Daycare struggles

stlmomma27 · September 2014

Is your child in daycare?

How do they like it?

How long have they been going?

Was it hard for you to transition, if you were a stay at home mom for sometime?

alrighthamilton · September 2014

No advice here, but I'm curious to see responses. I'm only slightly considering increasing my hours, meaning we may need daycare one or two days a week. My husband is dead set against daycare at this age, and I don't necessarily want to work more, but I'd still like to read others opinions.

vvvvvfee · September 2014

Yes, DS has been in F/T daycare since he was 12 weeks old. he didn't have any trouble as an infant, but we unexpectedly had to switch daycares when he was 14 months old, and that was a tough transition for him. he has also had phases of clinginess/separation anxiety. he does like it there, it's just drop-off can be a little hard for him sometimes. he is starting to make friends now, and he gets tons of outdoor playtime. i was never a SAHM, so no transition for me. i think if you're starting your kid in daycare for the first time now, it should be relatively easy, particularly if they're not going f/t. i think they will enjoy the socialization and change in activities.

Beevol · September 2014

We transitioned DD to daycare this past summer at 22 months. Before that she had been watched by my mom. I was really worried about the transition, but she loves it. We talked about how she would be going to school soon and what that would mean in regards to the changes in her routine for weeks before she actually went, to get her excited about it and used to the idea.

She's been in for about three months now and looks forward to going to school on Monday mornings to see her friends and her teachers. I've loved seeing how well she's learned to share and take turns etc. It really helps that we had the time to shop around and find a daycare center that we really like and that is very conveniently located. The hardest transition has been financial; daycare in my area costs ~$1,200/month (plus or minus $200, though the biggest place that's really popular is more like $1,500).

cedenton · September 2014

stlmomma27 said:

Is your child in daycare?
Yes

How do they like it?
Loves it. Talks about his friends all the time.

How long have they been going?
Started at 6 wks old, switched to a nanny because of his severe reflux, switched back to the same daycare at 6 months old, and switched daycares at 14 months old.

Was it hard for you to transition, if you were a stay at home mom for sometime?
I was never a SAHM and I was DYING to go back to work at the 6 week mark. I'm not a newborn person. I will say that I do have days NOW that he's more fun and sleeps later where I wish I could stay home part time, but that will never happen. I make way more $ than DH.

PaisleyRuth · September 2014

Both kids were in daycare from Jan-Aug of this year, 2 days a week. Now they've switched to preschool (half days) 5 days a week.

They both liked daycare fine, but I think they like preschool even more. DD's teacher tells me every day how smiley and good she is (funny, she's a raging lunatic at home, but whatever). DS (3.5) is old enough to tell me more about it, which is fun to hear.

It was not a hard transition for me because I was pulling my hair out with the 2 of them at home and just desperate for a break. I had been at home full time since my A12er was born (worked PT and swapped childcare with a friend when it was just DS before that). Preschool is way cheaper than PT daycare (for the same number of hrs - 20/wk - I went from $1100 to $500!) so I love that too.

sdlaura · September 2014

My kids have each been in daycare full time since they were 16 weeks old, and they're both happy, healthy kids who enjoy going. They go to an in-home near our house with a few other kids and spend a lot of time playing outside in the backyard. I was never a SAHM (I have no desire to be one), so we didn't have to deal with any transition.

I am thinking that we'll probably switch DD to more of a structured preschool environment next fall after she turns 3 so that she gets some more learning opportunities, and I'm already dreading having to tour preschools and deal with two separate drop-offs and pick-ups everyday.

brandyleighxx · September 2014

Ds has been in daycare since 7 weeks old. He goes 4 days per week 7:45-4:45. I think he likes it. He gets to eat, play inside and outside, and have nap time. He's very sociable and learning. Thanks to them he can say his abc's, count to 10 and knows a few colors.

Toni79 · November 2014

Is your child in daycare?

Yes.

How do they like it?

Loves it!

How long have they been going?

Started when she was about 18 months old.

Was it hard for you to transition, if you were a stay at home mom for sometime?

I was not a SAHM, although I despiratly wanted to be (and still want to be!) So just the fact that I HAVE to go to work while someone else watches her has ached me!

After DD was born, I took off 4 months. DH took off two weeks at the begining and then he took off 2 more months after I returned to work. So DD was home with one of us for the first 6 months. Then my cousin (who is a stay at home mom) watched DD until DD was about 19 months. At about 20 months we switched her to a DC center. (We had a month with no coverage, so DH and I took some time off and the grand-paretns also took a few days here and there to help out!)

We read lots of books about "school" to prepair her. And we took her there for a few hours a day for 1.5 weeks just to get her used to the teachers and friends. She loved visitng. But the day we left her there was a whole differant story. The first 2 weeks were rough. She cried when we left. Then when other kids parents would start showing up to pick up her friends she'd cry that it wasn't her mom or dad. It was a tough 2 weeks. But her teachers were great and comforting. After that inital shock, she LOVED LOVED LOVED going! Talks about her friends and her teachers ALL THE TIME! She was only in that room for about 4 months before transitioning into the 2 yr old room in Aug. But according to her teachers, DD was one of the easiest transitions they've had! Whoop-Whoop!

It been hard on me, having less control over things. But all in all its been a good thing. She has learned so much (ABC's, couting to 11 or higher, lots of colors shapes, songs, games, playing and socialising with other kids her age!) I also like that her school does an assesment every 6 months to let you know how your child is doing (fine and gross motor skills, social and emotional development, academics, etc).

Recently though DD has been asking for "Family Days". I don't think its that she does not like school. But I think that she misses us and wants to do somethign special. In the summer we took her to the petting zoo alot when we had family days (weekends). So sometimes she'll ask for a family day and animals. LOL!

Daycare struggles

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