Daycare/kindy/playcentre & when to start?

I don't know anything about playcentre so can't help you with that.

Kindy will be out for quite a while yet as its usually from 2.5 at the mimimum.

Daycare is where Daniel is, he is there for 3 x 3hr blocks. Its fab. They have set times for meals and snacks, they sit down and do activities and loads of freeplay and messy play. In daycare the teachers are either qualified or working towards their qualification.

Personally I'd say it would be better to either put her in a bit before #2 comes or quite a bit after. You wouldn't want her to feel like shes being put somewhere because of the new arrival.

eta: every place is different, it pays to go and spend some time in each place you might consider and see what you like. daycares vary widely here and some have long waiting lists so its best to get onto it quickly if you want her in before #2 arrives

Edited by kebakat

Playcentre is a parent run place so you stay and participate etc....they have the same areas of play as kidy and daycare but its not drop off.

Katep wrote: Dropping her off would be no problem, as DF has his own business, therefore can leave as he pleases to do as I say ...until I can manage anyways.

ah well in that case maybe you wont need daycare after all!

Bizzy wrote: Katep wrote: Dropping her off would be no problem, as DF has his own business, therefore can leave as he pleases to do as I say ...until I can manage anyways. ah well in that case maybe you wont need daycare after all!

Why would I ask if I didn't need it? I am just explaining why it wouldn't be a problem.

Chickielou wrote: Oh and put your filtering cap on also, cos you will be made to feel guilty..........theres a fair few people out there that are "against" children going into care and feel that if you have children you should do it all until your children start school, and these children are the ones that have the worst time adjusting and socialising as its all new to them and they havent learned how to adjust to new environments.

I don't understand this mentality that SAHP don't 'socialise' their kids. I'm not locked in my house 24 hours a day 7 days a week; there's playgroups, coffee mornings with other SAHP, gym, swimming etc. DS2 is way more outgoing than DS1 was at a similar age, he loves going to new places and meeting new people and he has no issue being left with people other than me or DP even though I have been at home with him 24/7 for nearly 2.5 years.

DS1 was in daycare from 5 months old out of necessity, he stayed in until he went to school and he was no better or worse adjusted than kids I know whose parents stayed at home with them. DS1 was in daycare already when DS2 was born (he was 4 at that time) because we both worked but he had the option on whether he wanted to carry on going. He stayed home for about 2 days after DS2 was born, but was then ready to be back with his friends.   

Playcentre is a parent run cooperative so you are required to be an active participant and hang around. Once they hit about 2.5 and you've been going a while you can drop them off for their session but you are then required to attend another session to supervise. Kindy is for older children, don't know much about them but it is usually a morning or afternoon session a couple of times a week if you are lucky. Daycare is self explanatory. Personally I would rather have someone who LOVED their job and was not qualified than someone who was qualified but just using it as a 'filler' while they decided what they wanted to do with their lives. If I was to want to put DS2 into some sort of childcare situation I would prefer an in home service where the ratio of kids to adults is smaller.

Do what feels right for you, but I found pick up/ drop off to be a pain at times and it made me feel a bit disconnected from DS1 at times as well. I also started taking it personally that he'd rather not be with me all day.    

Hi Katep
I am an Early Childhood Teacher and a working mum. Somethings to ask or think about when choosing a centre is the Staff/child ratios.. in the centre i have chosen for my daughter the ratio 1:2 this is excellent. Also ask about how they do their caregiving routines such as bottles, nappies, sleeps- do they have a primary caregiving system ,meaning 1 teacher takes responsiblity for you child and ensures all there needs are met and they form a nice close bond or do they have shared responisblity and all have turns doing 'routines'. How many children do they have in the environment where my daughter goes they only take 8 under twos and it's great , where i work we take 15 under twos and it's great too but different. Also depending on where you live if you have a choice look around , do the staff make you feel welcomed?? , is the environment calm and inviting?? These are just somethings to think about.. Good Luck its an important desisions putting your child into someone elses care and you should take time to look around and find a place that suits you.

Thanks for many answers, obviously with kindy and playcentre it narrows down the confusion. Now I need to get out there and physically look.

Bizzy- I really dont understand you. I asked a question about putting a child into DC which is something you obviously have no idea about. You said yourself, you dont understand why a SAHM would do it.
Maybe you should spend less time on here and more time with your kids considering you seem to think you are a fabulous mum.

Katep wrote: Thanks for many answers, obviously with kindy and playcentre it narrows down the confusion. Now I need to get out there and physically look. Bizzy- I really dont understand you. I asked a question about putting a child into DC which is something you obviously have no idea about. You said yourself, you dont understand why a SAHM would do it. Maybe you should spend less time on here and more time with your kids considering you seem to think you are a fabulous mum.

Katep, personal attacks really aren't neccesary. If you don't agree with/like a comment, then saying so or better yet ignoring them should suffice. What you have typed is plain rude.

Sorry Bizzy it wasn't meant to be a personal attack, although I guess it sounds it, I do admit. I guess what you said made me feel like a failure for wanting some non DD1 time, I know that wasn't your intention, just your opinion. I will be first to admit that I am scared sh!tless to have a NB and 14monther.

Wow seriously I think we all need to start taking a bit of a deep breath before replying to threads.

As for my opinion (yip my own and it is up to you if you want to listen to it or not) Bizzy is entitled to say she doesnt understand why ect ect..... Does she need to voice that opinion... Well this is a forum so yip she is.... Do you need to agree? No
As for the original question.

I did some looking around when McKayla was small. and this is what I found. Daycare sometimes want you to put them in whole day although some of them allow you to do only a few hours.

The ratio can differ quite a lot from place to place (so check up) and generally for the under twos the ratio will be smaller. Then the cost of it is a bit higher than the other options. Your involvement: Not that much.Some places have set routines where others are a bit more freeplay involved and some have a combination (so once again will only know if you go visit a few times)

Kindy: most kindy's start at age 3. Cost is minimal and here and there you might be asked to be on mothers help. So bit more involvement from you as a parent. They do some freeplay and some set activities.

Playcentre: (we do this) Each centre can be quite a bit different. Parents run it so lots of work from you to make it run. But can be lots of fun and they can be a lot of help when new bubs arrive.

You have to stay on session (depending on your centre however) some have drop off sessions but usually their is some requirements to that. Like for instance the Howick Playcentre was for the 4 year old extended sessions. Had to go for set up and clean up and mothershelp here and there. Or someone else takes your kiddy to session and you swop again on another day if you have done course 2 (yip you do free courses to help the centre run)

In my new one there is 2 sessions that we can drop off from age 3 and you are expected to do your mothershelp days when rostered on (very much like kindy).

It is child innitiative and a mixed age group.

So see what fits in for your family and works with your believes on raising your child and go from there.