There are a lot of misconceptions about childcare and the benefits that it provides to children and families. Many people simple see childcare as a “babysitting service.” Of course, there’s nothing wrong with babysitting! But educators and directors at quality childcare centres are early childhood professionals that have resources and skills to help your child reach their full potential.
Here are 8 of the biggest misconceptions about childcare:
1. “Educators just watch the kids play all day.”
Many people believe that educators take a passive role in children’s learning experiences. But that couldn’t be any further from the truth. Good childcare centres will employ qualified and engaged educators who will actively engage in learning experiences with the children.
2. “The kids don’t learn, they just play.”
It is easy to believe that play would happen after or apart from learning. But in fact, children learn as they play. Play is fun, open-ended, and leads to development in language, physical, social/emotional, and cognitive development.
Think about times in which children have to negotiate and determine roles in during their play! Or consider how serious and intricate the construction of a bridge or community can be.
3. “Kids can’t learn literacy and math concepts in a play-based setting.”
To better understand why this is a misconception, we first have to understand HOW play can make children learn!
Think about when children play with blocks and they match, classify and sort by shape and size. This is an important skill for many different types of learning, but it is necessary for spatial awareness which is a vital strand of mathematical concepts.
How about when children engage in a restaurant themed pretend play set-up? They must ‘pretend’ to read menus, take orders, and talk to their guests.
Literacy and math concepts can be found in many places in a play-based setting, and that is why it is considered one of the biggest misconceptions in childcare.
4. “My child always gets sick. Childcare centres are not the most hygienic.”
The perception that daycare centres are not hygienic is definitely a misconception! Quality childcare centres always maintain their facilities to the highest sanitary standards. In fact, childcare centres are regulated by various regulatory bodies that require them to maintain minimum sanitization standards.
It is true though that some children get sick more often when they first begin childcare. While this is a legitimate concern for many parents, it is actually normal for children to get sick when they first start.
But to quell any fears, what is really happening is the child’s immune system is getting stronger. Because of this, in most case children who attended childcare get sick less often than their peers during elementary school years.
5. “My children don’t need more time to play. They already get enough.”
Many people believe that their children get enough play time, but in fact there has been a steady decline in opportunities for unstructured free play. This kind of play is vital for children’s overall development, and childcare can provide it.
Many children are overscheduled in activities outside of their home. And when they are home, they are engaged in a tremendous amount of “screen time.” This is one of the reasons why this is a big misconception.
Childcare centres provide children one of the best opportunities to really be kids. To just play, and use their imagination. They can engage in group play, pretend play, and as a natural consequence, support their development.
But maybe you’re a parent who takes the time to provide unobstructed free play for your child at home. A quality childcare centre can still be an asset to your children and family as they gain a great amount of independence and social skills.
6. “Childcare leads to behavioral problems.”
Another misconception about childcare is that its boring and will inevitably lead to behavioral problems. For quality childcare centres this too is a myth!
Of course, some children find it difficult to express their emotions and frustrations in a positive manner. But high quality childcare centres will always keep your children engaged and therefore “behavioral” episodes get reduced to a minimum if at all.
7. “Childcare kids have no structure.”
Again, another big misconception! While there’s lots of time for unstructured free play, children who attend childcare have a thought out daily routine that they follow. This is one of the reasons that children who attended childcare and then start to attend the public school system do so well with routines.
Routines are healthy for children and their development as expectations within the environment allow them to feel safe.
If you ask your children’s educator, you may even learn that they follow all their instructions, will little to no push back!
8. “Early Childhood Education is not that important for reducing the achievement gap.”
We saved this for last for a reason. There are numerous studies that highlight the effectiveness and benefits of early childhood education.
Early childhood education works against barriers like toxic stress, unstable housing, economic stability, and lack of nutrition. Children who have the opportunity to attend early childhood settings are given the chance to engage in an environment that responds to their age and development.
It is no myth that early childhood education sets children up for a smooth transition to school, and provides a solid foundation for future academic growth. So the misconception is really HOW important early childhood education is for reducing the achievement gap! There are endless articles and studies that illustrate how dramatically social, cognitive, and language skills improve in such a setting.
Enrolling your child in a quality early childhood education childcare facility will be one of the best decisions you make for your child and their future.
While we could probably add much more misconceptions to this list, these are the big 8. Quality childcare centres easily diminish these misconceptions for what they are… complete myths! But you have to find the right one.
Choosing the best program for your child is an exciting and important decision that will set the stage for the first five years of your little one’s development. Use this free checklist to help you make the best decision possible!
