https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 26 May 2026 21:15:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680310 Sun, 15 Jan 2017 11:01:24 +0000 Pollywog 2680310@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680209 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 22:56:25 +0000 Kemma 2680209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My little guy started daycare at 14 months and although I always nursed to sleep at home he self settles at daycare and sleeps for hours!! When he first started the daycare teachers would stroke his face to relax him but now they just throw him into his cot with his lovey and he's usually asleep within five minutes!</p> <p>With regards to illness, I would start your wee one on a multivitamin and a probiotic but other than that there's really not much you can do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680192 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:59:56 +0000 winter_wonder 2680192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We try to wash her hands (or at least use a wipe) after pick up. Its kind of unavoidable though 😞 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680190 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:58:53 +0000 gingerbebe 2680190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our son just does better with a routine so we ripped the bandaid off and started him on a Monday so he could acclimate faster. I felt like if he did 2 days and then took 2 days off at home it would be harder on Monday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680184 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 21:52:45 +0000 atoz 2680184@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Following! We'll be in a similar situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680075 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 12:06:06 +0000 MrsADS 2680075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm also thinking about having him start mid-week like on a Wednesday (like a half week of half days)... maybe that would help with the transition? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680073 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:58:56 +0000 MrsADS 2680073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grace @gingerbebe @dahlia @muffinsmuffins @beehive</p> <p>Thanks all for your tips! In terms of illness, I know it is inevitable to a certain extent - but I just bought tubs of antibacterial hand wipes for the car and all over the house, with plans to wipe hands down whenever he goes into/out of school (and us too at drop off/pick up). I also like the idea of changing clothes and bath every night for germs, although not sure if it does anything. Also picked up vitamins for hubs and I to start taking to try to help the situation. We have a part-time sitter now, so she might be willing to fill in for sick days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680064 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:33:36 +0000 Beehive 2680064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We haven't done daycare, but DS is in preschool and one thing that may have helped with colds is giving him a bath as soon as he gets home (and of course changing him out of his school clothes). There's no way to know if it actually helps, but I feel better knowing he isn't wearing his germy clothes around the house! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2680024 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 08:12:19 +0000 muffinsmuffins 2680024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2679989 Sat, 14 Jan 2017 00:35:47 +0000 Dahlia 2679989@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD was a terrible napper at home and at daycare until she moved to the toddler room at 13 months and started napping on a mat. I think the peer pressure helped. The teachers were so surprised - apparently they had a whole plan on how to handle her napping since she was so bad in the baby room! After that she definitely started napping better at home in her crib, too. </p> <p>I think illness is a lost cause, you're going to be sick (although washing hands never hurt). Other than that no advice since DD started at 6 months. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2679983 Fri, 13 Jan 2017 23:59:28 +0000 gingerbebe 2679983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2679967 Fri, 13 Jan 2017 23:04:02 +0000 Grace 2679967@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Be prepared for crying. It took my LO at 13 mo a full two weeks before she'd stop crying when I left. Just say goodbye and walk out. Don't linger because it will make it worse. But it will get better and eventually your LO will love it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tips-for-16-month-old-starting-daycare#post-2679907 Fri, 13 Jan 2017 19:16:08 +0000 MrsADS 2679907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We received word that our 16 month old will FINALLY have a daycare spot in about 2 weeks. Woohoo! </p> <p>I had my whole list of questions, stuff for tours, etc, while looking at daycares, but I'd love to hear your practical tips, questions to ask, etc. when handling the transition and getting him situated.</p> <p>I haven't had a chance to talk to the director too much in detail yet, but I assume they will do sort of a gradual introduction? Like a few half days, work up to full time? </p> <p>DS is extremely social and loves people/other kids, so I am hoping for the best in terms of separation anxiety. I'm most worried about naps (he naps right now in his crib, dark room, white noise machine, rocked to sleep!). I am wondering if maybe he learns to lay down and fall asleep on a mat at daycare, that will help him be a better sleeper at home!</p> <p>Oh, and him getting sick and us getting sick. :sad: I guess that is inevitable, right? Any tips to prevent or lessen it? We're definitely going to get more anal about hand-washing, not touching faces, etc. We live in south Florida so I am hoping the outside time will help. </p>