In recent years, the increasing pace of working life and changing family dynamics have made sending our children to daycare at an early age almost the norm. Societal narratives suggesting that two-year-old individuals need to “get used to” school life or “socialize” create a heavy expectation for parents.
However, as a psychologist, I believe we must approach this common culture from a scientific perspective, centering emotional development. Our thesis is simple: The 0–3 age period is a critical phase where the child’s map of attachment and emotional development is established; unless there is a mandatory necessity, daycare should not be a priority choice during this time.
Secure Attachment: The Fundamental Architecture of Life
In child development literature, the 0–3 age period, in particular, is a process where psychological building blocks are laid. The most vital task of this period is establishing secure attachment (Sümer, 2009). Secure attachment is the baby knowing they will receive a rapid, consistent, and sensitive response when they need their primary caregiver.
This secure relationship is a core mechanism that allows the child to find the courage to explore the world, learn emotional regulation, and establish successful, happy relationships in the long term. The striking reality is that the secure attachment formed during this period ensures the optimal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis—the stress management system in the child’s brain. This deep and personalized quality of care cannot be replicated with the same intensity and consistency in an institutional setting, no matter how meticulous the care.
Institutional Care in Light of Scientific Data
Undoubtedly, daycares can offer numerous benefits for cognitive and social development after the age of three. However, some research conducted for the period before age three urges caution for parents.
Studies by Özgür (2011) within the context of attachment theory, and other institutional care reviews, indicate that early institutional care, especially when intensive and long-hour based, may negatively affect attachment patterns in some children. Institutional care is, by nature, an environment with a large number of children and high caregiver turnover. Sümer et al. (2025) also draw attention to the difficulties of establishing consistent attachment in institutional care.
Important Note: What a child needs in the first three years of life is not an environment with many peers, but a few consistent primary caregivers. The quality of the relationship the child builds with their caregiver is much more important than the quantity for the Emotions and “emotional co-regulation” needed during this time.
A Striking Piece of Information for You: Cortisol Spike and Development
Some physiological studies have observed significant increases in cortisol levels (the stress hormone) toward the end of the day, particularly in very young children who start daycare and stay for long hours. Even if this cortisol spike drops when the child returns home, spending a large part of the day under high stress challenges the child’s still-developing stress-coping mechanisms.
It should be remembered that the daycare adjustment process (Emre et al., 2018) can be challenging for a two-year-old, and this struggle can test the quality of attachment. Studies examining the historical development of early childhood care (Elmacı, 2023) and reviews of graduate thesis work on the 0–3 age period (Yıldız et al., 2017) also confirm the importance of family-based care.
A Matter of Prioritization: Necessities and Choices
Every family’s circumstances are different. Daycare is an unavoidable necessity in some cases. However, when making our decision, we must clarify whether we are viewing the situation as a necessity or a choice:
If it is Not Mandatory:
Priority should be given to in-family care (grandmother, consistent babysitter) and quality time spent with the primary parent, due to its contribution to attachment.
If it is Mandatory:
When selecting an institution, preference should be given to facilities with the least caregiver turnover, a small number of children, a gradual parent-child separation process, and sensitivity to attachment needs.
Conclusion: A Scientific Investment
Dear parents, your two-year-old child needs “deep and secure care,” not yet “education.” While play and exploration are sufficient for their cognitive development, they require a consistent, calm, and available parent for their emotional development.
Remember, every decision we make plants the seeds for our child’s future mental health. Outside of necessities, I advise you to view providing primary care within the family until the age of three not as a “sacrifice,” but as a scientific investment in the quality of attachment. The greatest gift you can give them is the stable attachment foundation you provide for them to explore the world with confidence.
I send my love to two-year-old babies and their parents. 💛
References
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Elmacı, D. (2023). Türkiye’de Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi ve Bakımının Gelişiminde Çocuk Esirgeme Kurumunun Katkıları. Yalova Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 13(1), 40–51.
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Emre, O., Çalışkan, Z., & Sağlam, M. (2018). Çocuğun Kreşe Alıştırılma Süreci (0–3 Yaş). Uluslararası Erken Çocukluk Eğitimi Çalışmaları Dergisi, 3(1), 32–45.
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Özgür, Ö. (2011). Bağlanma Teorisi Bağlamında Kurum Bakımı Altındaki Çocukları Anlamak ve Onlarla Çalışmak. New World Sciences Academy.
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Sümer, N. (2009). Çocuğun Gelişiminde Bağlanma, İlgi-Bakım ve Aile. (Yüksek lisans tezi).
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Sümer, N., ve diğerleri (2025). Korunma İhtiyacı Olan Çocukların Erken Gelişim Döneminde Bakım Elemanlarıyla Kurdukları Bağlanma İlişkisi.
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Yıldız, S. M., Akbaş, U., Yıldız, H., & Özaydın, L. (2017). Türkiye’de 0–3 Yaş Çocuklara Yönelik Lisansüstü Tez Çalışmalarının İncelenmesi. International Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies, 2(1).