I was a nursery worker for 8 years but I will never send my baby to one – here’s the pros and cons

A former kindergarten worker told why she would never send her child there.

Heather, who shares videos on TikTok under the name Mommy and Me, quit her job of eight years to become a stay-at-home mom to her baby Esme.

And a British mother has now revealed the reasons why she would never personally send her daughter to nursery.

“Through my experience, I think that’s why I have this opinion: I don’t want to send my child to daycare at an early age,” Heather said in a recent video.

She then shared a follow-up video outlining the pros and cons of sending your child to daycare when they’re still young, and said her biggest warning sign for daycare is the staff-to-infant ratio.

Heather, who shares videos on TikTok under the name Mummy and Me, quit her job of eight years to become a stay-at-home mom to her baby Esme.

Heather said: “I’m all for different childcare options for different reasons, but they both have their pros and cons. Whether you have to go to work or you can be at home, you are all amazing.”

But for Heather, the downsides of daycare outweigh the upsides.

When it comes to daycare, her biggest concern is that you don’t know the people who are looking after your children. She said although they will be qualified and DBS checked, you don’t know their character.

Next on the list of cons was that you don’t know how other children will behave or treat your child, and thirdly, she said that daycare opening hours can be difficult for some parents as they don’t open on weekends or late. at night.

Heather’s “biggest challenge” is late fees associated with nurseries and general expenses.

She said: “We had this happen when I worked in kindergarten. If people show up even a little late, you’ll be charged very, very quickly, every five minutes.

“And also if you come early and weren’t there for that early session, you’re charged again, so there are a lot of hidden fees if you’re late.

“For example, if you’re stuck in traffic and stuck for ages, that can cause prices to go up.”

She added: “Nursery prices are absolutely extortionate and that shouldn’t be the case.” People have to send their children to daycare centers and they need to become more accessible.”

Another big reason why Heather doesn’t want to send her daughter to kindergarten is that parents might miss important milestones.

She said it “breaks my heart” when parents miss watching their babies walk or crawl for the first time.

“Ratios are one of the most important issues for me,” Heather continued. “The ratios change for different ages. So, there are anywhere from one to three kids, and one person is looking after three babies, and if you have a child, we know it’s hard to just look after one.”

Finally, the last downside of daycare for Heather is that going to daycare makes it difficult for your child to maintain a routine.

“I’m such a normal mom,” she said. “For example, the thought of my little girl not sleeping at a certain time and causing everything to be disproportionate scares me too much.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Heather began by discussing the benefits of sending your child to daycare.

Heather shared a follow-up video outlining the pros and cons of sending your child to daycare when they’re young, and said her biggest warning sign for daycare is the staff-to-child ratio.

This includes the artwork they will paint and the keepsakes they will be sent home with, as well as the time parents will have to go to work or run errands.

She also said one of the great benefits of daycare is how much children learn from being around other children, the independence it gives them and the socialization.

“It helps them learn how to communicate and learn new words. Establishing these relationships and building connections with other children their age is obviously also very important for their overall development.”

Finally, Heather says another benefit of sending your kids to daycare is that it helps strengthen their immune system.

“They will catch it all when they first start kindergarten, but then it will peak and everything will become normal and their immune system will strengthen. It’s just amazing to watch.”