Those with an older child in daycare...
What do you plan on doing with your older LO and daycare when you're on maternity leave? Are you going to take him or her out of daycare, or keep them in?? I'm torn on this. I don't want to keep him in because if I'm home I want him home with me, but when I go back to work in March or April he's going to have to go back. We really can't afford to keep him in daycare while I'm on leave because I'm a teacher and I don't really get disability, but I'm afraid to ruin his routine. Also, it'd be nice to have some time alone with the baby to bond. I was thinking about maybe keeping him in for 2 or 3 half days a week. But then again, it's going to be winter and I dont' want to have to take the baby and Matthew out in the freezing weather...ugh, tough decisions!!
What would you or what are you going to do?
Re: Those with an older child in daycare...
I'm not sending L to daycare while on maternity leave. I'm lucky in that my mom is off on mondays, so she will come over that day to help out. My MIL doesn't work so I'm sure she'll either come over a day or two a week (she did last time) or we can at least send L to her house if I'm overwhelmed.
I think my 8yo niece is going to hang out with us on her days off of school (#2 is coming around Nov 21 so I'll be off for the holidays) and she can help entertain L. I'll still have to change L's diapers and feed her, of course, but my niece is loves to play with L so I hope that helps ease some guilt about me not playing with her enough.
ETA: L doesn't have a strict routine, though. Now, mym mom wathces her on Monday, she goes to MIL's one or two days a week, and daycare two or three days a week. She's a very flexible and relaxed baby so far, so I don't have to worry too much about switching things up for her.
This exactly! If our DCP will let us do part time and only pay for part time I will do that. I don't want to lose our spot there though, so we'll see. I haven't talked to her about it yet.
This. Though he goes to daycare near where I work which is 40 minutes away so I'll probably drop him off late and pick him up early. Both of the kids will be going to the same daycare once I get back from leave.
This exactly!!
If you can swing the half-day or part-time daycare at least, I think thats your best option. That way your they will still have the routine of going to daycare, but you can also keep him at home and save a little money.
For us, we are going to keep DD in daycare. I *might* do half-day or even have her stay at home with me one day a week so she can also bond with the new baby. But, probably not more that that. DD#1 needs a lot of stimulation and activity and I dont know I will be able to provide that with a newborn.
When I go back to work though, it will be part-time and so, I will at that point keep the babies home when I am not working.
Ditto this, except I don't know that I will have a c/s. She may not stay a full day, but at least most of the day, most of the time, so I can have time to recover and get back in the swing of things with new baby. She does love daycare, too.