Let's Talk Daycares

ragsdalejennifer

I have several questions that I would love some others on: We will be starting daycare for our soon to be one year old, she will start after Christmas once she is one (She has spent the last year at home, my husband worked nights and I work from home). Our LO will be going part time but I'm not sure how part time. Very nervous about this transition!! The daycare is a medium sized center that has cameras that can be logged onto from home.

1.If your LO goes part time what schedule has worked best? Half days? A few days a week? What has helped keep you on a good schedule?

2. We have always rocked her to sleep for naps and bed. There is not a rocking chair in the room and we were told they "pat" their backs to sleep on cots. Have your LO's transitioned well in this area?

3. They serve a meal plan that we are not 100% comfortable with. How would you approach this?

4. Any other tips or suggestions about making the transition easier for baby and mama?

jd614

DS goes twice a week and has adjusted great altho he doesnt sleep as well there...never has. He goes to sleep fine (we send a lovey and a sleep sheep for noise) but he usually only naps 30-45 min at a time, occasionally we will get an hour out of him. As far as what part time schedule works best, thats really up to you. If you work from home every day, it might be best to put her in every day but maybe for like 5 hours a day. Or if you have the ability to work 4 full days and take Fridays off and keep her home thats another option...it depends what day care allows. If I bring DS for 1 hour or 12 hours it doesnt matter, I pay for a full day. They dont do half days...but they do allow 2/3/4/5 days , whatever you want.

DS is 9 mos old so has really only been on table food the last month or so, but i send all my own food and the day care is fine with it. My daycare will heat up food but if yours wont, invest in a really good thermos to keep food warm (its something to check bc a lot of day cares wont heat up food.) They should be fine with you sending your own meals, our school is nut free so just make sure its compliant with that, if applicable.

Couple things to accept--LO will get sick the first few mos, especially since u are starting in winter. It totally sucks...but they will be fine. If it doesnt happen now, it would happy when they got to pre school anyway. Its mostly the month long runny nose/cough. Just recognize that and work through it--its bound to happen. Also remember that NO ONE takes care of your LO as well as you, or exactly 100% how you want them to so pick your battles. LO will thrive in day care and have the best time...but you have to be ok with her coming home dirty sometimes, etc. I call and check in on DS every day and they are great about it. They email me pictures any time I ask them to, and when I have popped in unexpectedly (which isnt often) he is always having a great time and the teachers are always hugging him and loving him. That has made me feel great.

LoCarb

My kids have always gone to DC FT. I think as long as you stick to a schedule LO will adjust. Nap time they pat backs and both have done well. There will be a transition period maybe for naps,drop offs, pick ups or all three. Remember it's temporary. I usually drop off with a piece of fruit as a distraction. Web cams are awesome!

Samiantha101

1. My daughter goes to dc m-w 11 am to 5 pm. I love this schedule for her. She gets to socialize with other kids, and she gets adult interaction other than from me or my h. At the same time, it also means that she is with one of her parents more often than not. I try and keep our home schedule similar to the center's, ie nap time and meal time.

2. Our center also used the pat on the back method to help sleep. The fact of the matter is, your daughter is one. She's not going to get held as much as she would as a small infant. Maybe this will help mitigate sleeping issues at home? I have had zero issues with this thus far. In fact, I love that my daughter is on a cot. I bet it will help with the transition to toddler bed.

3. What is it about the meal program that you don't agree with?

4. RELAX! It gets easier after some time. My daughter started daycare at 15 months. I was a wreck, but I am super confident in the care my daughter receives.

DTNZ4Ever

DS goes 3 days a week Wed-Fri full days. Keep the daycare days together instead if everyother day it establishes a good routine.

DS was never rocked to sleep. However I tried to do what they do at daycare to keep it consistent and then your LO will get use to it. I would start now with the back patting at home. DS has never been a good napper at DC I use to stress about it and worry but eventually I just had to accept it as it is and know on school days it would be an early bedtime.

I would talk to the director about the meal plans. We had enough parents complain and they made changes. Also DS only eats 3 meals at DC and 6 snacks there so I let it go since he eats really healthy at home. He always eats breakfast at home instead of DC.

It will be hard on Mom but eventually the teachers become your family and they love your LO too. I got to the point where I would feel bad taking DS out of DC because he loved it and needed it. You both will be fine and it will take a few weeks to get use to the new routine but you will.

Your LO will get sick the first year is the worst. However it pays off DS rarely gets sick now. Good luck!

preggersin2011

There was one child at LO's school that was part time m-w-f, and they kid was he!! on the days it was at school vs home with parent. The mom didnt keep the house noisy enough and let the kid sleep 4+ hr naps. So I think to make it work for part time you should keep the day care schedule at home. LO's been full time since 8 weeks.

Day care is a miracle and they get your child to sleep in a room with other kids and noises. Trust that they no what to do.

I would ask if you are allowed to bring in outside food and under what conditions. I am not 100% okay with our day care's menu. On the days i don't want LO eating their lunch I can send in a substitute, but it has to be nut free with an ingredient list provided. Also, they cannot heat up so I send it in a thermos.

You might find that your LO is bored at home with you.I have to take LO to activities and the park just to wear her out to nap. She has tons of extra energy on the weekends. They are constant non-stop at school and at home they just don't have the same environment

ragsdalejennifer

Thanks for everyone's suggestions on bringing our own food in! I checked and we are able to sign a food weaver and bring our own meals as long as they consist of a protein, fruit, veggie, and grain. I think we will start off doing this and as we get more comfortable, let her eat the daycare meals!

C12H22O11

ragsdalejennifer said:

1.If your LO goes part time what schedule has worked best? Half days? A few days a week? What has helped keep you on a good schedule? DS isn't what I'd really call true part time, but he only goes M-Th.  Our DCP has the option for 4 day weeks or 5 day weeks.  On Fridays, my mother watches DS.  This has worked out wonderfully, although not sure if it's event an option in your case.

2. We have always rocked her to sleep for naps and bed. There is not a rocking chair in the room and we were told they "pat" their backs to sleep on cots. Have your LO's transitioned well in this area? This is what our DCP does as well.  Frankly, I thought they were nuts when they told me the toddlers room (ages 1-2) nap on cots.  I was certain there was no way DS would actually stay in a cot (he was still in his crib at the time).  Lo and behold, by the second day, he was napping in a cot.  Our DCP has some kind of special ju-ju by which they can make 10 toddlers all sleep on cots.    You might be suprised at how well your child transitions.

3. They serve a meal plan that we are not 100% comfortable with. How would you approach this? There are plenty of kids of my DCP w/ dietary restrictions either because of allergies, religious reasons, etc.  There's a list clearly posted in each room of dietary restrictions for each kid.  I even know a parent who packs her child's lunch each day (but this child has severe allergies to lots of common foods - dairy, nut, wheat).

4. Any other tips or suggestions about making the transition easier for baby and mama? Try not to stress.  I overanalyzed everything for the first couple months.  Then I realized that a) my child was learning, b) my child was happy, and c) my child was being returned to me in the same condition I left them in.  After I came to that realization, I just let go and trusted that I picked a good DCP (and I did).

ragsdalejennifer

Thank You!! I am sure I'm being overly paranoid but it's on my brain ALOT!

I am curious to see how she will respond to the cot