Tell me all the awesomes about daycare

[librarychica]

We are having some reliability issues with our nanny. She's been with us three years and each year she gets a little less reliable and with two kids now and H traveling more I just can't have that. She has a month to straighten out. If we end up making a change I would like to have both girls in daycare. H wants another nanny for two more years. Frankly, I am burnt out on managing a nanny and (maybe selfishly) would like the 10k+ in savings a year. I figure the main benefit to a nanny was avoidance of illness and DD1 is bringing the preschool plague home all the time now that ahe is in school two mornings a week anyway.

So tell me why you love daycare so I can change his mind.

[stellabunny]

Social interaction with other kids is huge for me.

It's reliable. There is turn over and people call in sick, but the daycare stays open no matter what.

My daycare has a structured curriculum. It might seem sort of ridiculous as I have an infant, but she gets to finger paint and do other cool stuff.

I'll add more if I think of them.

[20thirteen]

Feb 11, 2015 15:17:03 GMT -5 @bobyn1113 said:

Social interaction with other kids their age
Build up that immune system
Licensed and regulated, having evaluations regularly
Possibly cheaper than a nanny, depending on your situation
Day care can't call in sick

I agree with all of these. The daycare DD goes to has parent meetings where they let you know how well your child is developing, let's you know about areas your child might be lacking in so that you can help encourage development in that area at home. I'm sure not all daycares do this, but mine does.

(Areas, areas, development, development areas, geeezus I sound like a broken record.)

[helenahhandbasket]

I love daycare so much.

I think being around so many kiddos has actually been a huge benefit. Unless your LO is immune compromised, being around all of those germs helps build a strong immune system and ward off sickness. DD just turned 3 (and has been in daycare since 12 weeks old) and has had maybe 3 times where she was really sick.

Also-- the social aspect. My DD is so outgoing and friendly-- it's amazing. When I am out with her, people often ask/ comment that she must have an older sibling at home since she's not shy at all. I always just tell them that her older sibling is our dog--LOL.

Another resaon I heart DC is how much she knows and has learned. She knows all her shapes/ letters/ colors/ animals and can count to 20 (ish). She can dress herself with some help and they are also helping us with potty training.

What's not to love?

[ericalee27]

Agree with everyone! The social interaction is the biggie for me.

[anewadventure]

i agree with PPs!

social interaction is HUGE
structured curriculum, lots of learning
getting comfortable away from home
eating different foods (if your center provides meals and snacks)
daycare can't be late / call in sick - that's on you

differences for your situation - as you say - less cost, less managing, not depending on a single person, no one in your house...

you have to find a good one, yes. you have to deal with the policies and procedures, and the illnesses (although that can be a good and a bag thing), staff turnover, strict pick up times. but overall daycare can be a really positive thing, both for you and for your LOs.

[helenahhandbasket]

Feb 11, 2015 15:34:13 GMT -5 @bobyn1113 said:

helenahhandbasket, hello to a fellow January 2012 mama!

DS is currently enrolled in what is technically a preschool, but they care for children 18 months through pre-K. The curriculum is helpful, the parent/teacher conferences are wonderful, and DS is learning so much.

::waves hi::

I wasn't a member of our BMB back on the dump (didn't join until DD was 6 mo old), so it's nice to connect somewhere else!

[sudokufan]

We're OAD so the social thing is huge for us too. And as a bonus, the kids he's friendly with now will quite likely stay for preschool, then be the ones he goes to k-12 with. And even if not, a lot of them will join him in the before/after care, so they'll get to see each other.

On the one hand, he's gotten sick a lot, so we've missed work. On the other hand, it was going to happen sooner or later, might as well be sooner. And it does build a good immune system. Mine is, er, benefiting too.

My daycare has reasonable closure dates (major holidays, a couple of "eves", and a few days they close early), but they don't take 2 weeks vacation. And they won't give me 2 weeks notice and quit because their boyfriend is moving across country.

I don't rack my brain trying to plan learning activities - daycare has an awesome program, and they bring in music man stan, and the animal man, and a variety of other things. We do that kind of thing on the weekends if we feel like it, but I don't feel pressured or guilty, if that makes sense. Also, he's only 2 but they're already building in structure to the day and teaching him skills he'll need for preschool/kindie like sitting in circle time but in age appropriate amounts. I'm hoping that makes for a smooth transition.

[pitta12]

All of what everybody has said, plus honestly I think the group setting made it 1,000x easier for DD to transition to kindergarten. She was happy and engaged and excited about it from day one. She tends to be nervous about new things and I was glad that the transition went so well.

[junewife]

Feb 11, 2015 15:40:42 GMT -5 anewadventure said:

i agree with PPs!

social interaction is HUGE
structured curriculum, lots of learning
getting comfortable away from home
eating different foods (if your center provides meals and snacks)
daycare can't be late / call in sick - that's on you

differences for your situation - as you say - less cost, less managing, not depending on a single person, no one in your house...

you have to find a good one, yes. you have to deal with the policies and procedures, and the illnesses (although that can be a good and a bag thing), staff turnover, strict pick up times. but overall daycare can be a really positive thing, both for you and for your LOs.

Yes, I agree with all of these.  Plus, DS LOVES daycare so that helps a lot. He's the kind of kid that needs lots of activity and other kids, and I love knowing he's happy all day.

[supertrooper1]

Everyone has pretty much covered it with the social interaction, etc. DS has learned so much from the other kids that he would have never learned at home. We use an in-home and she has been great at giving us advice on things we're clueless about like potty training.

[pittpurple]

I love having her at daycare. Agree with everyone's points but particularly the social interaction and how much pressure it takes off of me. I know for 3 days a week she's doing tons of fun activities and playing with other kids and learning how to share and interact and if we have a lazy day at home or I have a work project and we watch a movie on the weekend I don't feel guilty at all. They do all sorts of things I would never have in my house like a water or sand table and tons of really messy crafts. And she loves it there!

I absolutely know that there are tons of people who can create that sort of environment at home, but I'm not one of them so I love that she gets to have it at daycare. Particularly as she's our only child so far (maybe ever), it's so lovely to know she has all these little friends at 'school'.

[k3am]

Honestly, the thing that steered us to a center was the accountability aspect of it. At any given point in time, there are at least two teachers in the room with DD. If one's screwing up or doing something unsafe, I think it's reasonable (but not guaranteed) to expect the other to notice and say something.

I love the interactions that DD has with other kids. At two, she has best friends there, which I never imagined happening.

[welly01]

Accountability was a big thing for me, too. I'm a pretty skeptical/suspicious person by nature and I just couldn't see leaving a stranger alone with my baby. (I know that lots of people LOVE and trust their nanny. Totally not judging, just stating how I personally feel about it.) At daycare there are multiple teachers and cameras in every room.

Also, the dependability is nice. Our daycare is usually open for minor holidays that the school is closed for, so even on those days the kids could go to daycare.

I also feel like they are so much more stimulated at daycare. Not necessarily ideal for an infant, but as a 2 year old, its awesome. They have music class, magic shows, animal/science shows, extra optional classes during the day (like gymnastics).

Oh! Also, if you call in sick to work, you can still take the kids to daycare and stay home ALONE!

Good luck with your decision.

[2chatter]

-I don't have to worry about a caregiver being sick, unavailable etc. The school is staffed to handle that.
-Well educated and experienced teachers provide feedback in conferences and ad hoc to ensure that DS is developing the best skills and habits that are possible.
-No transportation after they arrive at school - all classes are on premises, there are no field trips so I don't have to worry about car accidents and car seat safety or them being left in a vehicle all day long
-I have made some friends through DC parents - no one that I hang out with a ton, but people I invite to things
- DS knows several kids in his kinder class -and has since he was 2 - for some reason I love that and it's not something my girls had at a different center/MDO due to the school lines and private school
- Zero need to plan anything special for holidays - the school does the parties

[RiseAndWine]

You don't have to be anyone's boss.
They are super reliable schedule-wise (open except major holidays, etc.) and don't have personal issues come up.
You have a network of other parents there as well.
Your child may be more prepared socially for school and not overwhelmed by interacting with so many peers all day.
And what all PPs said!

[sudokufan]

Feb 11, 2015 16:25:55 GMT -5 welly01 said:

Oh! Also, if you call in sick to work, you can still take the kids to daycare and stay home ALONE!

Can't believe I forgot that one, it's HUGE.  My husband and I are taking Friday off to spend together and sending DS to school for his Valentine's party-win win for all 3 of us.

[jlaok]

This is DS's last year of daycare (he'll be in kindergarten next year) so I've found myself looking back at his daycare experience. I feel like our daycare has been such a blessing to him/us. He is really shy and does not handle new situations well. I have so much more confidence sending him to school knowing that he'll be in an environment/structure very similar to what he has in daycare. Not to mention how much he has learned there.

The only negatives are holidays, snow days, and sickness policy. The way I think about it is that I'll have to deal with those things once my kids start school so it is good that I'll be used to it.

[mustardseed2007]

1) They don't call in sick and you know about closures well in advance.
2) For older kids, socialization
3) Evaluations by state and accrediting agencies (if applicable)
4) The daycare workers and directors are there to help each other and watch each other
- this is actually huge for me. It's not a perfect system, but I think it's really a good thing to have lots of eyes and ears open and available if my kid is presenting any problems or questions to their care giver. A DC teacher can ask for help and advice or back up from their colleagues. A nanny is just there and has no one to call but you, and they may not always do that.
5) It truly does take pressure off of making sure they are stimulated all the time b/c I know they have a program in place and they are thinking about and developing curriculum often. I think they watch less TV than they would if they were home with a single care giver. Of course you can always tell a nanny no tv, though.

[gamora24527]

What everyone else said! We LOVE having DS in daycare, especially the socialization aspect. I also like that he gets to attend extra activities during the week (library story hour, music class, etc.) so that I don't have to schlep him to activities on the weekend. I never have to worry about making last minute care arrangements because our provider called out. I also like being about to bring issues up with the Director so that the teacher doesn't necessarily know that I'm the complainer and take it out on DS. I also think he likes having access to toys and activities that are different than what we do at home.

[dawnfire]

Everyone listed awesome reasons that I totally agree with, but I thought I'd throw out my own personal only con to Daycare. Where I am, most daycares close at 6:00 or 6:30 pm. Most days, I get off work at 6:00 PM most days. The daycare we picked closes at 6:30, but with traffic I'm rushing to get there in time. It's a $5 per minute late fee so...I don't really want to be late.

That's my only real beef with daycares, love love love it otherwise. LO really enjoys his teachers and has huge smiles for them every morning.

So if your work schedule has any similar snafus, be aware that it could be a potential issue! Knowledge is power and all that.

[sunbutter]

The number one reason I in general prefer a good daycare is accountability. Teachers are rarely alone. This not only makes it less likely that poor caregiver behavior will occur but it also ensures they have a backup if the need help or they are having an off day.

[sandandsea]

DS has been in DC since he was 3 months old and I went back to work. I was so hesitant in the beginning but I do think it's been great for him over the last 3 years. We don't have any family in the area or people we've known forever who do in home care, so we really wanted the oversight provided with daycare.
1. emphasis on learning/education - they have circle time, write letters/numbers, learn about new things, do tons of arts & crafts, have visitors come to the class (dentist, fire dept, police, etc.). His teacher also focuses on teaching them manners and how to behave properly.
2. social skills - DS knows how to share, take turns, play nicely with others, be independent, communicate well, be quiet when teachers are talking, sit still for circle time
3. Preparation for school - our daycare automatically transitions to nursery/preschool/Pre-K as the child grows and develops. Each class focuses on new learning objectives and skills. He'll also have a better idea of what's expected in a classroom setting and we're working out the kinks at an earlier age. For example, pushing friends on the playground is addressed at age 2 in daycare, not 5 in K.
4. Varied Experiences - we still go to the zoo, museums, aquariums, etc. on weekends and he gets great experiences in school too. He's exposed to lots of languages and cultures (we live in a diverse area) on a daily basis and these are part of his "normal". The school also celebrates lots of holidays from around the world. They also provide snacks and lunches and so he is exposed to many different foods and types of foods that are different from what we may prepare at home.
5. More oversight - the state can drop in any time and I know that certain standards have to be upheld. There is also a director and video system so his class is monitored and lots of adults are around to confirm nothing bad is happening.
6. Reliability - they are open almost every day and if a teacher is on vacation/sick/out, we aren't responsible for finding back up care.
7. Germs - yes this sucks. But, I'd rather get the little bugs out of the way now and build his immune system up now, than once he's in kindergarten. DS has been there 3 years and very rarely gets sick. He's only had to stay home twice due to fever/pink eye as he can still go to school if he has a cold without a fever or vomiting.

ETA:
8.  I don't have to pay nanny taxes and figure out/pay for that and I don't have to have an au pair living in my house.
9.  There are more people in the world that love and care for DS. His teachers are really caring and loving people.  I think the more of these that exist, the better!

[twinmomma]

We love, love, love our nanny. She's been with us since the girls were 12 weeks old. BUT, I am totally ready for the switch to daycare. I want to just know exactly what the schedule is every day, drop them off, pick them up, not have to rearrange care when I travel for work, etc. I also want to get them around other kids more at this point so that school isn't such a shock to them. We're starting daycare/preschool in the fall and I couldn't be happier with that decision, even with a nanny who we love and we've never had an issue with.

[jmski]

Your house will be cleaner with everyone gone all day. At least I think it will since I have never had a nanny.

[MamaPhD]

This is great. We are also at a nanny vs daycare cross roads and all of the comments are very encouraging. My H and I are on the same page about making the change, we just haven't found a place that is a good fit (and doesn't have a waiting list).

[toratoratori]

Ditto what everyone else said, especially the socialization and sense of community. C and I are BOTH making friends by her being in daycare! The other parents and kids in her class are great!

[lynn0514]

We recently when through a period when we were considering switching daycares, swtiching from daycare to nanny, switching to in-home care, etc. We ended up staying in a daycare center, and I'm so glad we did. DD just moved up from the infant room to the first toddler room, and her development went through a major acceleration. It's so gratifying to see. I know she would likely be achieving new milestones regardless, but I truly believe that seeing and interacting with the older kids helped push things along. She wouldn't get that same benefit if we had gone the nanny route.

[laketide]

I agree with everyone else. I hated leaving her when she was tiny but now that she is 2 and I can see how she interacts with Her little friends and all that she has learned I'm really glad she gets to go. Also - the fact that they can get a room full of toddlers to lay down in the floor on a mat and nap at the same time shows me they must be amazing.

[sudokufan]

Feb 12, 2015 10:49:43 GMT -5 laketide said:

I agree with everyone else. I hated leaving her when she was tiny but now that she is 2 and I can see how she interacts with Her little friends and all that she has learned I'm really glad she gets to go. Also - the fact that they can get a room full of toddlers to lay down in the floor on a mat and nap at the same time shows me they must be amazing.

OMG so true!  That made me laugh.