When we have a child, we want so many things… And one of them is to spend as much time as possible with him.
But for various reasons,it is not always possible to reconcile work life, and many families find themselves needing to look for a nursery school for their child.
In other cases, we find families who can have the baby at home, but who wonder if it is positive for the baby's development to spend time with other children.
Before we continue, a quick note: we're talking about preschool and not daycare because this term doesn't reflect the reality of teachers in the classroom: we don't "look after" the baby as if it were a passive agent, but we work to care for and support its development in this very important stage from 0 to 3 years old.
What are the benefits of sending my child to a nursery school?
The Spanish Association of Pediatrics recommends not enrolling children in school until they are two years old. At a young age, babies are not ready to socialize. Rather, they need a role model to establish a strong emotional foundation.
Between 18 and 24 months, the child begins to open up to relationships with other people who are not that reference figure; he is prepared for a coexistence that, although primary (we could not exactly call it socialization), allows him to begin to establish small relationships with other equals and to understand the concept of being part of a community (this aspect is very present in Waldorf pedagogy, for example).
Esto, unido al estímulo cognitivo y del desarrollo psicomotor que ofrecemos en las escuelas infantiles, suponen un beneficio para el niño, en un entorno seguro que le permite ganar en autonomía a su propio ritmo.
Also, by being mixed by age, the older ones become standard-bearers of the initiatives and the younger ones have the older one as a reference to imitate.
And, as they grow up, it's their turn to take the initiative. This "small" responsibility gives them the ability to manage and resolve situations.
Attending preschool also promotes the development of language, the way of expressing oneself and understanding, and symbolic play.
Another aspect of schooling is related to health: from 18 months onwards, in general, most children overcome their own infections without problems, so their immune system is better prepared to deal with infections.
What do I do if I have to enroll my child in school before they are 18 months old?
The most important thing is that you don't feel guilty or think that your baby won't be well cared for.
If you have chosen a nursery school after weighing the variables you consider fundamental, you should try to trust the teachers who will be with your little one; they surely have the appropriate training to offer you the best support.
Those of us who have been in early childhood education for many years recommend that you always look at several options and, as far as possible, do not choose the center only because of its proximity: sometimes it is the most convenient option for us, but not for our children.
It's also a good idea to ask about their teaching model or working method, who their teachers are, and what kind of routines and activities they have. Routines reduce the uncertainty of the unknown and provide security and peace of mind.
Que tengan periodo de adaptación y puedas acompañar al bebé en esos primeros días es otro aspecto a tener en cuenta, así como que realicen tutorías individuales, para que conozcas cómo evoluciona tu hijo.
The food is also interesting: ask if they have home cooking or if it's catering, and ask them to tell you what the menu is for that week, for example.
Given that young children have all the space to explore, see if the school has a garden or outdoor play areas where the child can challenge themselves to crawl further, jump higher, roll around like a croquette…
If you have any questions, ask them.
And finally, if they can stay for 6 hours instead of 8, all the better.