A sense of guilt sending my kid to infant care

While I understand where you are coming from, I absolutely disagree with your point of view. I have been blessed that finances are not an issue for my spouse or me, and yet we choose to send our kid to infant care and now to preschool. I hardly see it as an “orphanage”, but a chance for her to learn new skills, educate herself and make new friends. My daughter has been in infant care since 2 months and she now goes to full day preschool. When I have number 2, I intend to do the same. There have been countless of studies that prove the effectiveness and necessity of sending your kids to preschool and early childhood education. You are doing your child a huge favour and not a disservice. Some of the advantages of early childhood education include: Improved social skills: Children learn to engage better with other children and adults. The preschool environment allows children to acquire vital skills that allow them to listen to others and express their own ideas, make friends, share, cooperate, and become accountable for their actions. Better performance in grade school: Children who receive early education are known to have a reduced need for special education instruction in elementary school and beyond. Quality preschool programs help to build a strong foundation for the child’s physical, mental, emotional, and social development that prepare them for a lifetime. Improved attention spans: Children are inclined to be curious and interested in discovering new things. Quality early childhood programs maximize opportunities for the discovery of new experiences, new environments, and new friends, while maintaining a balance with the ability to listen, participate in group tasks, follow directions, and work independently, all of which develop the vital life skill of concentration. Enthusiasm for lifelong learning: Children who receive quality early childhood education are reportedly more confident and curious, which causes them to perform better in primary school. Children learn how to manage challenges and build resilience in times of difficulty; settle easily at school to reap the benefits of education faster; and acquire a long-term interest in learning different things, including playing music, dancing, singing, construction, cooking, etc. Moreover, studies have shown that early childhood education preschool programs increase the likelihood of children graduating from high school with fewer behavioural issues, attending college, and becoming responsible young adults.