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Any experience on putting LO in daycare after year of SAH?

CatOCatO member
in Working Moms
After I had my DD, I decided to take a leave of absence from my PhD program, which turned out to be a fairly good idea seeing as we found out we were expecting again.  I am still contemplating whether I should go back or not and finish (2-3years), but putting my LOs in daycare makes my uneasy.  I feel like it won't be as difficult with the new LO because she won't know anything different, but I feel like my DD now may feel like I am abandoning her.  This may be illogical and I am projecting onto my daughter, so if anyone has any experience with this, I would love to hear about it! TIA!
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Re: Any experience on putting LO in daycare after year of SAH?

  • curlilocks1207curlilocks1207
    My DD stayed home for a little over a year with her dad. She absolutely loved starting daycare. She was old enough to enjoy the activities and playing with the other children. She never had any seperation anxiety or even fussed when I left her. Hope that helps!
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  • mysticportermysticporter
    Totally independent of the day care question, if you want to finish your PhD, I'd say do it now.  It's going to get harder and harder to pick up where you left off, and the kids schedules are only going to get more hectic as they get older, making it harder to go back.  If you don't go back now, will you plan to SAH indefinitely, and would you be happy with that?  I don't know about you program and/or if you intend to work on the side, but one perk to grad school that I found with having a child is it's a little more flexible than a traditional 9-5 job, usually, particularly if you finish classes and are focused on your thesis.  A lot of schools also have day care programs for students that are more flexible and inexpensive than other alternatives, and are very good programs since they are often run in concert with the early childhood ed/teaching programs for grads/undergrads.

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  • GingerSBGingerSB
    We get a 1 year mat leave here, so I've done it twice. The transition was just fine. You have nothing to worry about.
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  • BoxTerBoxTer
    DD started daycare at about 14 months when I went back to work. There were a few tough days at the beginning as she adjusted, but she very quickly began to love going and is so happy there. I think your LO will be fine and will probably really enjoy being around other children.
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  • GLynn2009GLynn2009
    DD went to daycare for the first time at 28 months and she loves it. No problems.
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  • CristineCristine member
    Both of my kids started daycare around 2. My job is really flexible so I worked from home until they hit that age. They both really loved daycare. I started my oldest going half days 3 days a week but we were both so miserable the 2 days a week that he stayed home I ended up sending him all 5 days. He missed his friends and all the activity.

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  • taylor20204taylor20204 member
    DS went in at a year, no problems.  I mean, there was an adjustment period the first few weeks, but I was more comfortable with him going in at 1 year (just my personal preference).  He loves 'school' now.  Good luck, I wouldn't worry too much. 
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  • wheelenlwheelenl
    I was a SAH for a year; hated it. Got a job when LO was just barely 1. No problems at all with sending him to DC.
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  • CatOCatO member

    Thank you for all of the input ladies!  This is kind of it for me to finish the program as you can only take one leave of absence with a max of a year, so I have to decide definitely yes or no. 

    I feel better knowing that your LOs thrived on the interaction with other kids.  My DH and I had already agreed that once they were a little older they would go to some sort of pre-preschool program to be with other kids, so starting a little earlier doesn't sound like that big of a transition. Thanks again...this has really put my mind at ease hearing other mothers' experiences.

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  • cfitz16cfitz16 member
    Me...my son started daycare after 16 months of me being at home (I got laid off at the end of my maternity leave).  Tips: just go with your gut.  We previously had a day care picked out that no longer seemed appropriate given his age and his love of activity.  We went 3 times together to play together for a couple of hours at a time (a requirement of the daycare).  That really helped both of us....the first few days were tough, but he now waves goodbye when I drop him off.  Good luck...it's hard. 
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  • irishdem2irishdem2

    We had a hard time at first deciding to put our DD into daycare, but we found one that she really likes and it's made the difference.  There was a period of transition at first, but now she loves it.  Prepare yourself for the possibility of tears if you do it because then if it happens, you'll be able to handle it and if it doesn't, then no worries.

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  • BHay41BHay41
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