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April 10, 2002
 | | | | | | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
Stay-at-home mom vs. work-outside-the-home mom. Which is more positive for a child and why? What are the long-term effects?
Dear Conflicted Mother,
I'll give a short answer to this question, because this is a big topic that we will deal with in greater depth on the site. Here are some common-sense ideas in keeping with the research in this area that I hope will be of some help to you:
Carefully evaluate your own situation. There is no one answer that is right for all children, parents, and families. Many children do well with...
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| FEATURED TOPICS | | | | | | | |
Child-Care Needs at Different Ages
Since continuity is important for an infant, planning ahead can help you ensure that your child will be cared for by at least some of the same people for years to come.
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Finding a Babysitter
Leaving your infant with a babysitter takes a leap of faith. Find out what you can do to make the situation easier on you, your child, and the sitter...
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Choosing a Child-Care Site
Nothing takes the place of a personal visit when it comes to choosing a daycare facility. Visiting a number of sites can help you pinpoint exactly what you're looking for and tell you a lot about the philosophy and practices of the providers. Learn more here...
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| |  If you are planning on working outside the home when your child is young, you're not alone. Although nonparental child care was once a rarity, it's now the norm. Since 1990, more than half of infants under one year of age spend at least some of their week in the care of someone other than their parents. Even so, it's understandable that you might worry about the effects of this arrangement, no matter how wonderful your daycare provider might be. We hope that our articles will give you a better idea of the issues involved and help you make the best child-care choice for your family.
| PARENTS ARE TALKING | |  | AUTHOR: lucy3
SUBJECT: day-care guilt
DATE: March 01, 2002 |
I'm going back to work in 4 weeks--and have to put my 10 month old son into some kind of day care---I'm feeling so guilty!!! Does any one have any words of wisdom to help ease my mind???
| | | THIS WEEK'S TIP | |
The essential characteristic of good quality care is that the infant develops an emotional attachment to one, or a very few, kind, responsive adults. Especially for infants, the security that comes with knowing your caregiver well--and being known by her, in turn--is critically important. Babies and young children who have this sort of long-term relationship with a caregiver are much more likely to feel emotionally secure. |
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We would love to hear from you. Please send comments to info@drspock.com
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