https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 11:54:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difference-in-daycare-sickness-in-big-center-vs-in-home-vs-smaller-center#post-2473612 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 06:56:00 +0000 looch 2473612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only had experience with a mid sized center, but I really think it has nothing to do with size of center, but more with age and putting things in their mouths. Once my son stopped putting his hands and toys in his mouth his level of sickness went down dramatically. He recently caught a cold this year because he had strayed putting random things in his mouth again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difference-in-daycare-sickness-in-big-center-vs-in-home-vs-smaller-center#post-2473566 Thu, 25 Feb 2016 00:04:20 +0000 gingerbebe 2473566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was at home for 16 months until we started him in an in-home daycare. Up until then, he'd gotten maybe 2-3 mild colds from DH and I, and he got roseola after traveling through airports when he was 12 months. </p> <p>DS has been sick pretty much since the day he set foot in the daycare. He started transitional playdates in mid-December, was sick all through the holidays, and in January he was out 5 school days. He got 4 viruses one after another in January, one of which knocked DH and I flat on our butts for a good 2 weeks. </p> <p>That said, February has been better and I'm optimistic that he's turning a corner. He got his first ear infection this month, so not ideal, but he hasn't been sent home for a fever yet this month (knock on wood) and he's just been much happier and cheerful, whereas in January he was a grouchy mess. His nose is still running all the time, but overall, given that he's been in daycare full-time for less than 2 months I feel like he's doing better than I expected. </p> <p>I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that he's at a small in-home daycare with the same married couple caretakers and their adult daughter every day. Depending on the day, there are 4-5 tots who are under 3 during the day and then a few school age children come for aftercare in the afternoons. The big kids are usually separated from the little kids so really, my son just had to get used to germs from a handful of kids. I have no doubts it would have been much worse if he went to a big center with lots of teachers and lots of children. Our church nursery always has different kids and different volunteers and there have been a few weekends when he wasn't sick from daycare that he picked up something from church! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difference-in-daycare-sickness-in-big-center-vs-in-home-vs-smaller-center#post-2473358 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:06:15 +0000 ShootingStar 2473358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes, we switched from a large center to a small center last May and there was noticeably less sickness. When DS was at the large center it was like he had a cold literally non-stop. He had a runny nose every single day for months, and course there were times when he got more than an average cold. </p> <p>He still gets sick of course, but he's not sick every day anymore. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difference-in-daycare-sickness-in-big-center-vs-in-home-vs-smaller-center#post-2473354 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 20:03:11 +0000 regberadaisy 2473354@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think we are at a mid sized center and both girls were fairly sick the first year. Including DH!</p> <p>On the other hand I have a friend who didn't put her sick in daycare that first year and he still got plenty sick!! But she was also very active in taking him out to do stuff, so he was exposed to germs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/difference-in-daycare-sickness-in-big-center-vs-in-home-vs-smaller-center#post-2473347 Wed, 24 Feb 2016 19:55:57 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2473347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi bees,</p> <p>We have a 2.5 year old who goes to daycare part time. She's been sick almost constantly. We had a 9 month break when my parents temporarily lived close and she didn't get sick at all.</p> <p>The latest was an awful round of the flu that we all go and it turned into bronchitis and an ear infection for her. </p> <p>She's at a fairly large daycare center right now. I'm considering downsizing to a smaller center or going with an in-home provider to see if that might expose her to a few less germs, but I'm wondering if that's just wishful thinking.</p> <p>Anyone have experience with both a large center and a smaller center or in-home provider? Did you notice a reduction in illnesses if you moved to a smaller place? Any other suggestions? At this rate, we will both have used all our annual sick days by March! </p>