Every working parent understands the harsh reality that they simply can’t spend every waking moment with their children. While working mommies and daddies go off to work in order to provide for their families, they often leave their precious bundles of joy in the hands of a daycare center.
Though there are countless reputable daycare centers across the world, there are also countless ridiculous myths that discredit these safe and kid-friendly havens. Some of these myths are so irrational and extreme that many tend to use “daycare” as a deprecatory word. Kelly Guinn, working mother/contributor for Scary Mommy, suggests that the phrase “daycare kid” can be perceived even worse than the root word.
Guinn doesn’t seem to understand how society developed these groundless mythical claims. In fact, she’s pointed out 5 of the most downright ridiculous of these myths in an effort to falsify any negative ideas surrounding daycares.
Check out Kelly Guinn’s working mom approved list of the most ridiculous daycare myths you’ll ever hear:
1. Babies are left unattended and crying for long periods of time
Guinn claims that the daycare which she leaves her daughter simply does not allow for this to happen. In fact, she states that this particular daycare center has a strict “7 minute rule” which doesn’t allow for any crying bouts longer than 7 minutes. She once even requested that the caretakers let her daughter cry for longer than the time limit; however, they denied her request because of the strict policy the daycare enforces. It’s hard to say that all daycares implement the exact same rule, but one can imagine that most have similar policies.
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2. Kids need their parents, not some daycare employee
Guinn argues that there’s simply only so much she can do to prevent her from having to work to provide for her family. In fact, many parents find themselves in a similar boat and have for generations. This means that there’s a good chance you were or know a “daycare” kid. The fact of the matter is that kids do need their parents. No one is denying that, but some parents have to rely on leaving their kids in the care of a center for a few hours a day. Some parents may frown upon this, but is it any different from school?
3. “Daycare kids” lack discipline and structure
Guinn suggests that kids who regularly attend daycare centers actually deal with more structure than other kids their age. They’re so heavily involved in a strict daily routine that simply can’t be replicated at home as consistently as a daycare center. In terms of discipline, Guinn laughs and mocks those who think that think the place where heaps of preschoolers inhabit everyday is lacking in disciplinarians. Simply put, the caretakers and employees deal with kids everyday and know exactly how to keep them in line.
4. Daycare is far too expensive
Working parents like Kelly Guinn think that claims like this aren’t just presumptuous, they’re rude. She finds this myth to be a little insulting because there’s no real constructive criticism available. What’s a working parent supposed to do as an alternative? Leave their child at home unattended? That’s ridiculous. Daycare, in her case, isn’t even particularly expensive. Sure, it’s another expense, but it’s well worth the cost for working parents because it provides them the opportunity to make money at their jobs and provide for their families in the long run.
5. Daycare is bad for your kids
This is another baseless assertion that really doesn’t make a lick of sense. Guinn argues that if anything, daycare is good for kids! It provides them with a chance to learn from the developmental activities conducted by the caretakers, interact with other children and develop social skills, and gives kids a safe place where they can play and have fun.
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