Should Infants Be Placed in Day Care - Essay Example

The placement of infants in daycare has been a controversial issue and many studies have been carried out to explain the effects of this placement on the children. Proponents of placing children in daycare argue that daycare is not associated with any disadvantages and does not lead to any negative effects on the children. They explain that it is beneficial both for the parents and the children. Opponents on the other hand argue that the placement on infants in daycare is harmful for the child in the long run and it can result in negative effects on these young minds (Barker 2002; Feldman 2009).

Daycare centers have become an essential requirement for parents in today’s fast paced world and it is justified to place infants in these centers as it proves to be beneficial for these young infants as well. The number of children being placed in daycare has risen. It has been put forward that up to 66 percent of children from the age of four months up to the age of three years spend a certain amount of time being cared by someone apart from their parents. There are many causes for this increase in the enrollment of children in daycare centers.

These include financial reasons, professional causes or a need to give proper time to other family members. This rise has led to many questions and one such question which may be a cause of worry for parents is whether these children lose the emotional attachment with their parents in comparison to the children who are only brought up by their parents. Research and studies have provided answers to these questions and it has been clearly put forward that the love and affection between the children placed in daycare centers towards their parents is not affected and they enjoy as strong a bond with their parents as do those children who are only under the care of their parents.

Furthermore, there are other benefits for the parents as well as the children. It is clear that the income of the household increases in cases when the children are placed in daycare as the parents can dedicate a good amount of time to their jobs. At the same time, daycare is helpful for young infants belonging to poor or disturbed families as they are provided attention and care and at the same time they have the opportunity to learn and interact with other children (Feldman 2009). The benefits of proper and good daycare have been supported and evidenced by strong researches.

A research that was carried by a team from the “University of North Carolina” explained the fact that advantages of proper daycare services were evident even after 30 years and this was evidenced with the assistance of data of individuals who were placed in daycare in the decade following 1970. These people had a four time higher chance of attaining better qualifications and completing their college studies. At the same time, their employment ratio was also high and they were less likely to be a burden on the state.

Thus, the children placed in daycare are not only successful but they are also economically beneficial for the state (Rochman 2012). The advantages of daycare have been explained by other development analysts as well. They explain that children develop a better educational stand during their initial years of school if they have been placed in daycare. They excel in reading as well as mathematics. Their memorizing ability is also expanded (Rabin 2008). “The Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development”