Child Development in Day Care

Day care for children has been a growing industry since the late 20th century. The days of a single income home being standard are long gone, as many families require double incomes in order to survive. With both parents working, many children are placed in day-care facilities at a young age. Parents are left questioning whether day care is a positive thing for their child's development.

History

Early U.S. child day-care facilities, which first appeared in the late 1800s, were largely charitable organizations. These usually religious groups would watch children during the day so that women in dire financial need could work to support their families. During the Great Depression and World War II, women were encouraged to work, and federally sponsored day cares were established to allow mothers to contribute to the economy. The first privately owned day-care centers opened in the mid 1900s.

Social Development

One of the major studies on day care and child development was done in 2003 by the National Institute of Child Health and Development. The study concluded that the more time children spent in day care between the ages of 0 and 4, the more aggressive they were by the time they were in kindergarten. Many have used this study as a basis for claiming that day care is a negative influence on children. With a closer read, the study shows that the vast majority of children are still within the normal ranges.The study followed children from various geographic regions, ethnic backgrounds and economic standings. The results showed that, while all kinds of children had increases in behavioral problems with time in day care, the children who had the least problems came from households with educated parents with high incomes. These children tended to be more socially developed and played the nicest with other children. In addition, it showed that children whose mothers who were sensitive to their needs and children who were in smaller, private day-care centers had the best social skills. The results seem to suggest that children with attentive, well-adjusted parents have the best emotional and social outcomes.

Intellectual

The biggest factor that influences a child's intellectual development is the quality of the day care. Some studies, like those by Steinberg and Green in "Three Types of Daycare," suggest that low-quality facilities can slow a child's intellectual development below that of children at home. Other studies done by Harvard and Syracuse Universities show that development can be as high, or higher, than children at home if the center is an educationally sound institution with high standards for learning and caring teachers. Skills like writing their names and doing simple math are generally learned quicker than children at home, although those steps above other children do not seem to last. By the time children are in elementary school, all children even out to their individual ability levels.

Physical

While emotional development is a debatable issue, physical development seems to be positively effected by day care. Many infants are in day care from the time they are a few months old, so parents are concerned if their child will walk or talk as quickly as children who are at home. For families of average to high income, the physical development does not seem to be altered. Children from low income families, on the other hand, have improved developmental time lines.

Naysayers

There are heated discussions among parents when it comes to day care. Some groups have been formed to battle what they see as an evil in society. They cite numerous articles and professional opinions that discuss the negative effects of day care on children. Many stories shared by those against day care are anecdotal and lack scientific evidence to back up their claims. Always consider both sides of an argument and read evidence carefully before jumping to conclusions. Ultimately, the decision about what is best for their family lies with each individual parent. If there is one thing that is apparent from all the studies, it is that parents who are caring and attentive to their children will have the best results no matter what their work and home situations are.

References

• History of Child Care
• Daycare; Alison Clarke-Stewart; 1993