Were you in daycare as a child?

Lilbobo

I'm the first member of my family to put my child in daycare. If you were in daycare as a child, I'd like to hear your experiences (good and bad) in relation to how I can make this the best experience possible for my son. Thanks!

kinslersmom

i grew up in daycare. honestly, i dont remember much detail about it. all i can say (from someone whose parents always worked) is... just spend as much time with them as you can when you are at home. play with them a lot, sacrafice your time to do whatever they want from you. when they are older try not to say "not now, maybe later" when they ask you to play with them. they will respect you for working full time because you had to but really being there for them when you could.  sorry, that was kind of deep. lol

PandaMom06

My parents used babysitters until one day, I believe I was around 6 months or so. My Mom went to pick me up and when she walked in the door it felt really hot. She picked up my diaper bag and the bottles she had made were still in the bag-never refridgerated and none of the contents were missing. She asked where I was and was told sleeping in a back bedroom. She went to get me and I was blue, barely moving, dehydrated, dirty diaper. She grabbed me up and ran home (we lived down the street). My Dad could hear her screaming for him for help. They rushed me inside and got me in the sink. My color started to come back and they fed me. Took me in to make sure I was okay. I was dehydrated and VERY lucky my parents got off of work when they did. After that one worked days and the other worked nights. Eventually my Dad was diagnosed with Cancer and when he got really sick I was put in pre-school.

Now, that is what happened to me. Unfortunately they were unlucky finding a shitastic babysitter. Our kids are in daycare but it is run by MIL and FIL (licensed in-home). If they didn't do our care then our kids would be in a daycare somewhere else. I remember pre-school fondly. We had great lunch, I remember napping on a cot using my big brother's blanket and playing.

ETA: By the time I was 4 (bro was 10) my Mom was a widow. She worked endlessly and put herself through college. She was gone A LOT and we were left home A LOT alone. When she was there though, she did her best and we knew we were loved. With all that, she still managed to cook us dinner and keep a pretty tidy place. It's not always about quantity but quality! I remember her taking us to the college pool, and to the computer lab. She did homework while we played computer games

anamandelli

My grandma took care of me until I was 2 I guess...then I went to DC. I remember a few things, but have tons of pictures and my mom always says we had a lot of fun!!!

kmm2150

I was in daycare from about 6 months until I stared school and loved it. I will say that it was a child development center affiliated with a college, not an in home daycare. I don't remember much from before about three yrears old but I know I was very happy and so were my parents. I think the benefits of daycare are that kids learn independence and socialization and learn that it is ok to be away from mom. Even though people seem to think in home is somehow more personal, I like the added layers of oversight in a daycare center and that there are multiple teachers- if someone is sick, you don't have to scramble to find back up daycare. If someone is just having a bad day, they can take a break and someone else will take over. Not saying home daycares are bad or scary, it's just something I think about.

kmm2150

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Thinkerbelle80

I was but I don't remember much until preschool.  I turned out fine.  I was very attached to my parents still.  Your son will be fine too.  

bellapup

I was in daycare and only have good memories. 

mbgreenwalt

My parents worked opposite shifts until I was 5, then I went to daycare.  It was an in-home and I vaguely remember it, but they were all fun memories. 

After my parents divorced my sisters and I were in a lot of daycares and after school programs.  We all turned out fine.

sportsmomma

My mom stayed home with us until I was on my teens, so it's hard for me to take LO to daycare. I am trying to get down to working 3 days/week to have a "best of both worlds" scenario. 

linnsey26

I was in a home daycare from 4 months old to 2 years old and then wen tto a center daycare until I started school. I don't remember the home daycare but we have lots of pictures of me smiling and happy cuddling with the main caregiver there.

I have a few memories of the center daycare and they are all good. I loved playing with the other kids there and all the fun activities (they had something different each day like water tables or music time or puppet shows). My parents said I went through the phase like all kids do of crying when they dropped me off for a few months but on most days when they came to pick me up, I wasn't ready to leave.

As long as you are comfortable with the daycare environment, there is no reason to worry. I grew up fine and attached to my parents. I loved the car ride home because I had their undivided attention and would tell them all about my day.

kmm2150

Realized  I didn't really respond to the "how to make this the best experience" - I would say try to make going to/coming home from daycare a fun time - right now as he's really young it won't matter, but when he gets older I think the most you can do to have mornings be relaxed, not rushing out the door, and relaxed when you get him to daycare so he can settle in, is good - they say not to make a big deal of good-byes so that LO doesn't get all "you're leaving me and never coming back!" but I think if you can have a morning routine of walking in to daycare, a kiss, hug, and 'have a good day!', to make it pleasant. 

Equally, I know my parents worked hard with us to be relaxed when they picked us up at the end of the day - they'd have us show them whatever we'd done, rather than rushing in and rushing us out, so it felt like we were important. 

Just remember that it's quality, not just quantity, so do your best not to bring work home with you and when you're with your LO, make it all about them and really enjoy you're time together.  Most of all, don't feel bad that they are in daycare! As long as you feel confident that it's a good daycare, just know that they are being enriched and taken care of and that they know you love them!  Like I said above, I was in daycare for a very long time, and have no memory of ever feeling like my parents didn't spend enough time with me or didn't care about me or anything like that.

SaraTF

I was in daycare from 6 mo. My mom apparently hated that I had to go and really wanted to be at home. Luckily, she never made that apparent when I was young. Honestly, I loved daycare. I loved being with other kids and playing all day. I also really grew to view my parents as role models for both working and providing me with a good life. Now that I'm older, I'm glad that both my parents were able to save for retirement and won't have to depend on me. I'll be sending DS to daycare once I start my new job (fingers crossed everything goes through). The most important thing for me was finding a daycare that we really liked. We're spending a small fortune on it! But, it's worth it and I would hate to save a little money by sending him to a dirty sad daycare. I agree, quality of time is definitely important. I understand that a parent staying at home is best for some families, but I think working and DS going to daycare will be best for us.

lintscreen

Both of my parents worked the entire time I was growing up and my brother and I were in daycare.  My mom went back to work 6 weeks after I was born.  I have nothing but good memories.  I remember looking forward to going because there were activities to do and other kids to play with. 

I can honestly say that I have never looked back on my life and said that I wished my mom or dad stayed home with me.  Daycare was all I knew and it was fine. 

namara5532

I was put in daycare when I was 2.  I also went to daycare during school breaks and summers.  I personally have fond memories of daycare as it was a time to play with friends.  My parents did other activities with my brother and I though such as girl/boy scouts and sports.  However, when we moved away from the daycare, my parents were busy with work and let the TV babysit us.

I would suggest making sure you do a nightly activity with them once or twice a week and then giving them your attention on the weekends.  Daycare can be a fun experience, but it's important for home to be just as fulfilling.

Lilbobo

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses. You've helped put my mind at ease and also have given some great advice.