You've heard all the nasty rumors about child care, but you have to get back to work and you have no choice. But did you know there are benefits to sending your child to daycare If you consider some of these benefits, it will help you come to terms with your own decision whether you have a choice or not. If you can understand some of the ways children benefit from childcare, you will feel you are helping your child grow into a well rounded, happy child instead of punishing the both of you by sticking him in daycare.
Babies need interaction with other children. It's never too early to start engaging him in activities with other children, whether they are other babies, toddlers or older children. Learning to interact with other children prepares a child for his first encounter with school. A daycare environment is a perfect place to get a child used to other children as he will have to do when he enters preschool or kindergarten. Daycare is a gentler environment, there are less rules and more flexibility than strict teachers may impose. Children benefit from childcare by learning self-control, how to get along with others, and how to share. They are initiated into the world of friendship. Without daycare, he only knows you; you are his whole world. What a shock to find one day around his 4th birthday he will have to start school and will be away from you at great lengths during the day. Children benefit from childcare by expanding their world to include people other than their parents.
If a child has been in daycare there will be less chance of separation anxiety when he enters school. He has become used to you being away from him; he has learned to make new friends and can be content without the undivided attention he normally gets from you. Aside from learning socialization skills, he may also have the opportunity to learn some of the basics such as the alphabet and numbers. This pre-preschool learning environment teaches your child a basic understanding of what will be expected of him once he enters kindergarten. He learns to listen and accept the information that will be thrust upon him in school. Entering school for the first time is challenging, children benefit from childcare by already having exposure to a classroom like environment.
Once the child enters school, daycare can help with homework. Some daycare facilities also offer after school extracurricular activities like scout meetings, and on-site gymnastics instruction. Once the child is in school his horizons begin to broaden.
Children benefit from childcare but it is really the parents that make the most difference in your child's life. When he gets home from daycare after spending a long day away from you, he will want to tell you about his day. Ask him questions about his friends, his teachers, his subjects. He is capable of interacting with you no matter what his age is, and getting him to vividly describe his day is exciting to a child especially if the parent shows interest. Of course you are interested, aren't you This child, a smaller version of yourself, is taking on the world a day at a time, and the choices and desires he has will be a direct reflection of you. Make the most of that opportunity while you can, children are only children once.
Do you come home to kids watching TV, playing video games, or chatting on cell phones? Are the morning and afternoon dishes stacked in the sink for you to do? Do you want help with laundry, vacuuming, and fixing dinner? Let's find out how to raise responsible kids and get the help you need.
To raise responsible kids, be kind and firm:
What you say to your kids and how you say it must reflect your inner conviction that you are the parent. With that inner conviction your words will be more effective. You won't be complaining, yelling, or feeling mean when telling your kids to do their chores. Your kids will sense you are in charge.
3 steps to experiencing your authority as the parent:
Ask yourself, "How would I feel inside if I calmly and strongly felt my authority?" Take quiet time to imagine and feel that authority. Practice experiencing that feeling before confronting your kids.
When it's time to tell your kids to do their chores, take that inner conviction with you. Make sure it's strong, serious, and calm.
To raise responsible kids, avoid this mistake:
A young boy named Tom, whose father was a preacher, asked his dad on the way home from church, "Dad, were you telling the truth today or were you just preaching?" (A true story from Kidwarmers)
When parents lecture, kids don't listen. Preaching wastes your time, alienates your kids, and increases your tone of helplessness. Instead use few words and speak with a firm voice.
Raise responsible kids with rules and expectations:
Parents make a big mistake when they fail to draw the line. My friend Roberta, who raised 5 children, talks about eliminating "the control that a child likes to have in raising a parent." When kids leave dirty dishes, keep messy rooms, and play on the computer without helping, they're raising their parents to be their servants. Roberta believes that responsible parents draw the line. That means they follow through with rules and expectations.
To raise responsible kids, use this formula:
Develop a calm inner conviction that you have both the authority and the responsibility to be the parent. Avoid lecturing. Use few words. Speak with a firm voice. Follow through with your rules and expectations.
Practice using the above formula consistently. You'll be teaching your kids to be responsible. You'll be getting the help you need, and you'll be building character too.
Both Jillian Smith & Jean Tracy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.