Is My Toddler Ready for Daycare?

What is the best age to start daycare for your toddler?

You start wondering, “Is my toddler ready for daycare?” when he/she is about 2 or 2.5 years old. Usually, parents think of daycare for their toddlers when kids are aged between 2 and 4 years. However, it depends entirely upon the readiness of the kids.

If your kid is comfortable with new people and communicating amidst a group, he/she is definitely ready for daycare. Some kids may feel stressed when they meet new children or when they have to share their toys with others. They cannot handle this change in their routine very easily. So, they might find it difficult to adjust in daycare, even if it is for a few hours.

Such kids may keep looking at the door, waiting for you to pick them up. Some may cry vehemently when they see you, just to let you know how stressed they felt at daycare! Watch for your kids’ cues keenly, and put him/her in a daycare facility accordingly.

Things to remember before putting your toddler in a daycare

Are you considering a child daycare facility for your toddler? Watch out for these cues to know that he/she is ready to rock the daycare phase —

• Doesn’t hesitate when speaking to a group of people

• Is not entirely dependent on you, and he/she has already spent at least 1 or 2 nights away from you

• Is curious enough to learn about everything that happens around him/her

• Is comfortable with new people and new surroundings

• Doesn’t get perturbed or stressed when there is too much noise or activity in his/her environment

• Can do most tasks independently or with little help from his/her parents

• Knows to ask for what he/she needs, regardless of the people the child moves with

• Can understand simple instructions and is obedient enough to follow those without throwing tantrums

Pros and Cons of Daycare

Even if your kid is ready for daycare, you may not be mentally prepared for it, as you tend to constantly worry about his/her ability to manage everything in your absence. However, when you do your research properly and understand the pros and cons of child daycare facilities in detail, you know what to expect from the system.

Advantages of daycare facilities

• Improved social skills

You can see a rapid improvement in your kid’s social skills as he/she learns to interact with new people (like teachers, assistants, and other children) at the daycare. The child learns to wait for his/her turn, share toys, and pick up other essential skills at daycare.

• Healthy independence

Daycare teaches your child to be independent. He/she will learn to contribute to group activities and be encouraged to do the tasks assigned in class.

• Linguistic development

At daycare, your child will learn the basics of language, sounds, and pronunciation. The extra sessions at daycare (like sports, music, puzzles, art, etc.) help develop the child's hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and overall cognitive development.

• Safety

Teachers and professional caregivers help kids with their pre-academic and extra-curricular activities. So, you can rest assured knowing that your kid is safe and taken care of very well at his/her daycare.

Disadvantages of daycare facilities

• Cost

Daycare centres run by professional caregivers cost a lot of money. However, if you want the right benefits for your child before he/she starts regular school, you must be ready to loosen your purse strings a bit!

• Risk of picking up bad habits

Your kid may pick up some bad habit or language from one of his/her friends at daycare. Kids get influenced easily, and they love to mimic people they observe.

• Risk of ailments

Common ailments like cold, flu, and viral fever are contagious, and your child may easily catch these diseases from one of his/her friends at daycare.

• Strict about timing

If you reach the daycare facility late to pick up your kid, you may have to cough up heavy penalty charges for the same, irrespective of the reason for your delay.