Starting daycare full time

Luckily I just got a job and am starting on Wednesday! That is a great thing because we really need the money. I am just torn because this is the first time I am leaving my girls for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. Have any of you started daycare when your kids were around 13 months old? I have no idea what to expect from them. I am also really worried that they won't nap well and then in the evenings when I can be with them, they will be too tired and cranky to spend some quality time with me! How do you working moms do it??? I have so many emotions running through me right now that I feel like my head is spinning!!

 

:hug: i don't have any advice but just wanted to say to take a deep breath, and remember it is a big transition for all of you. it'll take time for everyone to settle into the new routine - don't be afraid to try new things to make it all work the best for you & your family. GL!

 

Mine started daycare at 16 months and it went OK. They go for afternoons only. The first week or two is a big adjustment for them and they will cry a lot. My LOs adapted quickly and love nursery now. DS still cries when we leave him there but DD walks happily in now! When I collect them, they are calm and happy.

Keep in mind that your LOs may go off their food or have some unsettled nights as a result of the change but rest assured that once they settle into their new routine they will go back to normal. Once they associate you´re going back to collect them they will be fine too. Also, they will catch every illness there is and you will need to have some back-up childcare in place (maybe family?) for when they are sick, unless you can take time off work. Mine are sick every 2 weeks at the moment!

Congrats on the job too! :Clap: GL!

 

Congrats on the job!!

As others mentioned...there will be a transition time (mine have been in childcare since they were 4mths).
I can't offer too much, but what I've learned is..It's KEY to have good communication with your daycare provider, IMO: this will make or break your experience. Kids adjust well, I know for me, it was harder on me often times then it was on them.

Take care of yourself...if you feel you need to call, call to check in. YOU are the customer!!

Can you do a small 'trial' run prior? It's really tough at first, but you will all get through it, and if your all comfortable with the daycare, great things can happen!!

Good luck to you! :hug: you can do this!!

 

Mine have been in daycare since 8 weeks, but we switched daycares right around a year. They liked the new place, but the mornings were rough for the first couple of weeks. Some advice I would give you is not to sneak out while they are distracted. I always, always, always make a point of telling each one goodbye and giving them a kiss - even if they are distracted and even if doing so causes them to realize I'm going and be upset. I feel like it's a trust thing. They need to know mommy won't sneak away, and they need to know mommy or daddy come to get them every day.

They'll be fine. We had a rough October for illness, but November was good - no days missed.

As for naps, it may be rough at first, but you'll be surprised how quickly they adapt to doing what the other kids are doing. When mine switched to the toddler room and sleeping on mats at 18 months, I thought there was no way they would nap on mats. Day one, they napped on mats. Kids are adaptable little people, and these daycare professionals have seen it all and know how to get them through it. Remember that your kids aren't the first they've cared for, aren't the first who had a rough transition, aren't the first who had to get used to naps. The daycare teachers are pros at these things!

Good luck!

 

My girls have been in daycare since 6 months...the biggest piece of advice I have is to just go with the flow. Yes, the routine will be off for a bit, but things will settle in. I found naps weren't an issue because they would see the other kids napping and do the same--they are in the toddler room now and follow a routine with nap right after lunch, so all the kids do the same.

Good luck going back to work!

 

Mine started daycare around that time. Luckily I knew well in advance the date I would be going back to work and the daycare had a transistion policy. I spend all of their first day there with them. The the next day I left for an hour to run an errand. The next day I left for two hours. Then I only stayed the first hour with them for the next two days and the following Monday. The second Tuesday was the first time I just dropped them off.
That worked great.
As for the nap schedule changing, remember daycare is an active busy place so they will get tired out and probably soon be napping on the same schedule as the other kids in their room.

 

Thank you all so much for helping to ease my mind!!! You all have made excellent points! I actually start work tomorrow and I have been able to do some rearranging to their schedule. My mom is going to watch them on Mondays, my SIL on Tuesdays (both at my house), and then Wed through Fri I will take them to daycare. I am so happy about this schedule. I finally feel "at peace" with my decision and am not as worried about the girls. I am so thankful to my mom and SIL because they are not charging me, so I'll only have to pay for 3 days at childcare! Plus it's so convenient because my mom and SIL both live within 1.5 miles from me.

Now I need to figure out what I'm going to wear for my first day of work! Thanks again everyone for your comments!!!!!

 

How did your first day go? (err...how's it going?) lol! Good luck!!

 

Thanks for asking! It went well. I didn't sob until I got home!!! I held back tears a few times today and finally let loose when I got home!!!!! My girls did fantastic!! The big test is tomorrow when they go to daycare for the first time. But, I'm sure I will be more upset than they will be!

Oh, I had a good first day at work. It was weird because I haven't worked in an office setting for someone else in 2.5 years!

 

I"m so glad you all did well! Thanks for the update!