thechildcarecrib

The cut off age for most daycares is 12.  In Kentucky, the cut off age for childcare subsidy payments is also 12.  But what if you feel that your 12-year-old is not mature enough to stay by himself? 

I am a parent and my oldest daughter is 14.  When she was 12, I was reluctant to leave her at home by herself or to leave her with my younger children.  It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her; I was afraid that something would come up that she couldn’t handle, such as someone trying to break in.  (We live in a rural area, so this is an unlikely scenario.)  Even now, I don’t like to leave her here alone after dark. 

So what do other parents do that have children that are too old for daycare?  If you feel that your child is not mature enough to stay alone, maybe there are activities offered after school.  Or if that is not an option, maybe your child can go home with a friend or relative until you can pick him/her up. 

On the flip side of the coin, a lot of children decide that they are too old for daycare (or before/after school care) when they are 10 or 11.  I know my daughter did.  She made no secret of her feelings, either.  The daycare she attended had all school age children in the same class, so I think this was part of the problem.  The classroom was set up with toys that were appropriate for younger children.  She felt like she was attending daycare with babies.

If your older child rebels about attending daycare before or after school, ask him/her why.  Are the activities provided not age appropriate?  Are all school age children in one classroom?  Does anything ever change in the classroom, such as computer games?  If your child answers ”yes” to any of these questions, you might talk to the director of the daycare about your concerns.  You might offer suggestions about activities your child enjoys or you might offer to donate toys that your child no longer uses. 

Daycare and before and after school care is a necessity for some parents.  If you can work with the daycare about providing appropriate activities, your child may be happier attending.