Parents and caregivers who want their children to succeed later in life are encouraged to learn more about daycare. As most new parents understand, choosing the right daycare can be overwhelming. Even more, deciding when to send your child to daycare can be equally confusing. Yet now, studies help make the decision-making process a little easier. At Right Steps ® Education, we’ve got a few of the top reasons to consider sending your child to daycare earlier as opposed to later.
Some of the latest results from the United States National Institutes of Health study show that children who attend a high-quality daycare program score slightly higher on academic tests in later years. These children, according to the study, also achieve greater cognitive strides than their peers who attended daycare at a later age.
While it’s not certain whether the daycare environment center, itself, was a factor, the same research also shows that children who attend daycare from an early age have less behavioral issues than other children who do not attend daycare or who enrolled at a much later age. Part of what determines the outcomes, of course, is related to the quality of the daycare.
When choosing a preschool, parents should find out how much time the provider sends with the children. It’s also important to get a sense of how warm the teacher is toward her students. At Right Steps ® Education, for example, every teacher makes a conscious effort to provide an engaging, yet nurturing environment for every child. Many people believe that the ideal age to begin daycare is right after your child’s first birthday. At this age, your child is making gains in language, social skills and motor skills. New people and stimulating activities are often welcome additions to your child’s daily routine. Most children have worked through their separation anxiety by about nine months, which makes daycare at age one a great choice for many.