You may love spending your entire day with your adorable newborn, but as the end of your maternity leave approaches, you may be facing the dilemma of opting for daycare vs. stay-at-home care. Given our modern-day lifestyle, choosing between your career and taking care of your baby is not easy. You may wrongly equate prioritizing your career with neglecting your child and feel guilty about it. On the other hand, quitting your job to bond with your baby may cause your partner to feel burdened with the financial responsibilities of the family and compromise the quality of life you can offer your child. For starters, you should be fair to yourself and figure out what works best for you. The final decision, whether it is choosing to refocus on your career or be a stay-at-home mommy for your child, should be entirely yours. Despite all the advice you receive, your decision should not depend on others’ judgment as you may regret it in the long run. Read on as we discuss the pros and cons of both options to help you arrive at an informed decision along with your partner.
Day Care Vs Stay At Home–Common Concerns:
Weigh your decision on the basis of the following factors:
1. Financial Compulsions:
Your financial requirements and commitments play a huge role in deciding whether or not you want to go back to work. Consider the following:
Daycare: Once you leave your baby in a daycare, you will be able to resume work after your maternity leave is over. Your additional income will boost your family’s finances. An increase in the family income will help you provide better services and facilities for your baby. You can select the best daycare for your baby, one that is near your workplace too. You will also be able to guarantee your child a good education. Stay at home: You will become financially dependent on your spouse. Your family income will take a hit, and you may need to cut down on expenditures. Some moms start to feel like a burden since they are not contributing financially to the household. Some partners may also start to have resentment towards the woman for not contributing.
2. Desire To Witness Those Precious Moments:
A major concern that you may have about going back to work is that you will miss the joy of watching your baby cross those initial developmental milestones. Consider the following:
Daycare: When you choose a daycare, it will mean you will not be present with your baby most of the time. Your baby will achieve most of her developmental milestones in the first few years of life. You will probably miss watching her sit up, crawl, walk, and speak for the first time. Stay at home: If you choose to stay at home, you will probably be the first one to witness all your baby’s little achievements. You will be motivating your baby when she struggles to crawl towards you the first time and hold her when she takes her first few steps and falls.
3. Making Your Child Independent And Social:
Many people believe that a daycare helps a baby become independent and social. Consider the following:
Daycare: Your baby will learn how to stay away from you for long hours, without any anxiety. Your baby will also learn how to eat and sleep on her own. At the daycare, your baby will be in the company of other babies and kids. She will soon form her circle of friends and learn how to play and interact with people other than her parents.
Stay at home: As a stay at home mom, you will always be by your baby’s side. It can strengthen the bond you share with your baby, but your baby may not like the company of strangers and may feel uncomfortable in a social gathering. Also, it might curtail your freedom to go out without the baby. Being around a child at home 24/7 can be very stressful and overwhelming. You can feel disconnected from other “adults”, and lose a sense of identity outside of being a parent.
