Experiences with part-time daycare

By Giraffe Apr 9, 2013

Does anyone send their LO to daycare for only part of the week?

LO has been cared for by my MIL (4 days/week) and husband (1 day/week) in our home since he was 12 weeks old. It has worked out really well, but we want him to have a bit more structure and socialization now that he's older, so starting in June he'll be going to daycare on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and my MIL will still take the rest of the days. He will be just over 10 months when he starts.

We found a great place that we're excited about, but I'm wondering if the part-time thing will be confusing for him? And what if the other babies are there every day and get along better because they're always together? If you have done something similar, I would love to hear about your experience.

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11 comments

78h2o
grapefruit / 4441 posts

Apr 9, 2013

I am interested to hear these answers as well. My LO is only 4 mo but she generally goes 3 days per week. I've had some difficulty keeping her on the same schedule, but I'm trying. It's hard waking her up early on my days off and especially when she's tired or sick. Neither of us wants to be up at 6am! I usually do wake her up at the same time but let her nap at will. She spends a lot of time sleeping when she's home with me, which I worry may be making it difficult for her to get into a routine there. I guess we'll see how it goes.
MaisyMay
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts

Apr 9, 2013

Our LO goes 4 days a week for about 6 hours. Because she doesn't get dropped off until 10 at the earliest, and is picked up by 4:30, we don't worry much about her routine. She's home with one of us on Tuesdays, but Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are daycare days.
Freckles
honeydew / 7444 posts

Apr 9, 2013

I have two friends who have their babies in part-time daycare, and the transition took a lot longer because they never really got settled into a routine. They felt that it would've been better if they could go every day for a few hours as opposed to a couple of days a week for a full day. Every baby is different. Could you have your MIL follow daycare's routine?
iheartleopardprint
apricot / 343 posts

Apr 9, 2013

I tried something similar with DS when he was younger, I think he was about 8 months old. He went to daycare 3-4 days a week and at home the rest. He loved it!

But then we relocated, and he went 5 days a week. He didn't love it as much and when I went on maternity leave I reduced him to 2 days. He hated it! I ended up pulling him out of daycare because leaving him screaming and upset was not worth anything in the world.

All you can do is try!
littleveesmommy
persimmon / 1472 posts

Apr 9, 2013

Subscribing because I was thinking of enrolling DD in part-time daycare when she turns 2 so that she can have some structure and also daily socializing with other kids, plus my mom can have some of her personal time back. She's currently cared for by my mom M-Th (I'm off Friday's). I'd like to do 2 full days of daycare but also worried about the different routines, although maybe at 2 it'll be easier? I don't know. =\
Honeybee
pomelo / 5178 posts

Apr 9, 2013

I quit working when my second was born. Up until then, my DD had been attending daycare full time; once I quit we decided to put both kids in two days a week, both for socialization and so I could have a break to run errands, do schoolwork, etc... Once DS turned 3 montha old, we also started him at daycare two days a week, and that was our schedule up unril December, when we moved.

I think part time daycare was really great for us. The kids enjoyed going and spending time with their friends. We did have a little more trouble with separation anxiety from DD, but our daycare provider was really great about addressing that. Neither kid had any issues with adjusting between daycare and being at home, but we had been using the daycare schedule with DD for over a year, so our home and daycare environments were similar in this regard.
Boheme
papaya / 10473 posts

Apr 9, 2013

Subscribing too - we will be doing part time with no set days since my husband's hours change so much. I'm a little nervous!
mrsmenow
persimmon / 1479 posts

Apr 9, 2013

I have done part time with my second and will start with my third in a couple of weeks. We have always just stuck to our routine at home and their routine there and they just adjust to it. My second never had any problems adjusting with the exception of when she moved into a new room, those transitions did seem to take a little longer.
Giraffe
apricot / 274 posts

Apr 9, 2013

@78h2o: I am impressed that you try to follow the daycare schedule even on your days off - if I didn't have to go to work and LO would let me sleep in, I would definitely not get up at 6. Sounds like you have a good sleeper!

@MaisyMay: Interesting about the shorter days - thanks. Going for more days/fewer hours is not an option for this particular daycare, but I will keep it in mind in case this doesn't work out.

@Freckles: My MIL would be happy to follow the daycare routine, so I think we will try to do that as much as possible.

@iheartleopardprint: Do you think it was the difference in age that made your LO love daycare and then hate it? Or was it a different daycare (since you said you relocated)? or something else?

@littleveesmommy: I would think it would be easier at 2, because of fewer naps if nothing else. When will your daughter be 2, and how long has your mom been caring for her?

@Honeybee: so glad to hear about your experience, thanks for sharing! It sounds like following the daycare routine at home has been really important for your family.

@grizz: do you have a certain number of days that you're thinking of, even if you don't know which ones?

@mrsmenow: I'm relieved to hear that following the same routine in daycare and at home isn't necessary for every family, just in case it doesn't work for us
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Apr 10, 2013

My son is 2 and he goes to daycare part time right now. He goes every day, for a half day, about 7:30 to lunch time. He comes home for nap and so far it is worked out fantastically.
Mrs. Chocolate
blogger / nectarine / 2600 posts

Apr 10, 2013

Im not sure since your LO is really young but I worked in a daycare a long time ago in the 18-2 years room and there were few kids that were part time only and they always had a harder time with things, leaving their parents etc simply because they werent use to it at all. It was consistent enough for them so when they got dropped off it confused them and upset their routine. My son is not 2 and goes to a babysitter twice a week and my MIL watches him and he tends to get upset when I drop him off at the babysitter and I think its the same reason. He doesnt like it when I leave when my MIL comes over too but since he is at home its easier for him to get settled I think.

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