Chicago Parents: 5 Reasons Why You Should Place Your Child in Daycare in 2021 

Chicago Parents: 5 Reasons Why You Should Place Your Child in Daycare in 2021 , image 1

Daycare centers are a popular childcare option where you drop off your child to be supervised, nurtured, and cared for by professional caregivers and teachers during the day.  They are well-structured, formal childcare environments with specific times for dropping off and picking up your child.

Most Chicago daycares focus on childcare services for infants and toddlers as well as preschoolers.  Others offer after-school, weekend, and before-school care services for school-going children. Regardless of your child’s age, it’s always difficult to put your little one in the care of someone else, let alone a center where many children are cared for in the same place.

Aside from a little case of separation anxiety, sending your infant or younger child to a daycare facility in Chicago can be incredibly beneficial to both you and your child.  As a Chicago parent here are five worthwhile reasons to seriously consider taking your kid to daycare this year.

Reason #1: Taking Your Child to Daycare is Far Less Expensive than Hiring a Nanny

If luck is on your side, a relative (I see you grandma!) may agree to watch your little one, so you can dash to a dental appointment, run some errands, go on a date, or even go back to working nine-to-five.  If you’re lucky, this won’t end up putting a major strain on your relationship.

Not everyone has a willing family member or relative who has the time to take care of your child, let alone for free. So, your next option is to hire a nanny, babysitter, or if possible, go dutch with another family for a nanny share service.  Unfortunately, nannies and babysitters can cost a small fortune — especially if you need full-time childcare.  The going hourly rates for a nanny in Chicago range from $11 to $20 (sometimes up to $25 per hour).

The cost of sending your child to a daycare center in Chicago, on the other hand, can often be more affordable than bringing in a babysitter or hiring a nanny. The center usually charges a flat rate for a full day of childcare and is capped at $46.49 per hour by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).

The actual price of daycare in Chicago may vary from facility to facility, depending on the type of center, its location in the city, and what is included in their services package.  If you opt for family care (also referred to as an in-home daycare center), you can expect to pay the least for childcare.  Overall, you can expect to pay an average of $894 per month, which is much cheaper than hiring a full-time nanny who can set you back an average of $2,250 monthly.

Reason #2: Vetted Daycare Centers Offer Better Quality of Childcare

Here’s another plausible reason to send your tot to an accredited, licensed, and regulated daycare facility in Chicago.  In major cities, including Chicago, the state, federal government, and local authorities have outlined strict standards and regulations that govern child care facilities.

The state of Illinois mandates childcare requirements, such as a 1:3 caregiver-to-child ratio for daycare centers offering care for infants and toddlers under the age of 2.  The state also dictates the maximum group size and level of training for caregivers & teachers at the center.

Together, these strict guidelines ensure that Chicago’s state-licensed daycares offer the best quality of care for your child.  A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) backs this up. The research found that daycare centers that meet caregiver-to-child ratio, educational requirements, and maximum group sizes enforced by state regulators tend to have better outcomes, such as higher quality of care and increased social & cognitive development.

Reason #3: Daycare Helps Kids Kick off their Social Life on the Right Foot

At first, the highly interactive nature of the daycare environment may throw your child off, especially if your kid develops temporary separation anxiety. But when little ones get accustomed to the daycare setting, these interactions can make a significant positive impact on their social lives.

Learning, playtime, and generally interacting with their friends and caregivers can have huge benefits for your child’s social, cognitive, and emotional development. This high level of socialization can enable your child to grow and learn with peers, something that will serve them well for the rest of their lives.  After all, it’s been scientifically proven that early social relationships can have a big impact on shaping one’s future life skills in communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.

Reason #4: Daycare Lays Foundation for Better School Life Ahead

Attending daycare not only provides opportunities for socialization and learning but can also lay a solid foundation for future school life. Children who attended daycare tend to be morally and educationally more disciplined — they’re less likely to act out, cause tantrums, or have behavioral issues in school.

This might have something to do with early interactions with others. In a daycare environment, kids usually learn to interact with adults and with their peers in a healthy way. This gives them the head start they need to develop proper social, emotional, and cognitive skills.  For instance, learning how to make friends and solve conflicts amicably at a tender age can stick with you from kindergarten all through to college and even beyond.

Reason #5: Daycare Provides you with Opportunities to Meet Other Parents

Kids, as they say, don’t come with a manual—and it really helps to swap notes with other parents who may have better parenting solutions.  It doesn’t hurt to meet, mingle, and perhaps strike up friendships with other like-minded parents.

For instance, if you drop off or pick up your kids with a certain Samuel almost every day, soon you will find yourself exchanging contacts. Who knows; the person might introduce you to the enchanting art culture of Chicago or get you a membership to an exclusive country club like the Ridgemoor.

That aside, surrounding yourself with other parents can provide you with the kind of support system you need to raise amazing kids.  It all begins with choosing the right daycare center for your family’s needs.

Are you looking for a trusted, state-of-the-art daycare in Chicago?  Schedule a tour at any of our locations today.  Serving the Edgewater, Irving Park, Lakeview, North Park, Lincoln Square, Edison Park, and West Loop communities since 2010.

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