Child Care Vs Preschool

prek vs child careIn today’s age, many parents prefer to pursue their careers or work to manage the household finances well. Thus, when they have children, they require day care or child care. In ideal cases, parents are expected to spend maximum and quality time with their children. But then to give a luxurious life to these young ones, provide them with the best education, it is essential for both parents to work. Parents often have to drop their kids at child care for some time or even the entire day.

Parents who rely on child cares, for their child’s safety and development, it might be extremely costly for them. Moreover, parents can also be stressed about not being able to spend sufficient time with their children. So, a solution for all these tensions and problem is a preschool or a montessori school. The cost of keeping kids at a preschool are relatively lower than that of child cares. Additionally, the benefits available at a montessori are much more.

Child cares are built for taking care of young children and enhancing their different skills like language, motor skills, solving issues and teaching them how to communicate with others etc. Child cares usually take care of kids below 7 years of age while some of the nurseries include provisions of infant care from 2 months to 18 months. These centers are generally open on weekdays for 12 hours and on Saturdays they are open for 6 hours. They prefer to remain closed on Sundays. Some local child care centers also have various programs like half day care, full day care, student care program etc.

A preschool is built around a definite academic curriculum. They do not stay open for long hours during a day but they include extensive academic program. They work in two sessions, the morning one and an afternoon one. It is for parents to decide in which session they want their children to be in. Generally kids in between the age of 4 to 6 years can attend preschool. The preschoolers have to follow a daily routine that would include enhancing their language, practicing maths, social science etc, solving problems, social interactions etc. Montessori schools aim at helping the students in early learning, encouraging them to become self-dependent, mentoring others. The programs are very organized and well structured. The teachers are highly trained especially to take care of the preschoolers. Most importantly, the curriculum they follow is appropriate according to the age.