Daycare

[lukaelmo]

I was just reading another childcare thread, and didn't want to take over so thought I might start another one for me :D.

Luka is 17 months now, and is super social, loves being around people and is very happy to go off with whoever, doesn't need to be with mum or dad.

DP and I were just talking today about perhaps putting him in daycare one morning/day a week, not for us, but for him.

I have read before about it being better not to have a child in daycare before the age of two, but I don't remember why.

I'd love to hear your opinions/experiences, both positive and negative on bubbas in childcare.

As I mentioned, it isn't because we need the time off, it would really be just for him, so I don't mind hearing negative opinions...

Plus I am chicken to leave him :o ... I have my own separation anxiety :D.

[Percy]

Hi Ali

My situation is a liitle different, I have not been well recently and needed a day or two to attend hopsital during the week. Anyways, we decided to put DS into daycare for this and i am really happy we did.

I have noticed a huge change in his behaviour and social skills, and its all for the better. He has become alot more confident, and really seems to be loving it. He gets so excited when i drop him off and he has a great relationship with his carer.

In my experience it was the best decision for us.

Good luck with your decision.

[melfunction]

We are deliberating this issue too and have similar reasons.

We think that IF we put K into daycare once a week before treasure number 2 arrives, then he has something special just for him..I would rather not do it after baby arrives in case K thinks we don't want him around. Probably really dumb, but I seriously don't want him to feel put out.

In saying that, I have massive trust issues and can't leave him with anyone else longer than 15 mins without getting panicky :o

[oscarsmilkbar]

Hi Ali

I too had and still do a very social male butterfly :thumbsup:

We decided to look into Family Daycare through our local council and after umming and arring we put DS's name down and only 2 weeks later we got the call!

We were doing it for DS not ourselves as well. Well we all haven't looked back! That was September and DS cannot wait to go to daycare and spend the day with his friends and carer.

The carer's home is on the way to my mothers and he always points out her home asking to go there when it is not the correct day!!!!

We are so happy and DS is such a social and happy boy there. He has improved with language and music and I love knowing that he is looked after so well with only 5 other children in her care in a big house with lots of activities on the council daycare curriculum!!

Hope this helps.

[lukaelmo]

Hey Jake's mum,

I'm sorry to hear you haven't been well, I hope things are looking better for you...

It's great that Jake is enjoying daycare.

I keep thinking that Luka will do all sorts of things there that wouldn't occur to me to do with him here at home...

But then I worry about what happens if he falls over and cries... who is going to pick him up then? Cripes, what if he wants his mum?

Lol, it is me with the problem, not him :laughing:.

[draught]

Ali
All the research I have read says that children under two do not "need" childcare for socialising etc and recommend that if your reason for looking at childcare is only for that reason then finding a playgroup or other activity like that is much better for your child. There is a body of research that says that long day care for children under 2 causes all sorts of dramas....but I am embaressed to admit that I can't remember exactly what the dramas are.

Personally, I put my DD2 into day care for one day a week while I was working when I had nanny dramas - and after three weeks I stopped and found a new nanny instead. DD1 who was three loved it, but DD2, who wasn't quite 2 years old and is a social, confident, very advanced young person hated it and screamed when I left her and didn't stop crying when I was gone. People kept saying that she would get used to it and I should stick it out but I figured that at 1 year of age she shouldn't have to get used to that level of distress if I had another option - so I took the other option. Many people will come on and tell you how wonderful childcare has been for their child etc but that was my experience.

[lukaelmo]

I would rather not do it after baby arrives in case K thinks we don't want him around. Probably really dumb, but I seriously don't want him to feel put out.

In saying that, I have massive trust issues and can't leave him with anyone else longer than 15 mins without getting panicky :o

I feel exactly like this... I have only really left Luka with DP, my or DP's mum... but a stranger... ummmm am just not sure...

[melfunction]

I feel exactly like this... I have only really left Luka with DP, my or DP's mum... but a stranger... ummmm am just not sure...


Yes, I don't care what qualifications they may have, they don't know my child the way I do. BUT, I will have to leave him sometime :thumbsdown:

[lukaelmo]

Ali
All the research I have read says that children under two do not "need" childcare for socialising etc and recommend that if your reason for looking at childcare is only for that reason then finding a playgroup or other activity like that is much better for your child.

Thanks T, I knew I had read something like that somewhere... I guess I watch him play with his little cousins and he laughs and has so much fun, that I think that he would really benefit from more interaction with other little people...

It sounds awful, but I have tried a few playgroups now, and find them so boring I want to top myself...

All the mothers seem to want to talk about is BABIES!!! I have one, I am about to have another, I don't want to talk about them too!

[lukaelmo]

We are so happy and DS is such a social and happy boy there. He has improved with language and music and I love knowing that he is looked after so well with only 5 other children in her care in a big house with lots of activities on the council daycare curriculum!!

Hope this helps.

Hey Sarah... do you think that this kind of daycare is very different from a centre, where I presume there will be lots of carers and I guess lots more children too?

[draught]

There are some playgroups run in conjunction with TAFE colleges that have the students doing all the interacting with kids while the parents sit and have coffee or read a book - that might be the solution for you - you are there but someone else does the playing and you get a break! I think that Kelvin Grove has one that is highly recommended. The idea is that it gives the students practise with little people - but would deal with your trust issues very well!!

[Percy]

[QUOTE=lukaelmo;940718]I keep thinking that Luka will do all sorts of things there that wouldn't occur to me to do with him here at home...

But then I worry about what happens if he falls over and cries... who is going to pick him up then? Cripes, what if he wants his mum?

QUOTE]

Some of the things they think to do with the kids at daycare amaze me! I think the biggest difference is, there are other kids doing it too.

As for the wanting his mummy problem, i have found that jake has become really attached to his carer and she is always been able to console him. However, on the occasions that she cant they always ring to ask if i want to come and get him. Nine times out of ten, he is over it by the time i get there!

[lukaelmo]

There are some playgroups run in conjunction with TAFE colleges that have the students doing all the interacting with kids while the parents sit and have coffee or read a book - that might be the solution for you - you are there but someone else does the playing and you get a break! I think that Kelvin Grove has one that is highly recommended. The idea is that it gives the students practise with little people - but would deal with your trust issues very well!!

Thus gently easing me into separation hey :laughing:...

Actually, that sounds ideal T, I do get a great deal of pleasure from watching my little person have fun, and I live very near Kelvin Grove...

Ooo I am liking this... are you coming Mel?

[melfunction]

Ooo I am liking this... are you coming Mel?

I dunno yet Ali....my trust issues need a bit more work yet. I could get really mean if something happened to K while he was in their care..

Just don't know - yet

[Mariposa]

when brianna went into kindy (age 3) i had so much trouble with her, she cried everytime i dropped her off, but situation wise i had to do it. working etc etc no one else to look after her.

but with natalia she started at 15mths - i had alot of problems with this myself as i had the whole "shes too young" "shes my baby" and yes i cried! but she absolutely loved it. and still does.

[Olivia4001]

Is there a community playgroup or a church playgroup near you? This allows children just to got for a few hours to socialise and parents to stay and socialise with other parents.

[oscarsmilkbar]

Hi again Ali

Well I went for the family daycare in the end after a lot of research into child/daycare. The reason was that it was such a small family group and felt like home. Oscar gets plenty of attention from his carer.

I didn't like the big childcare centres where I felt Oscar would be just another number. (am sure there are great centres out there that bubhubbers use by the way...just my personal opinion for my own boy).

She only has a few to look after and they are all around the same age group and play SO well together. It is in a family home environment and they do arts and crafts, dance, play music, read, play with toys, play outside etc.

They sit down together for morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea and talk..it's very cute!!!...

In saying all this, I did have a thorough interview with our carer and spend some time with her, Oscar and the others to make sure myself and Oscar felt comfortable with everything...I was the crying mess when I left...Oscar only cried the first 2 weeks when I left (me about the first 4 :) ) and now can't wait to get in that door!!!

I even said tonight when I tucked Oscar into bed "guess where we're going tomorrow" and he replied "marcella's house" and I said no, that will be next week (daycare holidays) an he said "oh no" !!....made me laugh after I shut his bedroom door!

[Trumpet]

Our son is the same and he was getting so bored with me so we put him in childcare for 1 day a week and then 2 days when my DD was born in October to give me some time to adjust and sleep in the new year he drops back down to 1 day to be lookd at again if I decide to work from home.

It is great for interraction with other kids but the hardest thing for me was he got sick every time he went then just get over it by the next week and we would start all over again. He has been going since September and it is only now getting better and he seems to be less affected by colds.

[spring]

I'v been looking into all the pros & cons myself & came across www.daycaresdontcare.org/WorkersSay/DayCareWorkersSay_page_1.htm
:confused:

I still havn't decided what I want to do myself but I was interested to read it so I thought you might be too.

[Zada]

Zara started day care full time when she was 6 months old cos i went to work for a bit...she absolutly loved it and i think she has learnt sooo much from it..When i stopped working i kept her in one day a week for the social aspect i dont know any mums around here even when we moved house 3 months ago or so i put her in a new centre for one day.

[MissieK]

DS1 was 18 months & DS2 was 14 months when they went to Family Day Care - this was a mental health break for me as I wasn't coping with life & needed a break. The boys love it.

I understand how you feel about playgroups! I get together with some other friends & we have a chat about anything but while the kids play :) Do you have some friends you can do this with, or maybe some other bub hubbers nearby?

Melissa