Orange County Parents Sing Praises of Day Care

Orange County parents with offspring in day care generally applaud their child-care centers, saying they have seen the benefits in their own families.

At Kindercare Learning Center in Santa Ana, Debbi Wagner hailed day care as the only viable option for busy mothers.

“Comparing with two neighbors I have who were stay-at-home moms,” she said, “my kids behave better. They do what I tell them to do.”

But day care’s not just for kids.

“I was unemployed for six months and went crazy!” Wagner said. “I love my kids, but I’m not a stay-at-home mom.”

Picking up her 4-year-old son, Atlas, Sheryl Mulkey happily listed Kindercare’s merits. Of course, she said, day care teaches children how to interact with others, and it boosts their linguistic skills. But above all, it tires them.

“When he comes home, he’s well played-out,” she sighed, gratefully. “He’s ready for bed.”

Other mothers strongly disagreed. “I think the priority should be staying at home,” said Brenda DeGaine, who was picking up her two children at the center. “They’re not with you enough, and then they grow up too fast.” Day care, she said, is only a compromise to financial constraints, nothing more.

Bridget Harris, who has her children at the UC Irvine Infant Toddler Center, also said that work prevents her from staying home with her children, but that the benefits of the center make it worthwhile.

“They’re much more aware of other children, and not afraid of them,” Harris, an Irvine systems analyst, said of 5-month-old Nolan and 17-month-old Kelsey. “They’re exposed to much more than they would be at home--like finger painting. Some parents won’t let their kids do that at home.”

Center director Lynn Hammeras said many parents express the same feelings.

“My experience here is that day care can be very beneficial to both the children and their families,” she said. “Parents write to me that their kids [who attended the center] love to read, that they love music, and that they believe it started here.”

Marco Leyva, who was picking up his 13-month-old son, Jonathan, at the center, believes day care is also very beneficial in developing his son’s social and interactive skills.

Leyva and his wife “also have a 4-year-old girl who’s social but needs time to warm up to others,” he said. “She didn’t have what Jonathan’s experiencing now.”

Julie Grandia said her two children benefit from painting, singing and interacting with other children at Oceanside Learning Tree in Costa Mesa. Her 2-year-old, she said, is more outgoing than her 5-year-old, who did not attend the center at that age.

“I used to be a stay-at-home mom for four years,” the nursing assistant said. “But I think this is a better idea. It also gives me time to go out and pursue my career.”