The Impact of Home Daycare on the Biological Children of Providers: Case Examples of Unintended Consequences

Home daycare is a huge cottage industry in America, but no studies exist that examine the positive or negative impact of daycare on the biological children of providers. This paper presents two case studies that describe the unintended negative impact of home daycare on the social and emotional development of the children of providers. In one case, a home-schooled, psychosomatically ill adolescent scorns her experiences with home daycare. The other case describes an oppositional 10-year-old boy’s positive and negative reactions. These cases serve to illustrate several critical issues that biological children face when parents decide to operate a daycare program from their home. A special focus is on the vulnerable child whose ability to cope with other children may be compromised by temperamental factors or a history of family or personal trauma. Implications are discussed.