Should your child go to daycare if your older children need to homeschool? If your elementary, middle, or high school students are homeschooling or cyber-schooling, take a look at the questions to ask before you decide to send your youngest learner to child care.
Do You Need to Teach Your Older Children?
Some schools and districts have a complex cyber-education setup. This includes synchronous classes that provide real-time instruction from your child's regular teacher or a cyber school educator. But if your older students have to watch pre-recorded lectures, complete assignments on their own, or follow a sophisticated syllabus with plenty of independent learning options, you may need to help.
When homeschooling your older children takes too much time away from your preschooler, a daycare center can help. The center can provide plenty of supervision—which gives you extra time to teach, tutor, or work with your older children. Beyond this bonus, a part- or full-time center schedule gives your younger child the chance to socialize and build new skills.
Do Your Older Children Need a Quiet Learning Environment?
Your preschooler can be less than quiet at any given time. Between the constant singing, questions, and chatter, it's not likely your older students will have the silent space they need to concentrate on assignments or hear their cyber teacher.
Avoid sibling squabbles with a child care option. Your preschooler will get the chance to express themselves—and at a louder volume than they would at home.
Does Your Younger Child Want to Go to Preschool?
Even though your older children may need to homeschool or cyber-school, your younger learner has options. While you're ultimately the one who will determine whether to send your child to an early learning center, your preschooler can have a say in the decision.
Ask your child if they want to go to school. If they're not sure or don't know what will happen during the daycare day, briefly explain what happens in preschool or take them on a tour of their would-be future center.
Do You Feel Your Child Will More at Preschool?
Your child's education doesn't start at kindergarten. Research shows the educational and developmental benefits of an early learning environment. According to a Harvard-led review of studies on the benefits of early childhood education, children in high-quality preschool programs are more likely to graduate from high school. The studies also found a lower likelihood that the children would need to repeat a grade.
Whether you don't have a full day to devote to your preschooler's education or you're not sure what to teach them, a child care program can help them to learn basic skills and develop cognitive, emotional, social, and physical skills. Contact a daycare for more information.
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