E is starting daycare a week from tomorrow and though I feel fairly sure that it'll be good for all of us, I'm feeling waves of guilt about sending him.
Care to share a positive daycare story to soothe my guilty-mama conscience?
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Yes. T loves it. I stay at home right now but he goes a few days a week usually 930-4. He is a very social kid and loves routine so it's great for him. They have a wonderful outdoor space and play outside a lot. They do an art project a day and have music and toys that are different than what we have. He has 2 good friends there too. It gives me a chance to catch up on house stuff and errands (haircut, doctor, dentist, dmv etc) and since we don't have any family nearby it's really the only option we have for that stuff. I am a strong believer that daycare or preschool for toddlers is a good thing.
I bet he will love it.
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B lOVES daycare!
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I started my LO at daycare when I went back to work totally feeling guilty and awful and not believing that babies ever do well in daycare and that it was selfish of me to put her in there. I set her down, and she never even watched me leave! She's super happy there every day. It's actually a bit depressing that she is so over hanging with her mom!
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My LO loves it!! He has a little friend there and his face just lights up when he sees her every morning. They crawl and toddle around together all day. So so sweet. He's always all smiles and giggles at drop off and pick up.
I think your LO will enjoy being around other kiddos and exploring new toys and games. It's really been a positive experience for my LO.
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Yes! She loves it. She started at 12 weeks and finally learned how to sleep in her own, got in a schedule, and is meeting evey single milestone early. I say every morning are you ready to go to school and she walks over to the door. She loves her teachers and friends.
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I don't have an experience with L yet, but it can tell you I went to daycare for many years as a child and it was a very very positive experience for me. I think I turned out ok, but, you know my 'other' side so you be the judge! LOL
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My LO absolutely loves it. She loves her little friends and all the games and music. Honestly, I think she gets a little bored with just us on weekends!
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M has only been in daycare a month and she already loves it so much. DH does dropoff and he said she's starting to realize when they get there in the mornings...she gets excited when they walk into the building and when they walk into her room she starts laughing and flapping her arms in excitement.
I struggled a lot while on maternity leave because I felt like I wasn't providing her with enough stimulation throughout the day. It's so nice to not have that guilt anymore. E will love it!
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Oh yes, she totally loves it!! E has been in daycare for about 6 weeks now and she has come on in leaps and bounds since starting there. She sees other children now and her face lights up. It's going to be so good for him, @lovehoneybee: . I promise you, there is nothing to feel guilty about! Even if I didn't need to work, I would still send her - in fact, I would work specifically so that I could afford to send her!!
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@lawbee11: so comforting! That's my worry too. I don't stimulate him enough during the day. He's bored.
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Oh my gosh, yes. Yes yes yes
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It depends on what time of day you observe him...in the morning, he cries at drop off. In the afternoon he cried because he doesn't want to leave.
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OMG my LO is *SO* much happier in daycare than she is at home. I don't even really "get" mommy guilt about daycare because kids need stimulation and other kids around to thrive, which I have a hard time providing to her at home with me!
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Yes, he's pretty much obsessed with his day care! And even at 18 months, I am constantly blown away by how much they teach him.
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My LO needs other kids around. I'm convinced she was supposed to be our #2 or #3. She does great at daycare. I've had day care stress and complaints (mainly about finding a place) but she's been really really happy at the three places she's been.
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My LO loves daycare! In the mornings she waits by the door waiting for Daddy to finish getting ready so they can go! Daycare has made everything easier, I think. I was amazed when she became a toddler and she started picking up things so fast- after she takes something out now, she puts it away herself without being asked! I KNOW I didn't teach her that! They also transitioned her from a crib to a cot before we did it at home, which made the home transition a snap.
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@looch: My son cries b/c he doesn't want to leave too. Ouch!
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She started at 11 weeks. She had a rough first couple of days, but she came from momma holding her all the time to being around other kids. She smiles every day she dropped off and loves the other kids there. She has learned so much, even at such a you g age. She is in a better mood and sleeps better when she goes. I'm so pleased that she is doing so well! I love our sitter.
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P started at 15 months and LOVES it. Begs not to leave some days!
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Loves it! Loves her teachers and the other kids and went from being a little behind in her physical milestones to meeting all of them on time. The structure has been great for her sleep patterns and general behavior as well.
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Another vote for daycare here! My 21mo son loves it there! As soon as I say it's time to put on shoes to see the daycare people, he runs to the door for his shoes. Then he says all the names of caregivers and kids there while we're driving over. Then he runs to them as soon as we arrive and is bummed when it's time to leave at the end of the day. He plays, learns numbers and colors, reads books, plays outside, has a great time! Totally worth it.
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Thanks for the reassurances! I know in my gut he'll be happy there, and they can give him a lot of things I can't (like teachers with early childhood education degrees, for starters!) I just needed a reminder...
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@lovehoneybee: He is going to love it!! He probably is just going to miss your good cooking for lunch!
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Charlie started at 21 months and Olive started at 16 months. They both absolutely thrived there. Though it was easier with a nanny, I am definitely a much bigger fan of daycare. They learn so much in that group setting that they just can't get at home or with a nanny. Definitely pro daycare here!
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LO loves it and is a very well adjusted, healthy kid. She is almost 16 months.
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@lovehoneybee: hang in there, it'll be great!
LO loveeees daycare. She gets way more socialization and stimulation than I could give her, and I love watching her interact with her little friends. She gets really antsy whenever she's away for more than a few days!
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My LO loves daycare and THRIVES there! They are experts in early childhood education; I'm not. Her days are filled with activities that teach her math, science and art; that expand her vocabulary and reinforce compassion and empathy - all with her little buddies around to have fun with. LO and her friends often dance, holding each other's hands - that's just one small thing that I could never replicate at home, and just one small thing that she loves
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@lovehoneybee: Maybe you already know our story but:
E was 17m old and still not walking. Doctors were talking u/s, x-rays and physical therapy. But then they suggested daycare first. They said it would help him to be around kids his age, see what they do and mimic, and generally help with courage.
Well, 4 weeks later, we are running after him. So, yes, personally, I am a big advocate for daycare! Just make sure it is a place you feel 99% secure about. You will NEVER feel 100% but, 99% was good enough for me. -
LO loves it. He's done so well in daycare. We just had our 18-19 months appointment. Going through his words, we mentioned his big ones but couldn't even list all of the Spanish he knows from daycare. Also, he's super social and eats everything. Daycare's been awesome for that.
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Awe yes it is hard trusting someone else in their care the first day, but I'm a huge fan!! N is a naturally shy, cautious girl who takes a long time to warm up to people, but she has really blossomed since I started sending her at 20 months. She's learned so much, much more than I ever could've taught her at home… and it has been amazing watching her personality bloom and see her make friends there. When I pick her up, I'll usually hang back a little to observe her until she notices me, and it's been so neat to watch what she's like around her teachers and other kids her age. I'm so proud of the little person she's becoming, and a lot of the credit goes to daycare!
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E loves daycare. I'm not sure if she's made friends yet, but I've seen her hug a bunch of the kids and an older girl was helping her around on her first whole day alone (without me there).
I felt guilty and nervous for weeks before her first day. Thankfully, they have a week long introduction which requires me to be there with her. By the end of the week, I was so pleased! I had no worries what-so-ever.
The level of interaction she has at daycare far exceeds what I can give her at home. Just the fact that there's kids her age to engage with is reason enough, but simple activites like lunch and snack time is now a learning experience and a lesson in patience. My little rambunctious toddler held my hand (without running away, without touching everything) in the grocery store after only 2 whole days of being in daycare. Just 2 days there. I was floored!!!
She just finished her first week there and I've already seen her grow. Not necessarily in things like counting or ABC's or even talking, but in social skills that are needed to be with others her age. I can not recommend it enough!
Also, my DD loves playing outside. They're outside every day for over an hour. I find that it really helps with her sleep and in the end of the day, positively affects her behavior. She's also learned to nap without her bottle at daycare. I am still trying to understand how they managed to do this, but they did!
I think it's one of the best things we could have done for her
Eta: She started daycare at 20 months old.
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My son loves it now. The first few weeks were rough though, but he didn't start until he was 2. In the last two weeks he has been playing make believe at home and talking to imaginary versions of his daycare friends. It is very cute.
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@lovehoneybee: oh you've gotten plenty of good words here - just to add another my son loves daycare! Fair warning the first week was tough, he cried, I cried, but he quickly got used to it! He was 13 months when he started so I think that made it a little tougher - and he was sick A LOT, but that also passes.... Good luck!
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