Our daycare offers a week of transition time, if we choose. It would be 2 days of 1 hour each, 2 half days and 1 full day. Did yours offer anything similar? Is it worth it? Our friends who use the same daycare only did one day before. We will be out of town the Thursday and Friday before she starts so if I did all 5 days, it would be spread out over 2 weeks.
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With DD1 we used a center and there was no transition time and she did perfectly fine. With DD2 we moved to a home daycare that required a week transition, very similar to what you listed. That also was fine, but it annoyed me that I had to pay for a week of daycare and have the girls in daycare the last week of my leave.
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Nope, we just went all in at 13/14 weeks of age. Both of mine adjusted quickly at that age. I'm more worried about E transitioning to preschool at almost 3.
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DS was 5 months and we went straight to FT- he did fantastic!
DD was 15 months so I took her the Friday before she started (when I was dropping off DS) and had her meet the teacher and we played in the classroom for about 30 mins - she cried everyday at drop off for 3 weeks.
The younger they are the better they transition I think!
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Our center does that when they transition a child into the next classroom. I think it helps esp. for an older baby.
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We did several visits and then one short day (like 9:30-3:30). Then she was full time.
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Ours did this (they officially said the transition time was a week), but she was able to go full time within 3 days. I think she did 1 hr the first day, 4 hours the next day, then 7 hours the 3rd day. Maybe you could do an abbreviated transition as well. I liked having the transition because it made it easier for me to end my maternity leave over a few days instead of abruptly.
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A transition week or even 2 is very common and even expected here. I did it with both of my LOs. About 1.5 weeks with each.
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@catlady: That would probably be my plan if we just did 3 days since it'll all be one week. Part of it is to help me transition to get ready and out of the house with her!
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We did a half day right before she started and the half day went awful. I mean they called me to pick her up early because she was HYSTERICAL. It made me terrified to go back to work. The next day, her first full day, she was a perfect angel. So I don't know if it was good or bad!
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I think age plays a role in this.
My son was 12 weeks when he first went and, candidly, couldn't have cared less. He didn't really have the concept of object permanence and was thrilled to see me when I came to get him, but ultimately he was a love the one your with kind of guy.
He's now almost 13 months and we are changing programs. He's struggling with separation anxiety / stranger danger. I think in that case, a transition period would definitely help.
I do agree, though, that the transition period would probably help you with doing some "dry runs" of getting everything worked out in your mind in how to orchestrate the glamorousness that is getting out the door with a baby.
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@LBee: Yep, I think it's more so for me than her!
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We did that, but a) we didn't have to pay for it and b) I'm Canadian so my son was a year old when he started. The first day I stayed with him for an hour or so, then the next I dropped him off for an hour, then 2 hours, a half day, and a whole day. I thought it really helped.
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I think for infants, it probably doesn't matter a whole lot. It's what you are more comfortable with.
For toddlers and older, I think it sounds like a good idea. My LO really struggled and I would have liked to have done more of an ease-in but that was not an option until it was too late.
She was going 2 days per week and we ended up doing 3 days for a while to accelerate the adjustment. I think consecutive, shorter days would be ideal, with them gradually lengthening.
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Our daycare does this, spread over 5 days. I think it helps a lot!
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How old is your LO? Three months? I wouldn't do it if that was the case. Babes at that age do really well with daycare.
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@sapphire: Yes. She'll be 12 weeks when she starts. I'm considering it partially for my own transition but also to learn how much she'll need in bottles and whatnot too.
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DD had two mornings the week before we sent her full time. It helped make the transition smoother for both of us!
ETA: She was a year old, though. At 3 months I might have skipped it
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As an infant, I think you're right--the transition days are more for you than her! Are you still pumping/nursing? Might be nice to get a feel for how that will go, so it couldn't hurt to do the ease-in transition.
ETA: I was TOTALLY freaked out about sending my LO--and it went just fine. She completely loves it now! Q will do great, and so will you!
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I did 1 day a week for three weeks (right before Christmas break) then went straight in to ft at 16 weeks with no issues!
By the first month DD was reaching for the teachers in the morning and so ready to go!!!
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@mfa_lady: Yes, still nursing and pumping overnight. So I have no clue how that'll go with work and daycare!!
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@LindsayInNY: could be reasonable but I'm more of a pull of the Baid-aid fast kind of person! I started by sending one extra bottle than I felt like she could possibly need. And gave myself lots of extra time getting out the door. I also spent about 10 mins there with her getting adjusted the first couple days.
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