Differences in Child Care Options

Once you've decided you will be going back to work after your baby is born, the next step is finding appropriate childcare for your newborn. If you have family around, they make great care providers. But if you don't have that option, there are still several childcare providers you can choose from.

Child Daycare Centers
One advantage of a daycare center is that your child will be surrounded by other children. This should help him learn to share and accept all kinds of other people from different races and different walks of life. Daycare centers are usually kept really clean as well. Another good thing is that a daycare center won't shut down for two weeks of vacation every year, or when someone gets sick, the way that the other childcare providers do.

One of the bad things about daycare centers is also that your child will be surrounded by other children. Other children carry germs, so your child will probably be sick more often if he is around a lot of other kids all the time. Another disadvantage of a daycare center is the turnover that many of them go through. Your child might become attached to someone, and then she might leave to find a new job, or go off to school. Your child also won't have as much one on one time in most daycare centers as he would in the other settings.

In-home Daycares
One good thing about an in-home daycare is that there are other children around, but not generally as many as in a daycare center. In-home daycares are run by parents, so they have more hands on experience than some of the people that work at a daycare center, or someone that you might hire to watch only your child in your own home.

One bad thing about in-home daycares is that if the provider gets sick or goes on vacation, you usually have to find someone else to take care of your child on your own. These homes should be clean, but because someone else lives there, they can sometimes get messy. It's generally not a problem, though. Check the rules on TV watching, since there is sometimes more of this in in-home daycares than some parents like.

Stay at Home Moms
Leaving your child with a stay at home mom will be similar to leaving him at an in-home daycare. Everything stated previously will apply here, too. The main differences are usually that the stay at home mom will cost less, and her attitude might be a little more lax. She will probably give your child more one on one time, but might not have as many activities planned for the day. She is also much more likely to take your child somewhere during the day so make sure she has the proper carseat at her house while your child is there. Her children are also more likely to try to boss your child around until she stops them. After all, it's their house and their toys.

Child Care Providers in Your Own Home
Having someone to look after only your child (or children) should give your child plenty of one on one time with a caregiver. One person taking care of only your child can be really good, too, if your child gets sick easily. He won't have to be over exposed to other children until his immune system matures. However, being around other kids can be good for him socially, too. It teaches him how to act around children his age instead of just adults. Playing with other children can teach the importance of sharing. Staying at his own house can be very comforting, though. He will be surrounded by his own toys and things. He will become very attached to his caregiver, but this could make it very hard on him when she stops taking care of him.

No matter which way you choose to go, find out as much as you can about all of the care providers your child will come in contact with. Keep your child's safety and health first, and you will do fine with any of these forms of childcare.