positive attitude and discourage negative behavior, it sets a good example for the child regarding their interactions with other adults as they get older.

Easier Transition to Kindergarten

When children are introduced to the structured nature of daycare, it prepares them for their academic future. Not only does this help a child get ready for going to school every day, but it also makes the transition easier for parents. Studies have shown that parents who enrolled their children in daycare showed greater involvement in their kid’s academic pursuits going forward, as well. The adjustment to formal schooling can be scary for kids and parents alike, but daycare can help make that adjustment a little smoother for everyone.

Family Benefits

When parents have an opportunity to put their children in the hands of people who will provide them the care they need and deserve, it can have benefits for the family as a whole. This can be quite anxiety-inducing for many parents because even with the most thorough research and vetting possible, you’re still trusting strangers to take care of your child. However, this is often for the best for the whole family, as it allows the parents to focus on their work to ensure they can properly provide for their child. It also gets the whole family adjusted to trusting a teacher or caregiver. Studies have shown that going back to work can have a positive effect on a parent’s mental health, as they are able to restore a bit of their individuality while their child is at daycare.

There are many benefits to daycare that researchers are still learning, but we hope this helps to assuage any fears you might have about sending your little one to daycare. If you’re in the Arlington area, call Texas Children’s Academy to learn about our daycare services.