When you are a stay-at-home mom, momming is your job. You are working from eyes open to eyes shut, and often also in between. It really is a round-the-clock occupation, for which you make no income, take no breaks, and have no downtime. Even weekends aren’t time-off, because you are never not parenting. (It really sounds tiring just thinking about it!) We mamas deserve and need a day off, and you can actually get that if you put your children in childcare! I’m a huge advocate of enrolling your children in part-time childcare if it is financially possible for your family.
Now, you don’t need to put them in a program where they are out of the house five full-days a week — although if you need that for your own sanity, I wouldn’t begrudge you! If you are able to have at least two mornings a week where your child goes to childcare or preschool for a few hours, it will do wonders for you!
5 Reasons Why You Should Put Your Children in Childcare
1) You can run errands solo (*listen as the heavens open*)
After you have lived the #momlife of running errands with children, being able to cavort around town by yourself feels like a tropical vacation. Take your time, maybe actually try on a new shirt before you buy it, dawdle, do whatever the heck you want! Shop for what you want at the pace you set for yourself. It’s sublime.
2) You can actually, really and truly, clean the house
Have you ever tried to clean with little people around? “Clean” exists for exactly, oh, 1.34786 seconds before our kiddos pitter-patter their dirty paws over everything that was just gleaming. We all know that sweeping with a toddler around is practically impossible (why do they love to see/feel what’s in the bits you’ve collected?!). Get a chance to actually clean, and then revel in the gloriousness.
3) You can get adult time, such as a coffee date with fellow SAHM
Playdates are a great way to get your kiddos and yourself some social time, but let’s be real, the social time for you means half-completed sentences and knowing looks at your mom friend as you each chase your wild animals around the cafe patio. With your cherubs in school or daycare, you can *dare I say it* actually talk, in full complete sentences, with your “commadre” (yes I think I just made that term up). You can chat freely about the topics that you usually use code for because your children are present. You can drink your yummy lattes in open mugs for goodness sake without fear of a child knocking them over or using it as a swimming pool for their Hatchanimal!
4) You can allow yourself to rest and recuperate
Being a full-time SAHM is hard. Really freaking hard. It is relentless and exhausting, even if you have a pretty chill kid. We mamas need breaks, and we deserve to take them. Getting the opportunity to veg is so important. You matter. Your rest matters. You need a chance to recharge your batteries. You will be a better mama for it.
5) You will miss your children!
If you are around your children every second of every day, you don’t get a chance to miss them, and you know what they say: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” With your children in part-time childcare, you will miss them in the best way — in the sort of way where you appreciate the solo time while you also can’t wait to see them and spend time with them when you pick them up.
Putting your children in childcare gives you, mama, the opportunity to accomplish tasks that are a hundred times harder with kiddos around. It allows you to practice self-care and to refill your mama cup — and we all know you could use a more full cup to pour from.
PLUS, the points above don’t even begin to go into how wonderful it is for your children when they go to childcare!
Your children will learn how to be a person without your constant presence. They will discover how to engage with other authority figures, and how to coexist with other small humans. They will become equipped with invaluable social skills such as taking turns, using kind words to express themselves, lining up, listening, doing what is requested of them, and following directions.
And, sure, you can teach them some of those things at home, but there is huge value in their growing ability to participate in a group setting outside of the home and under someone else’s direction.
Stay tuned for a post on how to pick the right childcare for you and your family!
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Great reasons! I have never been a SAHM but I see the value!
All Mom’s need a break! parenting is a full-time job and never having a moment to yourself can spell disaster. Great info, thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
As a fo ed I so agree with you. They are able to gain sOcial skills and don’t have the separation anxiety when entering kindergarten.
Yes, so much yes. All mom’s need a break. spending 24/7 with anyone is exhausting, especially when you are a primary caregiver in that role.
These are all great reasons for putting your kids in preschool or childcare. I know even having childcare at a moms event really helps me feel rejuvenated.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Great tips to remeber.
All great reasons – I had days off during the week and they at least went one of those days!
These are all great points. My daughter works at a daycare center and her son attends there too. i thought it was the perfect situation that she could bring him to work with her and have him in her class all day. Then he graduated out of her classroom and i saw that it was so good for both of them to have a little break from one another. She can still peak in on him and say hello during lunch, but she gets to have some space while he learns to take instruction from others. it’s a win win!
I think the socialization for them is good as well
Never thought of this before. Very insightful post. Thanks!
I agree with thIs 100%! People need breaks, and kids need space to experience the world without their parents from time to time!
This is great advice. kids grow a lot when they are with other kids and when they are not with their parents
Makes it so much easier on their KINDERGARTEN teachers too, i bet!
I just did a thesis surrounding this topic. preschool/quality childcare is so beneficial for children – even longterm to adulthood.
I am right there with you and believe there are awesome benefits to enrolling your children into a good daycare or early learning center!
ThEse are great! I am a teacher so i usualky am at work, but every now and then i take my kids to daycare even when i am off so i can take care of my home.
It’s also handy if you have a sick child to give the one that is not a break and you can focus on the sick child.
I totally agree with this! I asked my husband to give me a saturday alone, in the apartment, so I could CLEAN!! He took the baby to his parents, and that day of cleaning was amazing. Plus, now I feel accomplished and proud of my clean house!
I agree with you! My children are grown but I can definately see the benefits to part time child care for everytone involved!
I totally agree with your points….kids love the interaction with other little people and they miss you as well.
I agree with this 100% especially with having your “Me” time as well as their time to socialize with others.
I’m going to be honest, when I first read the title, I was ready to disagree with you! But, after reading all your points, I completely do agree with yoU! Running errands solo is the best part of having my littlest in childcare! I can get so much more accomplished alone!
Good points. Moms do need some time alone to get things done, to be abel to think and have a moment to themselves and maybe even some adult conversation.
I agree, the benefits to the child for attending far exceed anything else. Nice list for those parents on the fence about whether or not to enroll their children!
Childcare is very helpful. My mom helps me Alot with my kids so i am very lUcky for that
It can be so important for kids to socialize. I know my kid enjoys his two days a week school