In reality outstanding childcare is not easily accessible or affordable for many. So how should a parent wrap their thoughts around the idea of not being thrilled about leaving their child with strangers in the first place?

When my oldest son was born, I was able to choose one of the nicest daycares in our area. It was close enough to my job to be a practical choice, and since my son’s father and I were considered “single” and I wasn’t married to my child’s father, I was able to get the financial assistance I needed to put him in there.

However when twins came along unexpectedly, not only was I married and could no longer receive any assistance, but there were now two children that needed a childcare provider rather than one. High quality or “five star” childcare just wasn’t an option if I still wanted to have a home to return to after the daycare pick up.

The daycare that we had to opt for isn’t terrible. However I can’t lie and say that some days I don’t feel less than thrilled that they go there. But sometimes it’s simply a matter of doing what you have to do and knowing that they are fine, happy and healthy- even if they aren’t learning yoga, different languages or computers.

I know for a fact that regardless of what daycare they go to they still have the same personalities and abilities. As long as the teachers are caring and have a happy face on at least every once in awhile then they will feel cared about.

As I always like to say, at the end of the day I suppose it’s less about what type of daycare my children go to, instead it’s more about the values I pass on.

In an ideal world, all daycares would be five star, but just in case that never happens or my children are grown by then I guess my mind will be put to rest with those thoughts.