It is completely understandable for first-time parents to be confused about the terminology of childcare and babysitting. However, the thing that is common in all parents is that they want the absolute best for their children when it comes to child care and education. Most new parents do not have the luxury of loved ones that can take care of their children. This is why many of them choose to hire babysitters or place their children in child care centers. Although these two options are very similar, there also several key differences between the two. Below are some of the differences between these two choices and will help parents to make informed decisions for their kids.
Consistency
Experienced parents will know that babysitting is a good option when they are too busy to take care of their kids. However, it is undeniable that it can be very difficult to find a babysitter to fit unpredictable schedules. Agreements with babysitters are usually ad-hoc and on a short-term basis. Conversely, if you were to send your child to a child care center, you can rest assured that you can enjoy a consistent service that can help you to look after your child on a daily or weekly basis. Once you have paid a fixed fee, you can send your kid to the child care center anytime according to the needs of your work schedule.
Certification of Professionals
You can have the peace of mind that the caretakers in the child care center are all approved and certified by the state or county. This means that they would have had thorough background checks being done to ensure that they are suitable for the job. On the other hand, it can be extremely hard or expensive to find a babysitter with such credentials who can suit your timetable at the same time.
First Aid and CPR Qualification
If you are still considering putting your child in the hands of a babysitter, you should think twice. This is because chances are that they do not have any first aid and CPR qualifications. If your child were to face a medical emergency in your home, you would definitely want the babysitter to be equipped to handle such situations. Child care professionals are almost always trained in this aspect because they have to be prepared at all times to deal with these scenarios.
Education in Teaching and Child Development
As mentioned above, child care professionals have to be certified in order to take good care of your children and help them with their education. They are all trained in the aspect of early child development and how to educate young children so that they can outshine their peers in school. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to hire a babysitter who is so well-versed in child education because most babysitters are not doing this as a full-time professional job. Additionally, sending your kid to a child care center would mean that you are placing him or her in a conducive environment where they can be nurtured and learn new things.