Do I Need Daycare if I Work from Home?
Working from home has many benefits for parents and non-parents alike. Remote work eliminates your commute, gives you the ability to work and live where you want, and has even been shown to increase productivity.
Many employees like working from home because they think it can also lessen or eliminate the need for childcare. If you are home, why would you need to pay someone to take care of your child? You can save money and care for them yourself!
But can parents effectively work from home and care for a child at the same time? Well, that can be a tricky question. Early childhood educators (and most likely your boss, too) highly recommend sending your children to daycare if you work from home for a variety of reasons.
Can I take care of my kids while working from home?
While technically it can be done, it is often extremely difficult to care for children while working from home. Although it may seem silly to pay someone else to take care of your child while you are present in the home, that doesn’t mean you’re able to be fully present for your child.
Here are 8 reasons you may want to look for daycare instead of trying to juggle parenting duties while working remotely.
Why You Need Daycare as a Work-at-Home Parent
1. Children require your full attention.
There’s a reason we staff our schools to comply with the appropriate teacher-child ratios. Children need your full undivided attention in order to learn and grow.
2. Work also requires your full attention.
If you are focusing all your attention on your children while you are working from home, let’s face it: you are not working from home. Caring for children distracts you from your work responsibilities, potentially decreasing work performance.
3. Early education is crucial for a child’s development.
Research shows that 90% of a child’s brain will develop before the age of 5, proving that early education is crucial for a child’s development. You can’t provide your children with proper early education and teach school-readiness skills if you’re busy working. Daycare centers are not simply for “babysitting” your child. They are designed to support children’s development and give kids the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
4. Children need social interaction for proper social-emotional development.
Childcare centers give children the opportunity to learn and interact with other kids their age, which is great for their social-emotional development. While it may be difficult to imagine leaving your child for the whole day, they will most likely be happier at daycare where they can play with other children, make friends, and develop key social skills.
5. Having a work-life balance is important.
It can be difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance if you are intermingling your career and parenthood. By having an office space that is separate from where you care for your child, you will be less likely to work when you are enjoying family time and vice versa.
6. Who watches your child during work meetings?
While it may be easier to attend to your child as you work on small projects throughout the day, you won’t be able to attend to your child when you’re in a meeting. Especially if your work requires frequent online meetings and Zoom calls, you should strongly consider childcare.
7. Emergencies happen!
Days can be unpredictable, and while you may think you have everything planned out, emergencies happen. Whether it be cries, injuries, or sibling rivalries, when crisis calls, you need to be ready to drop what you’re doing and attend to the problem. That is much easier to do when you are not already multitasking.
8. Some employers require childcare.
Lastly, some employers require their remote employees to have childcare. If your work doesn’t allow you to work from home with children, it’s best to look for different daycare options as soon as possible.
New Horizon Academy is a nationally recognized early learning provider with over 90 schools in Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, and Kansas. Through play-based curriculum and high-quality daycare, New Horizon Academy schools nurture and prepare children to succeed in school and life.
Schedule a tour to learn more about our highly trained teachers, safe and secure facilities, and commitment to providing the highest quality care. Contact a New Horizon Academy childcare center near you today.
