starting at day care at 4 months old

mrs.mrb

Hi All,

DD is starting at an inhome daycare on our block when he is 4 months old. (3 days a week) It came highly recommended by some friends. I visited when DD was 6 weeks old and really liked the lady running it. She seemed laid back, kind, and really loves the children. She has been doing it for 30 years.  It is the best of what we had seen and made a deposit.  Now that it is getting closer I am getting worried we picked the wrong setting. there are 10 kids and she has one helper. Most of the kids are 1-3 years old. My son would be the only baby. I am now worried that he won't get enough one on one attention and stimulation. I just picture him in an infant seat and getting ignored in the corner. I know they go on walks and he will be taking naps. But I still feel nervous about it - that he is too young to be in that environment.  Can any of you ladies offer some advice/support? I plan on going back to visit and I have more questions to ask about specifically the schedule and how often he will have tummy time/play time etc.  I am just wondering if any of you have had your infants in a larger home daycare.  Thanks

 

Maybride2

11 toddlers/infants and 2 adults?  That doesn't seem like a legal ratio.

lewis514

Maybride2:

11 toddlers/infants and 2 adults?  That doesn't seem like a legal ratio.

Agreed - is she licensed? What's the ratio in your state?

In my state it's 4:1 for children up to 1 year and 5:1 for up to 3 years.

I would have a frank discussion with her about activities & plans specific for your baby, not what is done in general.

We go to a center and they have weekly lesson plans and daily activities even in the infant room. DD cannot fully participate bc she's too little but they include her in as much as possible. So they will hold her while they are doing the activity so she can watch and observe. They only put her in the bouncer or the swing after her bottles because I asked she be sitting up for 10-15 minutes. They also rotate them in activities every 15 minutes unless they are eating or napping. They also give me a daily summary of not only her naps and bottles but what she did that day with the group.

flyer23

Are you indeed in Illinois? Here's a link to the state licensing requirements: https://www.state.il.us/DCFS/docs/406.pdf

The daycare can only legally have 8 children under the age of 5 (including 5 under the age of 2). Are all 10 of the current kids full-time? That would be my primary concern... making sure she's within licensing requirements.

I don't necessarily see a problem with your DD being the only infant. My daughter was in a nanny share with two older girls (ages 2 and 4) when I went back to work when she was 4 months old. She got plenty of tummy time, and plenty of attention from the nanny and the older girls. I think the most important thing is to talk to the provider (and to parents of some of the older kids who were in that daycare as infants, if possible), and then observe carefully once your DD starts and make sure you're still comfortable with the arrangement.