Are you considering the possibility of enrolling your child in daycare? Calgary parents like you often find themselves wondering about the possible ramifications of placing their little ones in a child care program. You want your children to thrive, to be well cared for, and to have both their physical and emotional needs met. A high-quality daycare like A Child’s View Learning Centre provides all of this and more. But perhaps the most significant role programs like ours provide is in how they impact your child’s social development.
Defining Social Development
Some several skills and abilities have an impact on how children develop socially. Since many of these are intertwined with your child’s emotional development, many psychologists talk about social and emotional development concurrently. Some of the most essential skills involved with social-emotional development include:
Naming and understanding one’s own emotions
Recognizing and understanding the feelings of others
Constructively expressing one’s own strong emotions
Empathizing with others
Establishing and sustaining relationships
Regulating one’s behaviour
The Role of Child Care in Your Child’s Social-Emotional Development
While the research indicates that parental relationships still hold more weight than other factors in a child’s development, a quality daycare or preschool such as A Child’s View Learning Centre here in Calgary can impart many valuable experiences that allow the child to meet his or her potential. But not all daycares are created equal. Parents need to find high-calibre programs that meet the following criteria:
High adult-to-child ratios
Small class sizes
High retention rates of educators and other staff
A curriculum that takes into account the physical, cognitive and emotional needs of children
Highly trained educators
When all of these factors are present, the result is a supportive environment that allows young children to safely explore while developing in every capacity. Under these circumstances, your child stands to benefit from social experiences with their teachers and peers. Through play, they learn how to work cooperatively and solve problems. Furthermore, they gain sufficient individual time and attention from responsive educators to feel secure and loved. Consequently, they develop the social and emotional competence they require to excel in life. Additional Benefits The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reports that children who attend high-calibre child care programs have fewer behavioural problems, closer relationships with their mothers and are better prepared for school. They further report that there is little to no observable difference in children who stayed at home with their mothers and those who attended daycare. Schedule a Tour The best way to discover if daycare is a good fit for your child is to schedule a tour. You’ll learn how the centre operates and if the children seem comfortable and confident in the environment. Calgary parents looking for a quality daycare are encouraged to contact us to schedule a tour and get their questions answered. We look forward to showing you around the caring environment we offer.
