“In 2002, 63% of children under five were placed in some type of non-maternal child care” (Peng and Robbins, 1). This high percentage is because many families, especially women with children, have no choice but to work to support their growing family. Parents therefore have the option of enrolling their children in a type of non-maternal or family daycare. While this may be more convenient for most parents, there is still a lot of thought involved in deciding which center will offer the most for your child in terms of development. “Experts agree that the first three to five years of life form the foundation of each individual's personality, belief systems, and ways of seeing and being in the world” (Olds, 8). So, many parents would agree that finding the right center for their child is a very big deal. One type of child care that many are familiar with is non-maternal. “Non-maternal care is defined as the care of a child by a person other than the child's mother for at least 10 hours per week on a regular basis” (Peng and Robbins, 9). The goal of all, if not most, child care centers is to provide children with the appropriate care and education that will prepare them for the next level of education. Given that “six out of ten mothers of children under the age of six are employed,” there is certainly a need and perhaps demand for child care (Lynn, 2). There is, however, one big mistake that people often make when thinking about child care. Childcare and daycare, as similar as they may seem, are not the same. A daycare center is simply there to care for and watch over the child, while daycare centers act more as a school before primary school by preparing children...... middle of paper ......s . Childcare is by far the best choice for any parent who wants to give their child the best opportunities available at such a young age. Works cited “For parents – Choice of custody – Advantages/Disadvantages”. KingCounty, Washington Child Care Resources | Child care information and referral services in Seattle. Web.April 25, 2011. homes.htm>. Lynn, Jacquelyn. Childcare service. Irvine, CA: Entrepreneur, 2001. Print. Olds, Anita Rui. Child care design guide. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000. Print. Peng, Duan and Philip K. Robins. "Who should care for our children? The effects of infant care on early childhood development." Journal of Children & Poverty 16.1 (2010): 1-45.Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Internet. April 25, 2011. Reine, Patricia. Personal interview. April 7 2011