Anyone do two drop-offs? - Thinking way ahead

skibunny59 · June 2014

Hi Ladies,

DD is 2 and I am pregnant with #2 due early December. I am a teacher so I am taking the rest of the school year off and starting fresh the following September. By the time I go back, DD will be 3 1/2 and the baby will be about 9 months. Right now my mom watches DD fulltime and MIL occasionally does one day a week. When I go back I would love to put DD in a daycare program 3 days per week. DH is off every other Friday so I was thinking my mom could have both kids Fridays that DH is working and one other day during the week. I don't think I'll be quite ready to put the baby in daycare so I was going to have my mom watch him/her fulltime and then put him/her in daycare the following school year (I guess he/she will be about 2 at that time). Problem is, that means I'll be doing two drop offs (baby at my mom's, DD at daycare) 3 days per week. It's hectic just getting DD out the door now and dropping her off at my mom's. I'm usually running late to work. I start early so I have to be out the door by 7:15 every morning. It is tough. I don't know how this is going to work. I know another teacher who does this but he doesn't have to be in quite as early as me (I actually teach a class before school so my day starts a little earlier than everyone else's).

I've thought about putting the baby in daycare the same three days as DD but I just really loved having my mom when DD was that little. I loved the one on one time she got and I would like the baby to have that too.

I didn't include MIL in the equation because I'm not sure about her.

TheBorg7of9 · June 2014

Can you ask your mom to pick up the kids and drop off DD at daycare?

jf198400 · June 2014

Doing two dropoffs does sound hectic. Would it be possible to drop both kids at your moms and then have her take DD to preschool? If you are looking at a PT program rather than a DC center, most don't start until 9am anyways. Or could your mom come to you so that you only have to drop off DD?

The other thing I wanted to say is I understand where you're coming from b/c my mom watched both of my kids when they were little. But once DS got mobile it was becoming too much for her, so I put both kids in DC. DS was 8months old when he started. I would have liked to have him at home a little longer, but honestly he did great starting school at that age. I think 9 months would be fine for DC especially if it's only PT.

ccam · June 2014

Can your DH do one or the other?

skibunny59 · June 2014

ccam said:

Can your DH do one or the other?

No. DH leaves for work at 4:45AM and doesn't get home until 5:30. I leave at 7:15-7:20 in the morning and I leave work at 2:30.

I'm also thinking if I can find a good preschool or daycare program close to my mom's house, maybe she can meet me there and take the baby. I don't mind picking up at two places, I just think dropping off with the morning rush is going to be stressful.

Mustardseed2007 · June 2014

We do it at 2 centers. DS's school is 18months - 8th grade and we really love it. So he's there and DD is at another center nearby since she's not old enough to go.

It works b/c they aren't far apart. But DS's school has a drop off lane - which I posted about before that I really was unsure whether I really liked the idea of using it...but now that we have 2 kids going to 2 different daycares it's really helpful to be able to use the drop off lane in the morning and then just drive on to the 2nd daycare down the street.

I drop off and then DH gets off at 4:30 and picks them both up. Pick up is actually harder for us b/c there isn't a "pick up lane" at that time, and bc time is more of the essence at pick up since we want to be there before 6 and traffic is always bad, but turns to absolute murder if there is an accident or something. I'm glad DH does that half and not me.

litzo27 · June 2014

Assuming the center is not terribly far away from your moms I think you'll be able to adjust to doing that ok. I imagine you'll have most things the baby needs at your moms anyway so you don't really need to pack much except for pumped milk if you BF. Then just ask you mom to meet you as you pull up so you don't have to unload the older child and she can just take the bucket sit and you can keep going to preschool. And, you probably do it anyway, but I would pack all your things and DD things the night before and have outfits for you and for both picked out and ready.

shannm · June 2014

Yes, we have two drop offs. For the past year, DH was able to handle most of one. However, starting next week, I will do all drop offs and pick ups. We have moved DD to a different location to make this a bit easier. I anticipate leaving at 7:10, dropping DS off at 7:30, the DD at 7:45, then to work by 8:10. Reversed in the PM but add thirty minutes bc of traffic.

Pips09 · June 2014

I would do many things to avoid having two drop offs.

itsmevkb · June 2014

Ahhhh, welcome to my world. Four kids, two to school, two to the babysitter's house and we leave the house no later than 7:20. It is hectic, some days more than others, but it's not THAT bad. Honestly, more than the drop offs I hate that there are two pick-ups. It just makes us get home later.

Next year we'll actually have three. Ugh. Our little guy is going to a different school than the older two. Clearly I wasn't thinking when I made that decision!

If there's a way to work things out where you wouldn't need to do two then that would be great, but if you end up having to do them, just know it all works out.

jlaOK · June 2014

I agree with @litzo27 that I'd drop off the baby first and have your mom meet you outside that way you don't have to get DD out of her seat. That would make things much easier.

litzo27 · June 2014

I forgot to add: eventually you may have 2 drop off anyway when DD goes to school. DH does 2 drop offs and I do 2 pick ups and it's ok.

emberlee3 · June 2014

litzo27 said:
I forgot to add: eventually you may have 2 drop off anyway when DD goes to school. DH does 2 drop offs and I do 2 pick ups and it's ok.

This. We are sparing ourselves two drop offs next year by getting a nanny for DD. When she's three, she will go back to preschool, and we will have two drop offs.

We leave the house every morning at 6:45 with both kids. Since you're on your own in the morning, it will really help to get everything ready the night before. And get up 10 minutes earlier than you think you need to.

yeah. · June 2014

I have done two dropoffs for the last 3 years and it SUCKS. I am late every day, since neither daycare opens until 7:30 and I'm supposed to be at work at 7:50. Can't be done. They will be at the same school next year and I can't wait.

*sparky* · June 2014

I got a nanny to avoid having to do two drop offs and two pick ups. Summer is even more complicated than the school year because DD's camps are all over the place. But part of my issue was there are not a lot of choices around here and I could not find a DC that was on the way to DS's school and/or my drive to work. So any place I found was just adding to my already long commute.

I would look for a DC that is convenient to your mom's house and/or have your mom come to you the days your older one is in DC. Also keep as much stuff as possible at your mom's so you have less to pack up each day. And like the others said have your mom meet you outside.

cecilyandgautam · June 2014

Following. We'll be in the same boat in the fall, unless an infant spot magically opens up a year early at DD's preschool.

kmh2201 · June 2014

DH did two drop-offs this past year. We put DS in a preschool across the street from where DH works, so he would take DD to daycare first, then drop DS at preschool. DH will have two drop-offs and I'll have two pick-ups once DS starts school this Fall. Luckily, school is one mile down the road from our DCP, but I'm still anticipating about an extra 10-15 minutes the the additional drop-off/pick-up.

Can your mom watch your new LO at your house? That would eliminate one of the drop-offs for you, and you don't have to pack a bag for that LO.

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