Investing in childcare when you are a stay-at-home mom may seem like an indulgence, or even something to feel guilty about. But the truth is that taking advantage of part-time child care options can help make your life easier and contribute to the overall well-being of both you and your child. Here are six reasons to consider child care, even if you don't work outside the home:
Your Child Will Become More Socialized
Learning how to interact with other children and adults in healthy, fun, and productive ways is an important aspect of child development. If your child spends most of their time with you and your spouse, they may not learn to properly socialize with other kids until they are older and entering formal school, at which time socializing may feel intimidating and foreign. Socializing as a small child can help your child develop a variety of social skills, including empathy and coordinated play.
You Will Have Time to Take Care of Yourself
As a mom of a little one, having time for self care may feel like a rare luxury, but it's actually very important for your mental health. Having a bit of time each week to do things that make you feel healthy and well-rounded, whether it's yoga, reading, grabbing lunch with old friends, or getting a massage, is a way to make yourself and your happiness a priority. Then, when it's time to pick your child up from child care, instead of feeling exhausted, you will feel refreshed and ready to spend quality time with your child.
You Can Pursue Your Passions
Instead of putting off starting that side business, taking online college classes, working on your novel, or learning Spanish until your child enters kindergarten, why not carve out a bit of time for your passions each week? While your child is being played with, looked after, and taught by a child care professional, you can pursue the aspects of life you are most passionate about, allowing you to be a great mom while also feeling like a well-rounded and fulfilled individual.
Your Child's Immune System Will Get a Boost
While in the short-term, you may find your child gets sick a bit more often immediately after starting daycare, in the long run they will develop a stronger immune system. Studies have shown that exposure to germs from other kids in a daycare setting actually gives children a long-lasting immune system boost that will keep them healthier once they start the school years.
Your Child Will Begin Developing School Skills
Child care can also help your child begin laying the groundwork for effective school skills that will serve them well when they are older. In a child-care setting, your child will learn how to quietly listen to a teacher, follow a structured routine, and play in a collaborative way with peers, all of which will make for for an easier transition once it's time for preschool or kindergarten.
Your Marriage May Improve
While growing your family is a beautiful experience, studies have repeatedly shown that having children can also be quite difficult on marriages. Taking time each week to place your child in child care may give you more time to spend one-on-one with your spouse, allowing you to reignite your romance and enjoy quality time as a couple.
Even if your child is only in daycare when your spouse is at work, the boost to your mood and self esteem that extra time to yourself provides may also have a positive effect on your marriage and how you feel toward your spouse.
If you are considering an investment in regular child care, there is no reason to feel guilty about it. Child care can be a very positive experience for many families, even those with stay-at-home moms. To learn more about the advantages of child care, contact a daycare center like Dreamland Education Ctr.
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