To daycare or not to daycare
Our little one is turning one next month and I have spent my maternity leave plus the vacation. So now it is time to think about our future and the options we have.
As I have mentioned in one of my previous posts, I don't have a job to go back to. I'm of course keeping my eyes and ears open for new opportunities but at the same time I don't want to rush it because I would like to find something more permanent. A place where I could settle into.
We had to apply for a daycare place from the city already last spring and at that point I didn't know that I would not go back to my old job so we were prepared for both of us working from the start of the August. Back then I went through the options we had which were 1) A full time daycare 2) a part time daycare 20h/week 3) family daycare (always full time) or 4) my parents looking after her.
We decided to go with a part time daycare and my parents helping occasionally for a softer start for her. Family daycare sounded good as well but they only take full-time and we didn't want to give her 8 hour days yet.
At the start of the summer, the manager from our daycare called and told us that we were on a line to get a part time place but there was around 60 kids before us. The city couldn't offer us another part-time option so we ended up getting a full time place from another daycare. During the phone call from the manager I got even more sure about not taking the place we were offered. She basically said not to, because our child is still so small. "If there is any other option available, please take it. I know I'm supposed to talk on behalf of early childhood education but I just can't. She can get the benefits of it a bit later."
At the moment the situation is a bit easier for us since I can stay home with her and my parents are prepared to be with her if I will find a job. But soon though, daycare life will start. For some reason it doesn't feel comfortable for me to put her into a big daycare when she can't even yet express herself and still struggles with the food allergies. How on earth would they have time to consider all of these things with her when there is ten other kids in the group?
No doubt there are tons of benefits in early childhood education but maybe it will be more beneficial to stay in a home environment at least for the first year and half?
What do you think?
Hugs, Momone
Someone I respected told me that it would be more important to stay home when the kids are older than when they are younger. When my kids were under 2, any kind and responsive environment was probably sufficient to meet their needs. On the other hand, my 8 year old (I think) benefits from having me specifically around. Working a lot when my kid were little gave me more freedom to cut back now (maybe your situation is different).
Are they really putting 10+ kids to 1 adult? That is not legal where I live.
Child care decisions are really difficult but not as important as they feel. If you child is secure in their attachment to you, child care will provide them with some good socialization and growth. If they are not secure, child care isn't the problem. Whatever you decide will be right - because you are clearly a parent who takes parenting seriously
Hi @beriberi and thanks for taking time to read and comment my post.
It's funny how differently people think about these things. Here I have only heard that you should rather keep your kids at home when they are small (under two) because they need the parent. But what you said about being home later makes sense to me too.
I have friends who went to kindergarten when they turned one and friends who never did. In my opinion, they all are just fine now at age 35. :)
Like you said, there is no right or wrong.
And about the group size: It's ten kids in one group but there is two teachers. You can't have too many 1-2 year old kids for one teacher here either. But as a mom for one I can't understand how they cope with that.. all the nappies, feeding etc. I have my hands full with only one. Haha.
If option 4 is still an option, I would choose that. I spent heaps of time with my grandad, not day care but a lot more than average, he taught me how to use a hammer, put a nail in straight, measure and use a chisel without losing a finger. Taraz did too.