| Advantages | | | | that centers cannot. In home daycare, they are |
| From the standard set by National Association for | | | | more flexible with the pickup time and even |
| the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), home | | | | drop-off times while the center charges you for |
| daycare providers should maintain a minimal | | | | every minute you are late. Centers acknowledge |
| number of child under their supervision. It could be | | | | more holidays than home daycares. So if you are |
| two babies not more than 30 months, five kids | | | | under home care, you will spend for a back up |
| below five years old, and two school-aged kids. | | | | nanny during holidays. |
| They cannot add more children unless they hire | | | | Finally, most of the providers are mothers, so |
| assistant. This is because smaller groups will give | | | | you will be comfortable to leave your child |
| your child the one-on-one interaction he needs. | | | | because you are assured that he is in good hands. |
| There is an opportunity to learn and play with | | | | The provider is already familiar with basics of |
| other kids in home daycares. In centers, kids are | | | | childbearing and she has enough dose of |
| grouped by age while in home daycares they | | | | mothering instinct. You may have different ways |
| usually have mixed-age groups. This scenario is | | | | of childbearing, but you will find out that you share |
| mirrors closely a family and will help the child to be | | | | some care philosophies. |
| comfortable with older kids. Cindy Goral, a user of | | | | Disadvantages |
| BabyCenter from Palo Alto, California said the she | | | | In home day care, the provider has no formal |
| is happy to see his only son play with other | | | | background in childcare or even training on early |
| children and he is enjoying the social interaction. | | | | education. Though some states require home |
| Daycare centers are sometimes institutional unlike | | | | providers to have certain number of hours for |
| in home daycare. In the latter, children usually feel | | | | basic health, safety, and care courses but still |
| at home because of the home setting. Your child | | | | there is no better substitute for college training. |
| will even feel good if the provider is within the | | | | The requirements of licensing in home daycares |
| neighbourhood. According to Phyllis Hodson-Hutsell, | | | | are less stringent and most states do not require |
| another user of BabyCenter coming from | | | | licensing. Therefore if you are going into an area |
| Rossville, Indiana, she likes the homey | | | | that do not require licensing, you will just rely on |
| environment of a home daycare. Her child gets a | | | | your own judgment whether the daycare is good |
| lot of attention she needs. She also likes the idea | | | | for your baby |
| that her caregiver is within the same town where | | | | Another disadvantage is that the caregiver has no |
| they live. Her daughter will also have the | | | | substitute staff in case she gets sick or takes a |
| opportunity to get to know the kids in the | | | | leave. So if you do not have anybody around you |
| neighbourhood. | | | | can turn to, you may end up using all your own |
| Home daycares are sometimes the least | | | | sick and vacation leaves because you need to |
| expensive option. It can also offer some things | | | | stay at home attending to your child. |