question for SAHM...or anyone w/ an input lol

AFWife1229 · April 2010

If you're a SAHM, will you ever send LO to DC for social interaction? DH and I have talked about this. I think it's really important for LO to socialize and get used to other kids and people taking care of her occaisonally. I'm not talking full-time DC, just a day or 2 a week. If you plan on, or do this already...when will/did you start bring LO and how long did you leave them for?

dawneo · April 2010

I work at a childcare centre and we have a lot of parents that do this. I think that it is most beneficial around 2 1/2 - 3 years to start getting socialized. There are also a lot of parent groups, classes ect. other than daycare to socialize children in. I will be going back to work in December so DD will be in childcare fulltime then.

bim38106 · April 2010

I think (from both a mom and a teacher's perspective) that preschool is very important. Not just for socialization, though that is very important, but also for learning to be around and listen to authority w/out mom/dad and learning to problem solve, work w/ other children, speak in front of their peers, the whole classroom environment to prepare them for Kindergarten, etc..

So to answer your question, yes, we will/are sending them to preschool/DC. Preschools around here often start at 18 months. I would have waited until 2-2.5 to start DD1, but I was due w/ DD2 when DD1 was 20 months and I wanted to give both her and me a break and send her to school. So DD1 started at 18 months and she LOVES it.

I would not start them any earlier, mainly because I don't think she would have gotten as much out of it earlier. We do plenty of playgroups and stuff for socialization. I think 2.5 would have been a better time to start, but because of our situation I started her earlier. I do have to say that she has been almost constantly sick this winter from going to school! That is definitely the major downside of it.. but I see so many benefits in her that I'm still glad we sent her.

AFWife1229 · April 2010

dawneo:
I work at a childcare centre and we have a lot of parents that do this. I think that it is most beneficial around 2 1/2 - 3 years to start getting socialized. There are also a lot of parent groups, classes ect. other than daycare to socialize children in. I will be going back to work in December so DD will be in childcare fulltime then.

I guess I was planning on doing it sooner because I'm afraid LO will develop seperation anxiety. I know that typically happens anyways, but we don't have any family or close friends here that I will leave LO with. I know it takes awhile to find a sitter that you can get to know and trust too. so I feel like if I take her to DC a day or 2 a week, she'll be more used to it when we do eventually find a sitter that we trust around here.

karlee1122 · April 2010

I am a SAHM and we don't plan to send LO to DC. We have also had the converesation about socializing him, but he has A LOT of little cousins on DHs side that are the same age and just a little older than him. I also occasionally keep a little boy that is only three weeks younger than DS for my friend. I plan to join a mommy and me group when he is six months old, so we figured he will have more than enough interaction with other children.

JDWNYC · April 2010

I am a SAHM and after this summer, and maybe during the summer, I plan to do this maybe one morning or afternoon per week.

bim38106 · April 2010

AFWife1229:
dawneo:
I work at a childcare centre and we have a lot of parents that do this. I think that it is most beneficial around 2 1/2 - 3 years to start getting socialized. There are also a lot of parent groups, classes ect. other than daycare to socialize children in. I will be going back to work in December so DD will be in childcare fulltime then.

I guess I was planning on doing it sooner because I'm afraid LO will develop seperation anxiety. I know that typically happens anyways, but we don't have any family or close friends here that I will leave LO with. I know it takes awhile to find a sitter that you can get to know and trust too. so I feel like if I take her to DC a day or 2 a week, she'll be more used to it when we do eventually find a sitter that we trust around here.

If you don't mind my input on this... They're going to get separation anxiety regardless. Sending them to DC isn't going to make a difference. They go through phases where it's good and then gets hard again. DD1 has loved being in school but just this week the separation anxiety has kicked in again. She knows and loves her teacher but it's still there because it's not "mama".

beckypooh03@yahoo.com · April 2010

We don't. He has tons of cousins and a couple close to his age and another on the way. I joined a mommy group in my area as well and hopefully some day I'll be brave enough to actually go to a get together.

Abinormal · April 2010

I'm also a teacher and I believe it's very important for a child to go to preschool before entering Kindergarten. There are preschools and daycare centers where your child can go to get social interaction as well as begin to learn the routine and concept of going to school.

Yes, they will probably get sick pretty frequently the first year, but if they don't do it when they are little then they will miss a lot of their Kinder year because they will get sick at that point.

dawneo · April 2010

If children are going to have separation anxiety they will regardless of whether they have been in care before. I have had children who develop separation anxiety after being in care full time for months with no problems. When new children start the biggest difference I find between children who have been in care before and ones that have not is more in rule/schedule following and interacting with other children rather than in separating. Children who have never been in childcare before do seem to have a harder time separating but it seems to pass quickly (a few weeks) and I would not consider it separation anxiety, just that they need to get used to it.

PinkMnM26 · April 2010

I'm a sahm. I think that as long as you don't keep him at home all the time they will have ample opportunity to socialize. Join a mom's group and go on play dates, hang out at a local park, involve them in activities with other kids (dance, karate, gym etc).

skinnursemandee · April 2010

I have zero plans of sending my child to DC at all. She will go to preschool at age 4 the year before kindergarten to get adjusted to being a school setting with teachers and structure.

As far as socializing, there is gymboree, little gym, swim class, tumbling classes and play groups that will be just fine for my child to socialize. Your child is going to get seperation anxiety regardless of DC or not.

LSzwaya · April 2010

We will be sending our DS to a play school and pre school when he's 18 months or 2 years.

nadiarl · April 2010

skinnursemandee:
I have zero plans of sending my child to DC at all. She will go to preschool at age 4 the year before kindergarten to get adjusted to being a school setting with teachers and structure.
As far as socializing, there is gymboree, little gym, swim class, tumbling classes and play groups that will be just fine for my child to socialize. Your child is going to get seperation anxiety regardless of DC or not.

I completely agree. Plus, before 2 years it seems like kids are more apt to have more "productive" (learning/stimulating wise) playtime with adults.

kcisthebombdotcom · April 2010

For now, I work 17 hours a week and my mom/DH watches DS when I'm working, so no daycare here. I do plan on putting DS in daycare on a PT basis around age 3. I know I could do mommy groups for socialization and I plan on doing that, but I also want DS to experience playing with other kids without me standing right there.

I think we'll probably do 2-3 days a week, 4 hours at a time if I'm able to find a provider that would be willing to take that schedule. I can make my own hours at work, so I'll just work around what I can find for daycare.

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question for SAHM...or anyone w/ an input lol

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