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I started DS1 at his first daycare at 16 months. We did a few introductory playdates and they did NOT go well. He just sat in my lap and cried the entire time. The actual first day he cried but the caretaker called my husband 10 minutes later to say he stopped crying and was fine. Our caretakers said that its actually harder on the kids when you are around, so when he started his new preschool in September, I hung out for a little bit, said bye, and left. I heard him howling from the parking lot that first day and he cried at drop off for about 2 weeks (so like 10 days total), but was apparently just fine after a few minutes. He'd never slept on a nap mat before but acclimated just fine - between all the other kids sleeping, being stressed out from the new environment, and having a teacher sitting in the room enforcing the sleep rule, he passed out pretty quickly.

There's not much you can do about the illness thing. Its just going to be a tough 6-ish months. I have DS on a multivitamin, probiotic, DHA, and an immunity/zinc vitamin every day, he eats lots of yogurt and immune boosting fruit like berries and clementines, and we enforce lots of hand washing at home (and daycare is good about it too). We wipe his face and hands like as we're loading him up in the car too. He started daycare in January and was sick nonstop until June when he finally had ear tube surgery. Since he started preschool in September, he's only been sent home since once and then we kept him out for about a week for HMF.

I'd have a sitter on file for sick days. We had one that we used those first 6 months because he was out sick so much.

Echoing other posters, it was also 2 weeks of crying for DS at his centre. Quick handoff is essential. Now, 8 months on, he runs in and loves it so much. It's rough, but will pass.

We did a half day when I was there to get to know their routine, then the next day half day without me (our choice to stay or not) and then a full day onwards. He did great! No real issues. They schedule the day so they are quite hungry for snack/lunch, sleepy for nap, etc. as they are so busy so the kids just go along without much fuss. He did have a couple days getting off his cot at nap but they just keep putting him back on and he sleeps consistently well there. I was actually amazed at how well they corral them all at 18 months. The kids thrive on the routine and know what comes next in a very short amount of time.

Sickness is inevitable. All we did was flu shots, try to eat well, wash hands. He was sick all the time and so was I. Now at 2, it's spaced out and I haven't gotten sick from him in a bit so our immunity is building.

Our teachers are great at giving a run down of the day and they fill out a book with details every day so I feel like things are going well. It's a little hard when there's subs but that's rare. Every staff member knows him and us so it's a friendly and professional group. I never called to see how he was but at first i would take time to ask specifically how his day was for my own peace of mind and to know if there was anything I could help him with. They also had us fill out a big questionnaire about his likes and dislikes and personality, so the teachers could get to know him easier.

Following! We'll be in a similar situation.

We try to wash her hands (or at least use a wipe) after pick up. Its kind of unavoidable though

I wouldn't use antibacterial wipes. It leads to resistance and soap and water is more effective and less drying. What we do about illness is wash his hands when he gets home and a bath every night. A balanced diet helps. We've had a crazy rough cold season here (my dad was in bed for a week and previously only used one sick day in a 35 year career to give you and idea. I used my second sick day in 10 years). What has helped is to keep him drinking tons of fluids, feeding him vitamin c (applesauce), and keeping a consistent sleep schedule. He's been out four times-- a cold, roseola, an upper respiratory infection, and then another one. We don't have backup care, but do have flexible schedules. I have my husband work 6-2 and I work 2-8 when he's sick. 2 hours of leave is much easier than a full day