20 months and not adjusting to daycare after 6 months LONG-SORRY!!!
Lydsmama
member
New poster looking for advice...
My daughter was put in day care at 14 months. Before that, she was either in the care of my mother, my mother in law, or my husband at our home during the 4 days I work. At 14 months, we had to find an alternative during a very stressful time because, long story short, my father spent a month in ICU, we didn't know if he was going to make it, and my mom couldn't be relied upon any longer because she was a bit preoccupied with that.
We found a wonderful babysitter in our area who built a daycare onto her home. Given the situation at the time, she was a Godsend to us. DD started there at the end of September.
The adjustment was quite difficult but by around Christmas, she was relatively happy. A few tears at drop off occasionally, but that was about it. Then she was off for a week for Christmas break and things haven't been very good since then. She was also sick around Valentine's Day and was off for a week then, and took a few days off last week for a cold. It just seems like she's not "bouncing back" from those few days off here and there like she should be given that she's been with the same childcare provider for 6 months now. During the mornings, she'll throw all-out tantrums and sometimes just cry on and off throughout the day. She distances herself from the other kids and isn't usually interested in playing with them. When the babysitter tries to comfort her, it usually doesn't help and she just carries on being miserable. It's like DD doesn't have an attachment to the babysitter like you'd think she would after being there as long as she has. Sometimes during lunch she'll just cry the whole time and take a bite here and there.
The weird thing is, after her nap, it's like she's a different kid. She's running and playing and generally having a good time. My husband works a later shift so he gets up with her in the morning whenever she gets up, gives her breakfast at home, and drops her off around 9 so it's not like we're waking her at 5 am and she's tired. Unfortunately, that hour or so is usually the only time DD gets to see my husband during the week since he's not home from work until after she goes to bed.
So, sorry for this being so long, but I'm looking for any sort of advice or looking to see if anyone has any suggestions since all of us, including her babysitter, are at a loss. We've talked about waking her and having here there bright and early at 7 am so she has some one-on-one bonding time with the babysitter before the other kids get there at 7:30. We've talked about sending a different toy from home with her every day. Could it be that she learned to be miserable in the mornings or something and just has a negative association with going there in general because she started at such a stressful time? Could it be that going to the babysitter's is ruining her seldom-had "daddy time" and she's pissed?
HELP! (Thank you for reading!)
Re: 20 months and not adjusting to daycare after 6 months LONG-SORRY!!!
It sounds like you are happy with the sitter and not looking to move her to a different sitter or center, correct?
Reading this, it seems like your daughter has learned that this is her routine, and she's sticking to
D1 started daycare when she was 12 weeks and we went through periods of her not wanting to be at daycare and she would cry and carry on for a while. She's 4 and had a tough time transitioning back after a 2 week vacation. Her teachers told
oops, I don't know what I'm doing... lol
I am very happy with the babysitter herself. I am confident that she is providing the best care she can for my DD... DD is just not a happy camper! Think we will just have to start up a "new"