Apologies for another D/C post... room transition ?

SavedByLove · June 2012

Hi, I know at times the daycare posts get overwhelming and annoying - I'm sorry to add to it but I have a question I'm hoping some of you may have insight on.

DS will be turning 1 on 6/11 (holy crap, it's been a year?!?!) and thet plan to move him to the next room (12-18 month old babies) on 6/18. He is the only one in his age range not standing (or walking) yet. He is a fierce crawler though. He's also not in the least interested in eating real food. He's stuck on purees and puffs - won't so much as touch any "real" food. Finally, the next room up goes down to one nap, ugh!

I'm concerned that he's just not ready but I don't think I should hold him back too long. We are going on vacation at the end of June so I'm struggling with three options. Just curious what any of your thoughts are:

A) Move him to the next room on 6/18 as planned (I am going to argue for them to keep him on purees instead of move to the cafeteria food)

Wait one week and start him in next room on 6/25. He'd only be in the room for 3 days before vacation (which is 12 days long)

C) Wait until we return from vacation to move to the next room. (My fear with this one is that the shock of leaving mommy and daddy again after 12 days will be bad enough - not to mention a whole new routine)

I suppose there is a 4th option to keep him held back until mid July. But I'm not in love with that either.

Ugh!! Why can't they stay small forever?

Again, any thoughts you'd like to share will be much appreciated!

Fisherman'sWife · June 2012

Have you talked to his teachers to see what they think? They might have good input.

SavedByLove · June 2012

Fisherman'sWife:
Have you talked to his teachers to see what they think? They might have good input.

Yes, on a quick level. They basically just said it was up to me & he didn't have to move yet. I can try again but they didn't seem to want to offer much of an opinion the 1st time around.

SilliRy · June 2012

I would talk to the teachers and/or director more. At our DC the babies don't move up to the one year old room until they are walking well--DD started walking at 11 months but didn't move until almost 14 months. I wouldn't be comfortable with her being in the older room until she was able to walk well-the kids run around and a baby crawling on the floor just doesn't seem safe. And I'd really be unhappy about her going down to 1 nap at just 12 months...it's been a really hard transition for her.

erbear · June 2012

I would leave him in the baby room. If he's the only non-walker, that could be a problem (they don't move kids in C's daycare until they are walking), plus the food issues make him sound like he is not yet ready to move. I'd wait until mid-July.

Abinormal · June 2012

I'd leave him in the baby room with the idea of moving him in mid July. My daughter wasn't walking, ate purees only and was just a bit "immature" (except for language) at the 12 month mark. However, by 14 months, she'd really "caught up" and was pretty much on level with the other 14 month old children in the daycare. She just was a tiny bit of a late bloomer. She actually always has been with gross motor skills and feeding. Everything else she's always been on target or ahead for her age.n

katie4253 · June 2012

I would leave him in the baby room until July, not question about it.

ksyknelvr73 · June 2012

Honestly, I would think the date needs to be pushed back. I can't say for how long though...I think you will know when he is ready.

DS walked early (11 months) and they still didn't move him to the toddler room completely until he was about 13 months old even though he was walking and eating table food. He wasn't ready for one nap (still isn't, but oh well, he manages at DC).

Do they do any type of transitioning before he moves over there 100%? With DS they started transitioning him when he was walking steady and so they'd let him go over to the toddler room for a few hours each day and get familiar with being over there, going outside, eating at a table (and only table food), etc. It would seem like maybe they should do something like this for your LO as well.

Either way, based on what you've described, I don't think he is ready - and I don't think I'd go ahead with the transition yet. I know you said you don't want to wait until July, but I don't think there's any harm in that. It's only a month, right?

waTracy · June 2012

I also agree that he should stay in the infant room. I've been at daycares where they don't move them till they are walking, or the one my kid was in when she turned 1. They moved her up despite her not walking. It was good in the sense that she was mentally ready and beyond infant activities and eating all of their foods already, but with not walking and outside time, it was not good. We decided to go with the transition to her in the toddler room b/c we knew she was bored in the infant room, but I think with your situation, I'd leave the kidlet in the infant room.

laurakaz13 · June 2012

At our daycare babies don't move up until they are walking well, eating solid foods and good with a sippy cup. DD has mastered all these things, so I'm really excited for her transition.

I would not want to move my child if she wasn't walking or eating solids. That's just me though.

shannm · June 2012

I vote A. You will be amazed at how well the transition goes. Really. When DS dropped to one nap, I was convinced he wouldn't be able to handle it. Turns out, he did need that nap. So after outside time in the AM, he would come inside and while the other kids had free play time, he would fall asleep on the mat near the bookshelf and get the quick cat nap he needed. This only lasted a little while and then he was completely ok with the change.

I also wouldn't worry about the walking and eating. He will pick those things up, I bet sooner than you expect!

jllmb79 · June 2012

don't move your LO yet...

My LO was moved into the next room when she had mastered walking/sippy's and solids. Great right...not really she was only 9 months old and they moved her to the next room where they take 1 nap and the next youngest was 14 months. We are at 12 months and the 1 nap is still not working out for her. She really needed that 2nd nap.

groovygrl · June 2012

The food & nap wouldn't be a concern for me b/c I think kids learn from each other & he'll prob just take to the food naturally (he'll be hungry...) and the nap thing is what it is & is standard pretty much at all facilities in the 1 yr old room & most kids adjust very quickly (including my terrible sleepers)..

The walking thing- I would wait until he is at least cruising pretty well but prob would try to put it off a little if he is not cruising and all the other kids are fully walking. My DD wasn't totally walking great at the transition (but was walking) but quickly caught up within about 2 weeks in there but the first week or so I was a little stressed b/c I saw the other kids doing so much on the playground & around the room & she was not able to do it all...so I think there is good motivation if walking is close but I wouldn't want it to be too far off & have LO get frustrated & not be able to participate & be as active as the others

DoughGirl · June 2012

You should do what you're comfortable with but just for arguments sake-

My DS was held back in the infant room until he could walk. That didn't happen until 16 months. He didn't have any delays, just a late walker. Once he was moved, in a matter of 2-3 weeks, he was running, using a cup and doing everything that the older babies were doing.

SavedByLove · June 2012

Thanks everyone! It's nice to get the opinions of others! :-)

alstumb@gmail.com · June 2012

My son is only 8 months old, but I teach in a toddler room (12-24 months), so I figured my insight couldn't hurt.

Honestly, not walking would be the least of my concerns. I've had at least 10 kids in my room in the past 3.5 years that haven't walked yet...it's never been a big issue, even outside. We have to help them get outside/inside sometimes, but typically they will crawl. Also, being in a room with other kids who are all walking can be beneficial in motivating them to learn.

I completely understand the worry about one nap, from a parent's point of view. My son had to start taking 2 naps a day in his new, older infant room and I would have thought there was no way it would happen...he typically only naps 30 minutes at a time. But he's getting there! And I have honestly never had a toddler in my room who couldn't handle the one nap schedule.

Honestly, the food would be my biggest concern, as a teacher. In my room, the kids sit in chairs at a table and feed themselves. Lunch is provided, so they all eat the same thing, unless they have a doctor's note. Would your son be able to feed himself? It can be very difficult for a teacher to feed a child in the infant room, at least in my center...we've tried and sometimes the other kids will whine for us to feed the , or they'll try and grab at any food that is different. We are also doing other things (giving more food, refilling sippies, getting out cots) while they are eating, so there isn't really time to be sitting down feeding anyone.

Obviously, I would try and talk to the teachers again, but I wouldn't push him up too soon if they think feeding may be an issue. Good luck!

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