Hi ladies! I was taking a bit of hiatus from O16 not because I didn't love it here, but parenting did not come second nature to me and took up a LOT of my time. But I'm back now feeling much more with it and would like to contribute again!
I'm wondering if any of you are working and have put your little in daycare?
B started his trial week on Monday and seemed to do really well, but I was off all week and able to visit him. I officially start work this coming Monday and that will be our first day in our new routine. How has the transition gone for you ladies, if you've had one?
Hey there! Both my boys are in daycare and seem to enjoy it. It's definitely much easier for them than for me, though I don't mind now. When my oldest first went to daycare, I felt bad but he really did (and does) love the interactions with other kids!
The biggest thing for me is getting as much ready the night before. It makes mornings so much more manageable and calm.
Good luck and feel free to ask any questions you have!
Hi Sha259! Both my kiddos are also in daycare. It is a blessing, for real. The interaction with other children is so good for their development. DS learned so much from the older kids as he was hitting his milestones. I second what iwantbacon says. Getting ready the night before is huge. Makes life so much easier. The mornings I didn't prepare the night before are always a cluster. Good luck - you (and B!) are going to do great!
Sha259 - I'm sorry you had a tough time, but I'm glad you're feeling better about parenting! Parenting is not easy! My 7 year old actually asked me a couple of days ago, "On a scale from 1-10, how hard is it to be a parent?" I immediately said, "Ten." She then asked me why I have kids if it's so hard and I told her that the love you give and receive as a parent makes the hard work not seem so hard and makes it worth it. She seemed happy with that answer.
I went back to work when DS was only 8 weeks old and he had to start daycare at 9 weeks. He only has to go to daycare one day a week, though, because my mom babysits the other four days (at her house). He has done great and seems to really love being at daycare. He's really social and loves watching and "playing with" the toddlers that are in his room. He loves my mom, but he gets kind of bored at her house by the afternoon. He's really happy when my dad isn't working and is there, too. If daycare wasn't so expensive, I'd have no issue sending him to daycare more often. He loves it and it's much more convenient for us!
For me, getting used to the new routine was really difficult. My girls are older and in school and DH usually picks them up from their after school program, so I'd be able to go right home and get dinner started. Now I have to pick DS up from wherever he is and I don't get home until about 6pm on the days he's with my parents. I drop everything as soon as I walk in the door and start dinner. I hate it and I had a really tough time adjusting to that. I still hate it, but I'm doing better with it (most of the time). It definitely helps to get everything ready to go the night before. It may take some time, but you'll find your groove.
Post by ksyknelvr73 on Mar 9, 2017 11:29:31 GMT -5
Glad to see you back!
All my kiddos are in daycare. DS1 is now in kindergarten but the daycare buses him to and from school and then he's there for before/after care. All my kids started daycare when my maternity leave was over at 12 weeks. It was always hard because they still felt so little to me but they all did very well - there were some hiccups (DS1 refused to sleep, and DD was very used to being held all day), but overall everything has been great.
Personally, I think daycare is great. My biggest problem is getting us all up and ready in the morning and getting there on time since DS1 has to be there to catch the bus to school. It's added an earlier wake up time and way more chaos in the mornings, but it is what it is.
Don't be surprised if some little things happen here and there such as issues with sleeping or eating. It's a new environment and some kids are quicker to adjust than others.
Thanks for the replies and votes of confidence ladies!!! I also feel that B was getting bored with just DH and I all day and he seems to really love the ability to interact with other babies. We have always been the type to prep for work the night before so we have been doing that for him as well. Formula and Bm bottles packed, outfit and his lovie set aside. All I have to do in the morning is feed him,shower, give him his reflux meds, clean him up and we are out the door! I'm so glad we did the trial week so that I could get the routine and timing and order of things down.
DH and I make lunch and dinner for the week ahead on Sundays so that is also packed the night before. I'm hoping that will make life easier when we get home from work as well.
I'm lucky that B's daycare is 5 mins from my job, so drop off, pick up, and his mid day nurse will be super easy.
ksyknelvr73 leaving him at 12 weeks would have been so hard! I also really like daycare so far! So many people speak ill of it, but I think the right school can be so great. B doesn't have siblings to look up to or play with, and he doesn't have any cousins close in age or nearby so daycare gives him the play and socializing he needs. He will be going 3 days a week which still gives me 4 days a week to spend with him.
So far they have been following our home nap and feeding routine so he has been doing really well. Some naps are better than others but he still takes them. He has also been so worn out that he moved up his bedtime on his own and has been sleeping much better at night!
Post by smallpotato on Mar 9, 2017 11:51:27 GMT -5
Welcome back!
G goes to day care either one or two days a week, depending on MH's work schedule. He started at 14 weeks after I went back to work. My older son goes to the same day care and has since he was 3.5 (we had a neighbor watch him when he was an infant/toddler). G is not a great napper at home, but takes at least one 1 hour nap while he's at day care. When I pick him up, he is all smiles, and his teachers tell me how much they adore him. It definitely makes it easier on me.
I second everyone on preparing the night before. I make up bottles, make sure my pumping stuff is set, lay out clothes for all three of us, and sometimes put N's lunch together the night before. I still feel like I'm rushing around in the morning, but it's not as bad as it could be if I didn't prep the night before.
smallpotato thanks! Yeah the girls at B's daycare are super sweet and you can tell they love playing with the babies. Everyday we came to visit or pick him up he was either sleeping or all smiles! No crying at all! I told DH they must have something in the air like at Disney.🤣
Sha259, Welcome back and glad to hear the transition to daycare is going so well. DS2's biggest issue is sleeping at daycare. Some days he'll take a 2-3.5 hour nap, other days he just take 15-30 minute catnaps. With four other babies in the room, his naps often get interrupted by crying babies. But he sleeps super well at home so he's still getting enough sleep overall.
Picking him up at the end of the day and being greeted by his big gummy smile is the best! Good luck with the transition back to work next week!
DS (almost 3) is in daycare 2 days a week. I dont go back to work until the end of September/beginning of October and then DD will join him. I have no experience with infants in daycare as DS didn't start til he was 18 months, but it has been the absolute best thing for him.
DD went to daycare 5 days a week starting at 12 weeks. I'm not going to lie, it was rough on both of us. It took about 4 weeks for her to adjust and now she's doing amazing there. She is in a small home daycare with my 2 year old niece so I love that they get to spend all day every day together. Granted, DH does the morning routine because I start work so early, but I get a report each morning and DH (who had no baby experience what so ever prior to DD) really loves their mornings together. Like everyone else said, having everything ready the night before makes the hugest difference.
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