The earliest years are some of the most important for the development of a child. This is where the foundation is set for the years to come.
The surroundings of a child in their first years are very crucial in their social and cognitive development. With all this in mind, it is necessary to be thorough and painstaking in your research into a day care facility that is being considered for your child’s care. In this case, there are two possible facilities for placing eight month old Tyree. Child Care A, which has a clean, safe, environment rich in things to learn and areas to play.There are many teachers, allowing for a great amount of interaction for the child, even during changing times. Overall, it seems like this is a great choice for the little girl, and that she would benefit from her surroundings while being safe and properly cared for.
Second, is Child Care B, which has all of the safety and cleanliness of A, but has less to offer as far as toys and space. Child Care B also has fewer teachers available, which will impact the direct interaction the child receives, such as being held. When weighing the two facilities, there is another factor to consider, cost.Being that Child Care A’s services are a bit superior; it is more expensive than the latter option. Tyree’s parents, John and Sue, could afford the higher cost of A, but are concerned with saving money. John also wondered if the setting mattered so much given Tyree would sleep during a great deal of her time there.
As mentioned earlier, the infancy period is vital to the future of the child, and because of this great importance, I feel that Child Care A is the best and most beneficial choice for Tyree. In such an important developmental stage, cost should not be at the top of the list of criteria for choosing a daycare.There are several reasons why Child Care A stands out as the best choice. One of the most important is the added opportunity for learning. Learning theory is one of the theories of development for a child. Children respond well to operant conditioning, as their behaviors are reinforced by a positive reaction.
An example of this principle of learning is demonstrated by the case of two babies, and two care givers, one care giver greets the baby with a ‘Hello’ and by rocking his cradle. The second care giver just simply walks past.The baby who received the positive response is more likely to respond with a smile the next time the care giver walks past. This is because the behavior is followed by a positive response. (2008, Bukatko) Infants crave attention and approval as they develop socially. This is a good reason that Child Care A will be a better choice, as it has more teachers and more opportunity for interaction.
Further, babies learn from their surroundings, as well. Called the social learning theory, it “emphasizes learning through observation and imitation of the behaviors displayed by others. (Bukatko, 2008, p 19)This idea offers more support for Child Care A, because there are an abundance of colorful objects and appropriate toys with which the children can play. By seeing others play and learn with these objects Tyree will follow suit. Infants need to interact with others to learn, and daycare is a good opportunity to do so. Studies have shown that children who attended daycare showed higher cognitive ability, and advanced vocabulary skills, as well as am increased ability to form relationships and interact socially, given the daycare environment fit the child’s needs.
This information further supports Child Care A, as it seems to have more learning, social, and physical options, which are all important to a developing child. In closing, it is recommended that Tyree’s parents use Child Care A for their daycare needs when placing Tyree. Although the financial cost will be a bit higher, it will be a much better choice for the child cognitively, socially, emotionally, as well as physically, as has all been outlined here. There is no price to be put on giving a child the opportunity to learn and grow.
