Besides deciding what kind of child care and preschool teaching philosophy will best serve their young child, many parents also face the choice of whether to choose a part-time daycare or preschool or to pursue a full-time program. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and either one can work very well. Nevertheless, if one or both parents have the necessary flexibility, it's natural to wonder whether a part-time daycare is the best fit for your family.
One of the most cited benefits of part-time daycares is that they can provide parents with the best of both worlds, affording socialization and pre-academic activities without sacrificing too much parent-child bonding time (it's important to note that many studies have shown that
full-time daycares and preschools don't prevent bonding, as long as parents spend quality time with their child at home). If a parent is at home full-time, a part-time preschool can also be used to run errands, do household chores, and pursue other projects that would be difficult to do with an infant or toddler.
Depending on the particular daycare center or in-home daycare, part-time scheduling can be flexible, including options like alternating days, consecutive days, partial days,
weekend daycare, or
drop-in daycare. A possible drawback of choosing a part-time child care program is that it can disrupt routine, which is often upsetting to younger children. Very young toddlers, who don't yet have highly developed memories, might also forget about their daycare after even one day away, making each visit feel like the first. This can be stressful for parents, child care providers, and children alike.
To avoid this, some experts suggest a schedule of two or three consecutive days at the part-time daycare rather than an every other day approach. Another option is to attend part-time preschool every day for only a few hours at a time. Another possible drawback to part-time child care is that it provides less exposure to early education and activities such as socializing, practicing concepts like sharing, collaborating with others, pre-academic activities, etc. This is not to say that children who attend a part-time daycare or preschool are automatically disadvantaged, but they may require additional diligence and extra simulation from parents wanting them to achieve particular skill development milestones.
Part-time child care programs are offered by child care facilities of all shapes and sizes, including
home daycares, larger
child care centers, as well as
preschools. However, if you're looking for a very flexible schedule, you'll typically have better luck with daycares than preschools. One important factor to note is that it is not uncommon for some daycare centers to experience a lot of staff turnover, which can be disruptive to young children who generally thrive on consistency. Parents sending their child to a part-time daycare should make sure to inquire about the tenure of the teachers to determine whether this will be an issue.