Daycare vs. Mom
As much as I like my job and have worked hard to achieve my college degree and current position, I would love to be a stay-at-home mom. Somedays I feel the urge to pick Annabelle up within two hours of dropping her off at daycare. I cringe at the thought of someone else giving her loving hugs and kisses all day long and seeing her newest developments before me. I have thought about asking our daycare provider to not tell me what Annabelle accomplishes while in her care. I would rather live in denial and think that I was the first one that saw her roll over or take her first step than have someone excitedly tell me the big milestones I missed while I was typing away at my newsroom desk.
I believe now-a-days it is no longer a decision to be a full-time working mother — it’s a necessity. My husband and I do not live extravagant lives and hardly have extra money to see a movie once a month. I do understand that my husband and I are still young and don’t exactly have the work experience to back a great income, but it would have been nice to have the choice to stay home.
I didn’t get to weigh the pros and cons of daycare verses staying at home because I had no choice. Sometimes I feel like daycare was a great decision for my daughter. She seems to like the other children and I think it is great for her future social habits. But I also believe it is my job to raise my daughter and when she needs something it should be me that provides it.
Do you have any babies in daycare? Are you a stay-at-home mom? What are your opinions on the subject? Which do you think is better for the child and why?
