What can we expect from daycare for our 6 month old?

Question

We have to enroll our 6+ month old son into daycare. I've heard horror stories about them getting sick all the time. I'm curious to know if this is true and at his age, what can we do to help him?

Answer 1

Yes, it is true that children in daycares get sick more often than if they stayed at home. To go to a babysitter doesn't help either, as many stay at home moms trying to babysit, do tend to take in quite a few children also.

Most daycare centers will wash their baby toys at night, but do nothing about the sharing of toys. What one baby puts in his mouth, will go into quite a few other mouths as the day goes on. If they catch it happening, a good caregiver will wash it or at least rinse it off, but you can never be sure of that either.

My son has asthma. Was put on steroids at 5 months of age. Caught his brother's chicken pox. Because you're actually contagious before having symptoms, and I believed the old wives' tale that a child under 6 mos doesn't get sick...my son gave 2 other babies the chicken pox. This spread to one baby's mother, who never had the pox before. I felt horrible.

Most viruses are contagious, before there are any signs of infection. Hand/foot/mouth disease is a biggie in day cares, as the rash & fever comes on about 2 days after the child is contagious. And that one takes over a week to get over too. There's countless others. As a working mother of 5 children, all I can say is that there's no way to stop a day care epidemic.

But - there's also other things to look for in a daycare. Ask them who their licensing agent is. Call the licensing person, and ask for previous complaint history on the center. Go in for a scheduled visit, but also do another visit without an appointment. See them first hand when they're not on their best behavior. After finding out that my son was in a swing or a high chair all day while 3 women sat on their fat butts and talked...no one holding a baby...I began to check out more daycares.

Answer 2

dam's answer is an excellent one.

I stay home with both of my kids because I worked in daycares and I hated what those poor kids faced daily. I've worked in numerous daycare programs, taught pre-school and even worked as the manager of the infant program at a child development center.

It does not matter how dedicated or caring the daycare providers are. The children do not get the care they need. It is actually really sad. The thing that broke my hear the most was the babies that were dropped off at 6am and not picked up until 6pm. 12 hours in someone else's care. They took their first steps, spoke their first words not with their parents but with us. I resolved at that time that my own children would never be raised in the system. I stay at home and we even homeschool. My kids are active in sports and drama. They are outgoing and happy.

However, not everyone has the option to stay home. I realize this. Yes, your child will become ill in daycare. There is no way to avoid it. Some people believe this isn't such a terrible thing. It supposedly helps build immunity. Just pay attention. If you see really ill children, inquire about them. A good center will send very sick children home but some will not. Keep your eyes open but try not to worry too much. Your child will catch something but just take it as it comes and do your best.

Answer 3

Biggest mistake I ever made with my girls was daycare babysitters ect..

Thankfully they survived, the problem is that not many people will care for your children and provide them with the same morals as you will.

As they grow older and are going to school plus daycare and you get home from a long days work, you'll naturally have very little time for them. Your children end up being raised by the school system, daycare system and television and you will look back someday and say to yourself, "That's not how I raised them" and you know what?? It will dawn on you that you didn't raise them, other people did.

Well that's was my hard cold facts and I can only blame myself, My wife never had to work a 2nd job but always got bored being a "stay at home "Soccer"mom" (what an insult to mothers) so she would work on and off putting the kids into daycare and such.

With the cost of living like it is, many people become forced to work and leave the child rearing Up To Other People. Something is wrong with the system when one income doesn't cut it.

Forget for a minute about the lack of care and disease passed around by other children for a minute and consider the effects on the children.

Answer 4

My child started at 6 mths. He had never been sick until 3 weeks after being in daycare, he got diarrhea. He also now has a stuffy nose almost constantly. However, he loves it there! He lights up when he gets to see all the other children and his teachers are wonderful. While I would love to be able to stay home with my child and I cried like a baby all day on his first day, I can truly say he's still a happy healthy baby!

Answer 5

If you don't want your kid to get sick, then daycare is not the place to send him. When kids are small and around other kids everyday, it is going to happen eventually. Especially since he is 6 months. He is going to be putting toys in his mouth that have germs on them. Hopefully your daycare provider will keep her toys washed and use lysol and bleach to kill germs.

Answer 6

Don't take your child to a germ infested child care center!! Stay home and raise him. Alter your schedule and be home with him to bond. Why pay someone money (its their job and have no vested interest in your child whatsoever) to watch YOUR kid???? Would you give 10 million dollars to a complete stranger and trust that they don't spend any of it? Why would you do that to your child?