Choose Babysitter or Daycare, These Strengths and Weaknesses

Mothers who will return to work may still be confused looking for a support system to care for children. Select babysitter or daycare (daycare)? All depends on the needs of each family. Come on, we look together strengths and weaknesses of each. Leaving your little one to work in an office makes you need to really choose a reliable system. Babysitters or daycare can be an option, especially if there are no family members or relatives who can be trusted to care for your child. Mother who is still confused in choosing between the two, the things below might be considered.

Flexibility of Babysitters at Home

Babysitters or professional baby or child caregivers generally have gone through early childhood care training. Babysitters usually live with family so they are more flexible and free in caring for children. In addition to flexibility, other advantages of sharing care with a babysitter include:

• The child stays at home so that care is more stable and consistent. Research says that children under 3 years experience less stress while at home.
• You do not need to rush to prepare your child early to go to daycare before you work.
• Mother does not need to bother delivering and picking him up, as if left in daycare. Children also avoid the stress that he might feel on the trip.
• Children can still be treated by a babysitter at home when they are sick.
• Mother and Father can better adjust the schedule and pattern of care according to working hours.

However, there are some disadvantages to hiring a babysitter, namely:

• The costs incurred for professional babysitters are relatively more expensive than daycare.
• Although generally trained, the quality of each babysitter is different. Leaving your child alone with a babysitter who doesn't know you well can be a concern.
• Babysitters who suddenly get sick or say goodbye and don't come back, might interfere with Mother's activities and psychological stability of the child.
• Finding a suitable babysitter is not easy and takes time. Of course it's difficult if you need to go to work immediately.
• Some parents feel uncomfortable living in a house with a babysitter.
• Babysitters raised at home need to be occasionally invited to interact with other people or other children outside the home.

To overcome the constraints of social interaction in children raised by babysitters, after 3 years of age, children can join early childhood education (PAUD) to get optimal teaching, also to have the opportunity to interact with their peers. PAUD with good teachers and quality, can be a place for children to develop with the right stimulation.

Children's Social Environment at Daycare

There are several types of daycare according to the ingredients. There are daycare at home, daycare provided at school, or daycare at other service facilities, such as hospitals and places of worship. There are also certain offices that provide daycare for employees. Some advantages if the child is in daycare while parents work outside the home are:

• Daycare usually provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks, so Mother does not bother cooking specifically for the Little One.
• In daycare children can socialize with other children, adapt to the environment other than at home, also learn to eat a variety of new foods.
• Socialization with other children allows children to learn to share, work together, stand in line, and take turns. This situation is not found Little at home, especially if he is an only child.
• Teachers and caregivers who are generally professional can ensure that your child gets stimulation exactly according to his age.
• If Mother depends on one babysitter, it is difficult to get a replacement, but in daycare there is usually always a substitute caregiver so that the child will not be displaced.
• In daycare, the schedule of children's activities is structured so that children learn to be disciplined.
• Some daycare services provide facilities so that parents can monitor children's activities online. Other daycare provides a recording of children's activities every day, both in the form of notes and photos.
• Many daycare also provides education similar to that provided by PAUD, so that children can also benefit at school.

Disadvantages of daycare to consider:

• Little will be more susceptible to contracting the disease if there is one or several children who are less healthy. Germs can also spread from exchanging objects or using goods simultaneously. Although generally there is a policy that sick children are not allowed into daycare.
• Daycare operational hours that are scheduled may make it difficult for mothers who often overtime or have to go in early.
• Quality daycare is usually sought after so many people often have long waiting lists. In addition, this type of daycare also requires a small fee.

Another consideration is the conditions faced by each family. Do you work part time or full? Does Mother only need to go to the office occasionally? Or open a business from home and just need help to care for the Little One? How much funding is available for childcare? For this, Mother needs to do a survey of monthly daycare fees and babysitter salaries. Both in babysitter care and daycare, children still have to get things that they should get from parents, such as warmth, attention, and proper stimulation. The choice between the two should consider a variety of conditions, because each family has their own needs and solutions that are considered appropriate.