Introduction
New parents have many choices to make when having their child. One of those stressful decisions that new parents will have to make is whether or not to put the child in a child care center while returning to work, or if one parent will stay home and raise the child completely on his or her own. There are many different opinions on the results that child care centers can have on children that are enrolled, but every parent is entitled to his or her own opinion on what is best for his or her child. As Jessica Grose, journalist and novelist, says, “. . . there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to ideal outcomes for children” (Grose par. 17). While there are many options for parents, there is not one option that will work best for all the parents seeking child care. Different child care options are better for different parents based on the parents’ specific situation. Options available for parents in the United States include: licensed child care centers, non-licensed child care centers, nannies, family home day cares, or stay-at-home parents. In today’s society, child care is a common choice for many working parents, and child care centers meet the developmental needs of children in many ways: child care centers teach children, protect children, influence health, support parents, and help families.