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Working Moms
financialdiva
member
Advice about the infant room at daycare
financialdiva
member
in Working Moms
We have been at our current center for almost 1.5 years now (DS was at another center for the first year) and have been really happy with everything and DS is very well cared for and thriving.
The plan is to put this LO at the same center. I've been taking a few minutes each day for the last couple of weeks when I pick up (at 5pm) to glance into the infant room (it's right off the lobby when you walk in) and see what the teachers are doing. There are usually only a few babies in the room and the teacher is never engaging them or doing activities. The babies are usually sitting in the swing/bouncer, jumparoo thing, playing on the floor or sleeping in their crib and the teacher is cleaning up for the day. Or I have seen her holding a baby while feeding them in the chair kind of staring off into space, looking bored and not really talking to the other kids in the room.
Now, they aren't crying, they aren't fussing, and everything is totally under control in the room. I'm just a little bothered that all I see is the teacher not really engaging the kids or doing activities.
Please tell me it's my pregnancy hormones and I'm totally overreacting. It's b/c it's 5pm and she wants to go home right?? I'm worrying for nothing and maybe I just need to drop in during the day sometime and spend some time hanging out.
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Re: Advice about the infant room at daycare
Next time look at the walls of the room. Is there artwork? The teachers would have to interact w/ the LO's and help with the artwork. What is the age of the infant room? I can imagine there is not much teacher/infant play time until 3-6 mo when they can hold their heads up a little more. I'm thinking of my own children and either held them, laid them in the swing on did tummy time the first few months.
I would also try to visit during the day, pick up time the teachers may be busy washing bottles, engaging w/ parents,etc....
What's the infant room like at drop off? Or can you pop in in the middle of the day (would be totally normal, if you are touring the school before you place your new LO). Are the teachers a little more engaged? Ask them what the "curriculum" is during the day in that room.
By the end of the day, I remember DD as an infant just liked a little quiet zone-out time. She had been stimulated all day with music, other babies, art projects, story time, toys, etc. If all the babies seemed content, I wouldn't be too worried.
Good point! I'll check to see if there is artwork. The room is 6 weeks-12 months. I really think I'm just going to have to see what it's like during the day.
I think at the end of the day it's not as interactive as far as activities go. Usually when I pick L up they are doing the final feedings for some, it's diaper changing, parents are coming in and out, so it's kind of a more busy time. If you can go during the day or ask what type of things they do during the day that will probably answer some of your questions. L does painting/artwork, storytime, music, they work on their motor skills, tummy time, sign language so they are usually always doing something. I notice the morning is kind of the same way as the evening. They are just kind of trying to keep everyone happy as parents come in, asking questions.
I'm only a few weeks into this, but based on the centers we toured it seemed that most had a curriculum or a theme for the week. For instance, one week at our center was "birds" so they sang songs about, did sign language and painted pictures of birds. I would ask about that. Also ask about how much time they spend in bouncers/swings/etc. on average.
One center we toured didn't have any swings/bouncers/chairs at all, so the babies were just on the floor the whole time. I am still undecided if that's better or not...
I think the age of the baby matters, too. Our center also follows our feeding schedule, so I can only imagine how difficult it can be some days to keep all the babies on different schedules without some of them ending up in a chair.
Boy/girl twins born at 37w1d and 37w2d
Another good point. I'll ask them about their cirriculum and schedule/routine. How they do diapers/feeding, etc. I definitely need to drop by during the day.
See? Definitely pregnancy hormones! LOL.
BFP #2 4/13/10. Bridget born 12/28/10
BFP #3 Finn born 8/11/15
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Ditto PPs suggestions to visit in the middle of the day. Drop-offs and pick-ups are always chaotic at our center and the teachers are scrambling to talk with parents, comfort kids who have separation anxiety, feed/diaper, and fill out daily charts. I used to drop in during the day to nurse on days when I worked from home, and after 9ish, everything got nice and calm in the room and everyone settled into some sort of routine- they did engage the babies with rattles and balls, music, mirrors, etc.
Also, I think the teachers are drained at the end of the day---keeping up with a room full of infants is exhausting, and I think by the time 5 o'clock rolls around, everyone is ready to go home and crash.