A nurse that does developmental checks on 2 and 3 years olds told me the exact same thing.
Does anyone have any solid links to research into the pros/cons of creches? I assume these might originate from the US/UK? Thanks
Countless research publications show that children with positive experiences in crèches and pre-schools settle more quickly and more confidently into school, make friends with greater ease, get to grips with literacy and numeracy faster, and are much more confident.
, so getting a child into a good creche that they enjoy seems to be the key.positive experiences
Note the key phrase in the paragraph, , so getting a child into a good creche that they enjoy seems to be the key.
That's the thing...As the industry is largely un-regulated it makes the search for the best creche more difficult.
That link was very sad btw.
I do know one family who dont send the children to creche (mother stay at home) but they do send the children to various play groups and activities so that their children will not be behind creche goers in terms of social skills etc when they start school.
How can you make a post like that and say it's not a 'dig' at parents who put their kids in a creche? My nephew went to a creche and was very well looked after. I never heard of him being 'stuck in a corner' or sitting in a dirty nappy for an hour, or the carers taking their bad days out on him. Also, he was very good at sharing his toys because this is one of the things you have to learn and get used to in a creche. It also made him less, not more, clingy as he was accustomed to other adults picking him up, changing his nappy, feeding him etc. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to stay at home when they have a baby, and I can't think they found your post very comforting.
Various longitudinal studies confirm the common sense intuition that young children fare better at home with their mother, or father. This BBC report refers to one such study.Does anyone have any solid links to research into the pros/cons of creches? I assume these might originate from the US/UK? Thanks
That's the thing...As the industry is largely un-regulated it makes the search for the best creche more difficult.
Creches ARE regulated by the HSE see for further details. Further guidelines are available [broken link removed].
QUOTE]
Thanks for the link. Anyone know if the workers in a creche are subject to history checks such as sex offenders register etc? Also, do workers in a creche need to sit any exams, undergo training before they mind children or can anyone apply for a job?
Creches ARE regulated by the HSE
I've no idea why some people feel the need to bring their children to every chore they attend to, but they do.
To answer your questions - I'm in no doubt as to who does those things:
I check homework each evening, and we correct where necessary, therefore I help with it.
Snacks I believe do not require to made by anyone in particular? Hot dinner at home each evening, made by me.
I bring and collect from after school activities - did you know that they are not ALL on between 3 and 6?
I'm the child of a stay at home mother who resented her role, and I know that I'd prefer my child to have a happy parent, and this works for us. We're incredibly close. We make the very most of the time we are at home together, whether it's watching tv, or baking or whatever.
I apologise, my original post wasn't meant to be an attack on anyone's preference; I just prefer my time with my son to be 'quality' time, not boring him senseless having coffee with friends or around the supermarket etc. Each to their own.
This "quality " time baffles me.It seems to say that those of us at home dont have "quality " time with our children.
I live in an area where there are many many parents,some stay at home with the children and a lot more bring them to creches.
Let me give you an example of what I see:
Those who stay at home;Most if not all of these children would go to playschool or montessori,therefore they get to spend time with other kids,learn to interact,share and gives them and the parent time apart.
Usually the parent would use this time to tidy the house,clean,prepare,iron,go to the hairdressers,gym,meet friends for coffee etc.
When the child is collected ,I often see the parent bringing them to the park.And then its the usual round of collecting other the other children from school,after school activitys,dinner,homework etc.
For those who work outside the home:
Most if not all of these children are dropped off at creche,at 7 to 7.30.
Tiny babies in the cold dark winter mornings,wrapped up in their car seats ready to spend a day at the creche.A lot of them crying/upset.
The parent whom has obviously had to get up earlier to get the baby ready and feed it ,give baby a bottle ,dress baby and get their own stuff in order,then jumps in their car to face a battle of traffic and a full on full day at work.
They then battle the traffic home,trying to get back to the creche on time to collect the baby,,whom has been there for over ten hours.
They then have to get home,cook clean,iron,perhaps do homework with siblings,afterschool activitys,same as a stay at home parent.
Baby has to get to bed at 7.30/8.00 so that gives the parent and child ,max 2 hours,during which time naturally the parents may have other siblings to attend to and do all I have written.WHERE IS THE QUALITY TIME??.
I know of parents who are working full time ,and if they have a day off,a half day etc they will still leave the child into the creche and collect them at 3 minutes to six!
Because the parents are so busy during the week,most weekends are spent playing catch up,hairdressers,paying bills ,shopping,coffee with friends etc.
I think that parents who work fulll time,have children,run a home etc have it very hard.
Obviously stay at home parents can have it hard too,but they dont have the extra pressure of someone who works full time as well,fair play to those of you that do both.I salute you.
However,I would not remain sane,with all the pressure ,nor would I like to spend so little time with the children whom I chose to have,nor would I want them to have such a rushed ,stressed parent who doesnt see them for ten hours a day.
Each to their own....
I'm not really sure I understand the repeated reference to it being a 'luxury' for mums to be able to stay at home or that not all parents can 'afford' to have one parent stay at home as a carer and forsake a salary as a result.
What ,can you tell me ,do you not understand about it?
I would imagine that their are some people whom would prefer not to work outside the home,but maybe have to as the other partners income isnt sufficient to facilate this,or could it be a lifestyle choice that the couple make?
I would also imagine that there are people whom choose to work full time, as this is what they want to do,regardless of children.
In other words those who are in a position to be able to stay at home ,are in such a position that it gives them the choice/luxury.
There are also some who make zero amount having paid the creche but they prefer to go to work rather than looking after children,or dont want to break their career path etc.With the cost of creches/childcare, particularly in Dublin, is it not pretty much the case in many instances that it would make more sense (at least financially) for one parent to stay at home, particularly if there are two or more youngsters? My sister pays €2,000 a month in creche fees to a very ordinary (but well run) creche in Dublin city centre. That is a not inconsiderable amount of anyone's net monthly income. She is a self-employed professional and her husband is a PAYE worker, and this arrangement with the creche works for them for the time being, but I would imagine that there are many couples who, when creche fees are taken into account, find that it makes more financial sense for one of them NOT to continue to work and to stay at home instead, rather than fork out huge creche fees.
I certaintly know of people who lose money due to creche fees but as the mum isnt really into kids and was back in work before her leave was up,had the baby in the creche the day it was old enough,and four and a half years later the child still goes to the same creche monday to friday 7.15 to 5.40,even if she has the day off.
so some people do want to tick the box so to speak,ie;have a career,new house ,new car,baby,extend the house ,have a couple of holidays etc.
I for one didnt say they abanded their children.However leaving a child in a creche for over 50 hours a week is an interesting way to bring up a child.As for the comments on this thread about working mothers effectively abandoning their kids to be reared by someone elseI hear these
Funnily enough ,I have heard full time working parents say THEY feel like they are abandoning their children,comments regularly from stay at home mums,
the majority of whom never had any particular interest or ambition in forging their own careers
Without exception ,I know of no stay at home mothers who dont have an interest outside the home,whatever that may be,and most of them are professionals whom intend to return to work at some stage.They have had an interest in forging their own careers however they obvioulsly feel that having had a child their interest and ambitions change.
.These very same women are the first to boast about how their own children (including their daughters) are going to be doctors, vets, lawyers etc. You can only laugh really.
The logical conclusion is having to laugh when you see a full time working mother with a young child,who is pusing a little buggy up the road?
Children at school 9 to 3, doing homework/ having snacks/ playing 3 to 6; at home or at sport training for the next 15 hours. I would hardly describe them as being being "reared" by somebody else when it's really less than 3 hours a day.
I would much prefer a child to be in after-school care than being dragged to shops, supermarkets and appointments (hairdresser, queuing for car tax, yadda yadda).