If you’re a new mom who’s about to go back to work, you’ve probably been spending crazy amounts of time researching daycare facilities and fretting about how you’re ever going to send your brand new baby to daycare.
You might be asking yourself if daycare is the right choice, which facility fits your family’s needs, or if you can trust your little in the care of someone who isn’t you.
Although it’s the reality for many of us, the thought of leaving our babies at daycare for the whole day is stressful. It can conjure up intense feelings of working mom guilt and anxiety.
I know how it is. I experienced so much guilt about sending my son to daycare that I almost considered leaving the workforce entirely. Not that I even could with the way this economy is set up right now.
Here’s one thing I held onto that helped me deal with those emotions – it’s a difficult adjustment, but there are actually lots of benefits to sending our kids to daycare. It’s helpful for them, and for us.
Learning about all the ways my son (and myself) could benefit helped me deal with my guilt and get through the transition to daycare a little easier.
8 good things about sending my child to daycare that helped ease the mom guilt
1. Social and emotional development
The ability to build and maintain relationships is one of the most important life skills for children. Working with others towards a common goal, communicating their feelings and needs, sharing, making friends, and learning through observation helps our children develop valuable social and emotional skills that can persist into adulthood.
Personally, I think this is where I have seen the most growth in my son’s development, and it’s a big part of why I’m glad he went to daycare despite my initial reservations.
2. Building immunity
Building immunity from exposure to germs isn’t an easy process, but it helps make our kids more resilient to the all the germs they will be exposed to in the world.
In the first year of starting daycare, it was hard times in our household while we were dealing with constant sickness. But as my son continued attending daycare, his tolerance (and mine) to getting sick got increasingly better.
Now, we don’t worry so much when he puts a random leaf in his mouth or waddles around mouth-first in the play gym ball pit (do they ever clean those out?).
3. Early learning and preparing for school
Many daycares, especially those considered high-quality, have educated teachers and established curriculums that are age-appropriate and facilitate early learning.
That means our babies will have the opportunity to get familiar with the basics – shapes, colors, numbers, and letters – before they even get to kindergarten where most of that learning officially begins.
4. Milestone tracking
Experienced caregivers have a good sense of where babies should be as far as their developmental milestones, and they can communicate that to us if they feel like it’s something we need to keep an eye on.
First time moms in particular may not be as familiar with developmental milestones and what’s considered ‘normal’, so it’s helpful to have another qualified eye monitoring their progress.
5. Developing independence and confidence
My ultimate goal as a mom is to raise a kind, confident, and independent kid who is capable of handling life’s challenges. I love my son infinitely, but I want him to grow as his own person.
Daycare offers the space for children to build independence with qualified caregivers in a safe space.
Without mom there to rush in to help at the slightest struggle, our babies can learn how to do things on their own and navigate through challenges in a safe environment. That helps to build confidence and prepares them for school (and life).
6. Consistency and routine
Most daycares have an established schedule for children which includes play time, outside time, reading time, diaper changes or potty time etc.
Consistency is important for children because it helps make the day predictable, and studies show that they actually do better overall when there is a daily routine in place.
7. An opportunity for rest
There are days when I’ve taken a day off from work and still sent my son to daycare, and I do not feel one ounce of guilt for this.
My son is fed, changed regularly, doing crafts and playing games, socializing, and generally living his best life with his little friends.
On these days, I’m catching up on things, resetting my brain, and taking a break from the demands of working mom life. It does absolute wonders for my mental and emotional health, and makes me a better mom and wife.
8. An opportunity to focus on my career
Many of us go back to work after maternity leave because we actually want to. We worked hard for our careers and enjoy what we do. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a stellar mom who is also career-driven.
Sending our kids to daycare gives us the time and separation we need to work and grow within our fields. Being able to focus on our jobs while our kids are cared for can also lead to better opportunities and more financial stability.
Sending our babies to daycare is tough on us emotionally. It can bring about a lot of working mom guilt and anxiety. Knowing of the many social, emotional, and academic benefits of the right daycare setting can help us feel more optimistic about the transition to daycare.
References
Oksman, Elli, et al. “Associations between Early Childcare Environment and Different Aspects of Adulthood Sociability: The 32-Year Prospective Young Finns Study.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, 10 Sept. 2019, p. 2060, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6746937/, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02060.
Selman, Saliha, and Janean Dilworth‐Bart. “Routines and Child Development: A Systematic Review.” Journal of Family Theory and Review, vol. 1, no. 1, 2023, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jftr.12549, https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12549.
Children’s Healthcare Associates. “Pros and Cons of Daycare – Children’s Healthcare Associates.” Www.chapeds.com, 27 Nov. 2023, www.chapeds.com/blog/1076359-pros-and-cons-of-daycare/.
Austrew, Ashley. “5 Major Benefits of Day Care for Kids, according to Research.” Care.com Resources, 2 Dec. 2022, www.care.com/c/benefits-of-day-care/.
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