Childcare or the responsibilities of a ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ comes with the arrival of the baby. Childcare refers to the act of caring for and supervising small children. Traditionally, children are looked after by one or both the parents. However, given the hectic life, with both the parents requiring to work and be outside for many hours has led to childcare delegated to, child minders or crèches on a full-time or part-time basis. Some parents can also opt for nanny services, which may be more intimate and often keeps children in their own home setting. You can also have your own family members like grandparents of your children to watch them over.
An increase in working families has resulted into the demand for licensed care centers or crèches has been growing faster as finding quality, affordable child care is one of the biggest challenges for these families. In case of parents who work in shifts, have regular overtime or work on weekends, for such parents child care can also mean extended hour care in case parents get late at work, before and/or after school care, in case the parents are unable to ready their children for school or bring them back from school due to work responsibilities and work pressures, holiday and summer care when children have school holidays and parents are unable to be with them.
In cases where parents are missing, dead, unable or unfit to care for children, state agencies likes social services take the responsibility of the childcare role. In a majority of western countries, it is mandatory to have compulsory education during which children are at school from the age of 5 or 6 years, while the school acts in loco parentis implying “in lieu of parent supervision”.
In countries like the United States, childcare is usually a regulated commercial or family childcare home setting and is managed by teachers who may have a Child Development Associate certificate or such other higher credentials which may include Associate, Bachelor, and even Master degrees in the field of Early Childhood Education or Early Child care. Theses childcare professionals are also required to attend workshops every year to enhance their knowledge and skill levels in the childcare arena.
Despite these childcare centers taking very good care of your children, your child’s real needs will be fulfilled only by you. Nevertheless, it is important to preparing your child psychologically to accept your absence and to be self-dependent. Parents must also spend quality time with children whenever possible as making your child believe this is the way life will make things easier for both the parents.