How Multiple Facets of Non-Parental Care Impact Children’s Socioemotional Readiness

Indianapolis, IN

The majority of American children are in some type of non-parental care arrangement by the time they reach three to four years of age (US Department of Education, 2008). This study set out to examine the effects of non-parental care and specific facets of parenting on children’s preparedness for kindergarten in terms of their social and emotional development. The sample consisted of 440 families from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-B). In this study, we examined longitudinal associations between children’s nonparental care at age 2, parenting at age 4, and socioemotional readiness at kindergarten entry. Nonparental care variables included the type of care arrangement, hours of care, and observed quality of care. Through interviews, parents provided information about their perceptions of parenthood. We controlled for race, child gender, mother’s age, education level, poverty status, as well as baseline measures of children’s socioemotional development. Our results suggested that parents who were more easy going and relaxed and had sufficient energy for discipline when their children were four years old also had children who scored higher on socioemotional development at kindergarten entry. (Nonparental) caregivers who were “overattached” had a negative impact on children’s socioemotional development. We concluded that it is important that caregivers provide children with space to gain their independence. Early care educators in all types of nonparental care settings should focus on being sensitive and responsive to children’s needs while still giving them their own space to explore.