https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 22:16:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2649472 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 02:08:16 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2649472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: I am sorry you have had such a bad time finding the right day care fit and I hope your son had a good day today! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2649471 Tue, 08 Nov 2016 01:57:01 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2649471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think established is better in this situation! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2649194 Mon, 07 Nov 2016 13:31:10 +0000 Mama Bird 2649194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: good luck!!! I hope this time's the charm! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2649171 Mon, 07 Nov 2016 12:34:05 +0000 codeitall 2649171@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ladies, thank you so much for your help in figuring out what my deal breakers really are. DH and I made another visit to each place with DS to ask a second round of questions and see how DS did with the providers.</p> <p>Turns out the Spanish home has a provider that does speak English fluently! She just was at her college class our first visit. And they're willing to take a sibling at less than 5 months, which is a huge relief. The biggest thing to me is that DS was playing peekaboo with them by the end of our visit :happy: </p> <p>The new center doesn't have much enrollment still, so they're splitting their time between the home 20 minutes away and the center. So the kids do a lot of time in the car right now for all the school pickups. The infant teacher has her own baby and is new to working in daycares, so I don't know how long she'll be there. DS seemed too intimidated by the entire place to even interact with the kids or the director.</p> <p>@Mama Bird: Your comment about gut feeling really put it into perspective for me. It was night and day difference for me between the two places, but I was really struggling because my gut feeling at the last daycare bombed so terribly (her husband had a heroin relapse :shocked: ). DS loved her and without her husband's issues, we would have stayed. Our two nannies have been great, they just had to stop watching DS due to a new baby or location change :bummed: So I guess my gut feeling has a decent track record and I'll give it another shot :)</p> <p>I dropped DS off at the Spanish home this morning and he seems to be doing well so far! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647579 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 16:30:33 +0000 PurplePeony 2647579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Honestly, neither sound like great options to me. The TV at daycare #1 would be a deal breaker for me, and my DH and I couldn't personally deal with a daycare where we couldn't both do drop off/pick up because we each travel for work a fair amount. With daycare #2, I'd be very concerned that if it's chaotic now, when they're not at full capacity, it's only going to get worse as they enroll more kids. And of course, how the likely teacher turnover would affect your son's attachment issues. I don't know which I'd choose, but I'd definitely keep looking for other options. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647508 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 15:04:13 +0000 gingerbebe 2647508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: I would go to #2 and if you have any reservations take both kids to #1. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647447 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 14:06:15 +0000 Mama Bird 2647447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@codeitall: I'm sorry you've had to deal with that! What was your gut feeling about the old day cares that ended up being no good? Do you think you can trust your feelings on this one? If you do, the first one might be a better fit. "Chaotic" is not a good way to describe a day care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647419 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:31:00 +0000 raspberries 2647419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh, sorry you're going through this - it sucks that you've had such bad luck with daycares. I'd personally feel better about option #2 - I think the cons for option #1 are much bigger cons for my family, and I'd be nervous about miscommunications given a language barrier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647396 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:09:19 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2647396@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our center does not separate play from sleep areas and LO naps well, so that would not be a deal breaker for me. </p> <p>Your husband can pick up and converse with the home center, which is a plus, but otherwise would be deal breakers. How much of a hardship would finding care for infant for two months be? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647393 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:06:57 +0000 KayKay 2647393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Option 2 would make me really nervous. Turnover is a big issue at daycares, even established centers, and I can't imagine there isn't going to be some issue with her having to hire all new staff -- including full-time AND back-up/subs. </p> <p>Option 1 wouldn't make me super-comfortable either, but I'm not a big fan of in-home providers as it is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647390 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:05:06 +0000 psw27 2647390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me personally, I would go with number 2. I tend to like centers more because they have to maintain ratios by law (*at least in my state) so if a teacher calls out sick it doesn't become an issue because they have backup teachers or a director to step in. I also don't like the idea of LO watching TV and the bad hours would kill me/wouldn't work. Also, a killer tuition rate and the baby being able to start right away would be helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/daycare-4-for-the-year#post-2647385 Thu, 03 Nov 2016 13:00:07 +0000 codeitall 2647385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll preface this with the fact that my almost 2 year old has had 5 providers other than me since I went back to work. Obviously a lot of change for a little guy and I wonder if it is part of his attachment issues and possible speech delays. So I'm already feeling guilty going into this decision.</p> <p>After our last daycare shut down, we've had DS temporarily at a friend's house with her kids. They don't mesh well. So we've been actively looking for a new long-term full-time daycare that can give him consistency and love and take baby #2 next year. After touring 8 places, we've narrowed it down to 2 choices:</p> <p>Option #1: In-home run by a wonderfully kind Hispanic family.</p> <p>Pros:<br /> Liked it on first sight<br /> Great ratio: 2 Providers to 4-6 kids under the age of 5<br /> Exposure to Spanish at an early age<br /> Separated sleeping area<br /> Great home with lots of windows and light</p> <p>Cons:<br /> Hours (they close earlier than I get off work, so DH would need to pick up every day)<br /> Slightly more expensive<br /> Spanish is not my best language and English isn't theirs (DH is fluent in Portuguese and pretty good with Spanish too)<br /> Baby wouldn't be able to start till 5 months, so we'd need an alternative for 2 months.<br /> Older kids watch TV if not napping</p> <p>Option #2: Previously an in-home, the provider is opening a new center midway between mine and DH's work.</p> <p>Pros:<br /> Hours are totally flexible<br /> No language barriers<br /> Director has low enrollment, so ratios are currently very low and she's giving us an excellent monthly rate<br /> Director has degree in early childhood education, certifications in nutrition and physical activity and has been part of NAEYC<br /> Participates in county nutrition program<br /> No TV<br /> Baby #2 could start whenever needed</p> <p>Cons:<br /> The facility is new, but currently chaotic<br /> Licensed for 40, so ratios will get change as more enroll<br /> We don't know his teacher (or likelihood of turnover)<br /> Infant/Toddler room is set apart with large accordion walls that don't reach the ceiling and there is no door<br /> No separate sleeping area</p> <p>TLDR: Do we go with the in-home with great ratios and language barrier or the new center with a director that we like, but an infant/toddler room we didn't?</p> <p>If one doesn't work out, am I doing damage to my son by switching his providers yet again? </p>