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August 2011 Moms
homediva
member
Daycare 1x a week
homediva
member
Hi Mamas!
I posted about this a while ago on the SAHM board but I'm still not decided! Do any of you send your LO to daycare once a week? I am thinking about doing it so I can have one day to work on my freelance assignments, grocery shop, and make appts, etc. I brought him for a trial last week but I was worried! He did OK but I saw him upset on the video feed (dangerous) and I went and got him (he stayed about 2 hours)!!
Do you think going only once a week would be too confusing/disruptive to his schedule? Or do you think he would thrive by being with other kids and in a fun new environment once a week? Would love your opinions!!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Daycare 1x a week
I nanny two boys (from different families) a couple times a week. One boy, 13 months old, is here once a week from 9 to 3 every Friday. He loves it. He is active/walking, naps great, takes bottles and solids, and plays really well with my LO. The other boy is 7 months old, still isn't sitting up on his own, hates to be on his tummy, has some health issues, wont take a bottle, and refuses to nap. He is usually here a couple times a week, for 2-3 hrs.
I think it really depends on your child. With the two I are for, the older baby has done really well, and is happy and well adjusted. The other baby is a little frustrating, but mostly because his mother does very little to help him adjust, and doesn't seem to notice that her baby isn't really easy to care for, due to him being behind his milestones. It's hard to be his caretaker.
I think that if your baby eats well, likes to play, is hitting his milestones and is generally a happy baby with little/no health issues, there is no reason that once a week daycare wouldn't be beneficial for him. Socialization is fantastic for babies, and I think it helps them be more well-rounded children.
I have also been considering whether or not to do something like this. We don't have a ton of mom/kid friends yet (I'm working on getting out and meeting new people), so to date, DD has had minimal interaction with other kids. But at a lot of summer activities, I have gotten to see how much DD just LOVES being around other kids. Also, DH and I very rarely leave her with a babysitter, so I think she may benefit from spending time in the care of someone other than the two of us. I SAH and DH works at home, so she is with both of us 24/7. I'm starting to think regular exposure to some other people might be good stimulation for her.
However, I wouldn't be considering it if she wasn't very social and outgoing, eating solids like a champ, and mobile. As for her schedule, she has been pretty flexible between 1 to 2 naps, depending on what we're doing for the day. Again, I think this also has a lot to do with her temperament. If your little guy is past the super clingy stage and you can work it into your budget, I'd say it would be a win-win for both of you to try one day a week and see how it goes
DS goes 1-2 times a week so I can do my consulting work and get stuff done. I think it's made a big difference in how he interacts with others, both adults and children. He's much more comfortable in new surroundings then before we started going. Of course, it could have been natural development, but it makes me feel better about leaving him.
I think it's a great idea for both of you. It definitely was for us.
Thanks so much for your input Mamas, I really appreciate it! It sounds like he would be a good candidate as he is healthy, a good eater, and likes to socialize. We do get out on a lot of playdates but I think it would be good for him!! I am going to try it starting in mid-August.
We are lucky in that my husband's work gives us a great deal with a local daycare, so for 15 days it is only $375! I can choose any days I want too and just have to call in the morning. But I think for the sake of consistency I will go for the same day each week.