Decent daycare is not easy to find in Jakarta.

I was seven months pregnant when I attempted to register my daughter in a daycare within the vicinity of my office area. She was three months old when she received a place; a five month wait-list queue.

I had registered her at four daycare centers and that was the fastest offer.

I wasn’t at all satisfied with the daycare she had been accepted into. To be honest, I hadn’t been all that keen on any of the centers that had been available within the area surrounding my office and given that I work in one of the most prestigious office areas in Jakarta and that these were arguably daycare with some of the highest monthly tuition fees in town, it bothered me that none of them were furnished with satisfactory facilities.

"If only the daycare could have been better."

It took me 2 weeks to decide that she would be better taken care of by domestic staff at home, with me monitoring her on private CCTV.

The decision to withdraw her had been a big decision for me. I had thought that I would always prefer daycare centers over the care offered by domestic staff. I like the idea of kids being taught independence from an early age and I have always been interested in the baby gym, reading and singing programs offered by such centers. Plus, daycare would have enabled me to check on my daughter during my lunch break and to have a little extra time alone with her during the commute.

This might not describe general condition of all daycare in Jakarta, but lists that which I found to be wanting during my survey to the most sought after daycare around my office area.

An play area with direct access to an outdoor space

It is essential for babies to have enough exposure to sunlight and fresh air, especially in the morning. It is not healthy for them to be exposed to an air conditioner all day, every day.

Qualified child care workers with regularly updated knowledge

It’s a matter of professionalism; child care workers should be adequately educated.

Well-placed and working CCTV

CCTV can be one of the most assuring services offered by daycare management. Parents should be able to monitor their children at all times. It should be fully operational at all times and cover all areas in the center.

Spacious and safe-playing area

When babies reach a certain stage of development, they require a safe, spacious and clean area within which they are free to learn and play.

***

In the end, so that we can work with peace of mind, the most important thing working-moms want to know is that our babies are well taken care of and happy.

There is both insufficient and unsatisfactory daycare in Jakarta. And yet, with more and more women attaining strategic positions in their career, the service has never been more crucial.  

Perhaps employers can go the extra mile by providing quality daycare in every office building or simply allow mother’s to work from home for a few days each week.

I know it’s a long shot.

***

The writer is a professional marketing practitioner focusing on brand building and consumer engagement. She is currently working as manager in one of multinational company in Jakarta. You can find her other writings at https://www.inspirasi.co/mutimuti.

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