Daycare expectations

ToBeLee

My son just started daycare, he's been there 3 days. He already has a cold. That said....I have some questions. What are reasonable expectations in terms of the attention they pay to your baby? How often they hold them? Play with them? Talk with them? Tummy time? Etc etc. I am worried that he is just sitting in a bouncer all day being ignored. He is very engaging at home, smiles, laughs out loud, "talks", I fret that he is not engaged/stimulated at daycare. Any advice?
Oh, he's just 16 wks

hunnybunny2021

That was my worry with a daycare center as well... that is why I am so happy that we found an in-home daycare to use.  DS is one of two full time kids there and gets lots of attention from our provider, her two adult children and her pre-teen son.

I never have to worry about whether he gets enough attention... it makes me feel better about him being there as much as he is.

costfords

The first few weeks are hard on everyone.  The day care is learning your baby, your baby is learning the other babies and the teachers, and you are learning to be a working mom.  What I found to help settle my nerves was to talk with the teachers.  It takes me about 15-20 minutes to drop dd off in the morning because I am talking to them.  How was she the day before with them, how she was that night, something new she learned.  I have found that if I talk to them more, I find out more of what she did than was written on the sheet.  It also helps the workers, because they get to know me better and figure out if I will ok with certain activites that they like to do with the babies.

AlisaS

It depends on the daycare. Mine has no bouncers or baby-minding things like that. When they were teeny, if they were awake, they were on the floor being engaged and/or held. No that they are older they play with paint, shaving cream, all sorts of stuff. No TVs, no crap to keep kids entertained while the providers catch up on their soaps.

It is one of the reasons I wouldn't go with an in-home provider. A single nanny doesn't get breaks and simply can't provide the activities and stimulation my kids get from other kids and their teachers. IMO - no flames.

If your kid is in a bouncer all, pull him.

BTW - kids will get sick when they start daycare. All the time. Pretty much nothing you can do about it. As long as the providers take the usual precautions.

Taylor44

The PP made a very good point that you need to talk with the teachers each day.  It helps everyone.  Also, if you are close by, do surprise visits.  Then you will see what they are doing at different times of the day. 

ToBeLee

Thanks for the advice.  I cant pop in, I'm a teacher.  I will talk with them more and I guess ask concrete questions about what he is doing all day.  They do have bouncy seats there.  Last time I picked him up he was just slumped in one, no toy or anything.  Do they let you bring your own toys?  They write down naps and feedings, but not playtimes.  Also, his room goes up to age 2, is that the norm?

MarriedToMyLove

age 2...nooooo

AlisaS

I think infants and toddlers need to seperated. The older kids are rougher and developmentally, they should be engaged in different activitites.

dedear

We actually pulled DS out of an In Home DC because I felt that he was getting "lost in the crowd" with just one lady and all the others were 2-3y/o. 

I used to teach in a daycare - so I'm very pro-day care after seeing the regulations and etc...and how to tell a good one from a bad one.

But since you can't make surprise visits - try looking into a center that has a subscription to Watch Me Grow . Com.....it's great being able to watch DSs teachers and other infants during the day while I'm at work.  It keeps me connected and a lot more relaxed.

HTH

jlw2505

Every daycare is different and to ease your mind - I would ask them questions and if you can, go observe them.  I did that before my older DD started and it really made me feel better.  At my daycare, each teacher has 4 of the babies at a time - at most.  Many days the directors are also in the infant room helping out - mainly during the busy times such as meals.  The babies are on their own schedules so even out of the 4 per teacher, it is often that 1 or 2 are sleeping.  The teachers write out what my DD did and I get pictures every so often.  I also talk to the teachers at drop off and pick up so I get 1st hand what she did and how her day went.  She is often being held when I get there or is on the floor playing with other babies with a teacher.  I know she can't be held and played with all the time and that is totally fine with me as a I know she is getting a great balance of everything.