Question for mums of under 1s in daycare
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Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: Question for mums of under 1s in daycare
Posted By: MrsJMcD
Subject: Question for mums of under 1s in daycare
Date Posted: 28 April 2011 at 7:54pm
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My DH is self employed and things are very slow at the moment so I'm going to have to go back to work earlier than I hoped.
DS is 7 1/2 months and I'll probably need to be back at work within the next 6-8 weeks, so would be at most 9 1/2 months when he goes in to daycare or similar, for at least 3 days a week. given that he's not yet crawling or walking and hasn't said his first word (all things I thought I'd still be at home for), I'm imagining him doing all those things for the first time with someone else watching instead of me. So my question to those of you with babies in daycare when they started doing all these things is - did they do them at daycare or did they do them when they were with you? |
Replies:
Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 28 April 2011 at 8:25pm
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DD has been in care 3 days a week since 6.5 months.
DH got her first steps, and then she mastered walking during the weekend with both of us. Her first words were mum and dad, so were around us obviously. She didn't say much else for ages, but then she's just exploded with language recently. To be honest I don't know if each new word I get is the first time she said things, but it's the first time I've heard it and it's awesome either way! Crawling was more of a process I think, she just got slowly better and better until she was crawling properly. It didn't seem to be quite like walking where it was a defined moment. I honestly don't feel like I've missed out, and in some ways I think she's learnt things faster because she's had older kids to learn from. If it has to be done, it has to be done. There are plenty of positives in it too  ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Jaxnz1
Date Posted: 28 April 2011 at 8:56pm
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DD has been in care two days a week since about 8 months and I don't feel like I missed out on anything. As with T-Rex, her crawling, talking etc were very gradual processes. I found walking to be the only real 'obvious' milestone and she started that at home.
I agree that even if they do do a 'first' at daycare, the first time you hear or see it yourself is just as good.  I think in most circumstances, carers aren't aware that they've never said a certain word at home before, so they probably wouldn't say anything. If that makes sense.  ------------- 
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Posted By: ItchyFeet
Date Posted: 28 April 2011 at 9:02pm
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DS started fulltime at 5.5 months, so most of his firsts have been at daycare. It's never bothered me, as they fill me in on what he's done or achieved during the day, and then I can watch or wait for him to do it at home. It's still exciting the first time you see or hear him do something the first time. Some things he's developed much faster in than he would ever have done if at home with me, both from seeing the older children, but also they have more ideas for activities and physical things suitable for his age as the carers have way more experience than I do. I've found it to be very beneficial, even if I do miss out on some of the official firsts. Agree that the first words were dad and mum, they know who's the important people in their life. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 29 April 2011 at 8:02am
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One thing I would say, is even if at this point it is still only a maybe, start shopping around for centres now and get your baby on the waiting lists.
My favourite of DD's milestones has probably been her learning to hug and kiss. Her carer mentioned today how many kisses she's been getting from DD lately and it was nice to think, yeah, but I've been getting them for months 
They do become attached to their carers (and that is a good thing!) but they'll always love you the most! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MrsJMcD
Date Posted: 29 April 2011 at 10:12am
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Thanks for your replies ladies. I know going into care will have some positives and it was always going to happen, I just haven't had as much time to get my head around it as I would have liked!
Time to start looking at the options for care - that's all making my head spin too. |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 29 April 2011 at 3:05pm
I agree with this too. And it is hard to leave them at first. I think I was more upset than Jackson for the first 2-3 days. Their love is unconditional so when they see you its like they've missed you for days. Jackson was 9.5 months when he started DC when I went back to work. He was already talking i.e. Mum, Dad, bub by then so we didnt miss the talking. He took his first steps at home with us at 13 months old, so that was cool and Im pleased we didnt miss it. I love seeing him learn new things and hearing him talk new words he's learnt at DC. He knows all the boys names (only 3 others, he's in Family DC) and talks about them all the time (and the dog, Missy) . They definitely learn things faster at DC, and Im also a Mum that doesnt mind this. If he were at home with me the opportunity may never have been there to learn, or to learn it as quickly, so it doesnt bother me.
I agree, start looking around now. You will know what you like and dont like. ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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T_Rex wrote:Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 29 April 2011 at 8:09pm
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DS started daycare part time at around 7 months, and was only really sitting (at times!). I didnt miss out on anything - he crawled, walked etc at home but they were both gradual, I couldnt pinpoint the exact time he did either. And he had already said his first word, which was his name and got lots of practice saying it at daycare. I love the little person he has turned into, and he is such a happy, social little man and I think daycare has played a part in that - he just loves it! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: travelchick
Date Posted: 02 May 2011 at 1:08pm
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you won't miss out on anything...when my son went to daycare, I just asked that they didn't tell me if he had done any 'firsts' that way when I saw it, that was when I counted it as being his first time. seemed to work for me really well and I felt like I wasn't missing out on anything and DC were happy to oblige!
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Posted By: Bexee
Date Posted: 03 May 2011 at 8:39pm
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Agree with travelchick - quite often daycares won't tell you that they did their "first" there so when you see it, it's their first time.
DS started at 9 months and I don't feel as though I've missed out. I think he's gained so much being there. There are things he does there and not at home - he's not a big talker but apparently will say "all day long" there when they read the wheels on the bus but no matter how many times I try he won't say it. But it doesn't really bother me. He's doing things like painting, obstacle courses, made best little buddies wihch he may not have done at home with me. |
Posted By: floss
Date Posted: 03 May 2011 at 9:02pm
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I work in the infants room, and as a parent myself I know how special it is to see things for the first time, so we never tell the parents if the child got up and started walking or saying new words then we don't say anything till the parent mentions it. That way its super exciting for the parents to see it first
------------- My beautiful big girl Sienna 15.04.06 Double the trouble double the fun Noah & Lola 10/11/07 |
Posted By: MrsJMcD
Date Posted: 04 May 2011 at 8:22pm
| Thanks ladies - this all helps. i'm feeling a lot better about it now, just needed a few days to get used to the idea. |
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 07 May 2011 at 9:50am
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Our daycare video'd it for us when thomas did things for the first time! I thought that was quite exciting :D ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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