If you are trying to make the decision of whether or not to put your child into a preschool, you should consider at length the pros and cons of your decision. It is important to weigh the pros and cons as it can help to make establish the criteria to make your decision. This article will discuss both the advantages and the disadvantages of putting your child into a preschool or daycare in the hopes of helping you make that decision.

Advantages

Planned activities/education

One advantage of having your child in a preschool or daycare is that there are planned activities throughout the day and year, and also educational aspects. Many preschools offer an educational program that allows your child to learn basic skills early on, giving them a head start before they begin elementary school. Also, many daycares and preschools, even private schools, take field trips throughout the year that are fun and educational in nature. Preschools also offer a set schedule throughout the day to teach your child skills and socialization.

Consistent schedule

Another advantage of having your child in preschool is the consistent schedule. A preschool will never close due to the illness of a teacher; they would simply get a substitute. Whereas having a nanny or babysitter would not guarantee you to have backup if the nanny or babysitter is sick. Also, the daily routine of a preschool is good for your child to get used to before starting elementary school, and also helps them understand rules and consequences. And as a parent, you are aware of the schedule for the preschool for the entire year, including hours and days in which the school is closed for holidays. This allows for you to make plans for babysitting or taking off of work in advance.

Socialization

Having your child attend preschool allows for them to have a great opportunity for socialization. Your child might not get that chance if he/she is being watched by a nanny with no other children to play with.  Exposing your child to groups of children early on will teach him/her the importance of taking turns, sharing, and interacting with other children which is often difficult for those who have not had that type of exposure.

Trained staff

Preschools and daycares offer trained staff that is often required to take courses and become certified in childcare, or they are required to have a degree in education or child studies. This allows you the confidence in having your child under the care of these professionals who are knowledgeable about your child’s needs and development at any age.

Disadvantages

Specific hours/days

While the schedule of the daycare can be an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage. Many preschools are not in session during holidays or the summer, often for extended periods of time. This might not coordinate well with your own work schedule, leaving you to figure out an alternative for those periods of time, which can also cost you more money.

Exposure to sickness

Another disadvantage of putting your child into a preschool or daycare is that he/she will be exposed to illness more so than with a nanny or babysitter. When children are gathered in groups day in and day out in the same setting, they often harbor germs and spread sickness quickly.  When one child in the daycare is sick, it is very common for others to catch the sickness as well. This will not only leave you with a sick child, but also cause you to have to take off of work to stay with your child or hire a babysitter until the child feels better. This is because many preschools do not allow your child to attend if they are too sick.

Fees

Another disadvantage of putting your child in daycare are the fees. Daycare is not free and often comes with a high price tag. And more often than not, the better quality daycares come at a higher cost than most, whereas a nanny or babysitter might be less of a cost.

Michelle Patterson is an educationalist who has been studying the varied forms of child education in our country. She is an unabashed fan of the Montessori system and spends a lot of time advocating its use for better children’s education.