how do you feel about daycare?

Question

I'm watching montel and they are talking about children fatalities and victims. Two of them have been in the state of virginia, locally to me. My children aren't in daycare, but how do you feel about it truly?

Answer 1

I've been a stay at home mom for the last four years. I brought my son to daycare for about a month when I first returned to work. I went to pick him up one day (he was about 8 weeks old) and he was sound asleep..........on his stomach........on a PILLOW. They told me he wouldn't nap, so they rolled him over so he'd settle down. WTF?! He never went back.

Two years later a very dear friend of mine lost her four month old at the same daycare to SIDS.

Are all daycares bad? No. But I think if you have the means to raise your own child, do it!!

Answer 2

I hate the idea of putting my newborn in daycare, although I am going to have to do it out of necessity in 3-4 months so I can go back to work full-time. I think it can be good for older children but newborns and infants should be kept out of daycare at all costs. If my child were a year or two old than I would be much more comfortable with the idea of leaving her with a group of adults I don't know. At that age a child can play and interact with the other children and actually benefit from being in a group setting. Newborns need too much individual attention and I just don't believe that a daycare setting can provide that. I also wouldn't trust a group of strangers to do things the way I want them done. Once you leave, you really don't know what's going on. Your baby could be left alone crying for long periods of time by herself and you would never know. I also believe the fewer people you expose your infant to for the first few months the better. Their immune systems are so weak and who knows what germs are floating around in a daycare. I don't think daycares are "bad", but I think they are a less than ideal situation for small babies. Unfortunately, what are you going to do? We live in a society where most famalies need two incomes to make ends meet and employers are not sympathetic to working parents. I plan on spending the next 3 months finding the best damn daycare out there that I can afford for my baby girl.

Answer 3

I taught preschool for three years and I see a lot of parents who feel guilty about having their child in daycare and other parents who havn't got time for their kids.

If you are considering a daycare a good comapny is called Bright Horizons Family Solutions. You can find them on line they have centers in every state, including Virginia.
Find a daycare that is accredited by NAEYC or another organisation. Ask about their licensing requirements and center policies. Often by talking to the director and workers in the center you can get a good idea of how the center is run and what happens day to day.
Don't be afraid to spend time there with your child to observe.....but be discreet......no-one likes to feel like they are being constantly judged. But if they have a no visiting policy or only at certain times then be wary.
Observe in the classroom and you will get a good feel for what happens from day to day.

Daycare can be good for children as they learn social skills and how to solve problems, manage conflict and get along with others.
They may also learn abc's and counting.
They can make friends too and have a lot of fun in the playground and in the classroom (providing its quality daycare)

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I originally planned on putting my daughter in daycare at 3 months, but I'm still with her at over a year old, and I plan to stay with her as long as I possibly can. I went and visited most of the daycares in my area a few months ago, and they all depressed me, because all of them seemed to just not care about the kids at all. One of the daycares had one lady watching 6 young babies, and she looked so bitter about it, like she hated them! Obviously they aren't getting any one-on-one attention at that place. I cried all the time for a few weeks just agonizing over what to do, and I just decided to stay dirt poor for a while longer.

I definately understand why some people have to use it, though. It is getting harder and harder to survive on one salary.

Answer 5

it's not for me, no one watches my baby except family. I had a friend who let their bf's sister watch the baby and she fliped out and mudered him. She was 13 and didn't know how to get the baby to stop crying and threw bobby (the baby) against the fireplace and left the house and went home like nothing happened. I have a 10 month old girl and love her more then anything, I don't trust ANYONE excpt family. And in a lot of day care there are too many kids to be watched all at once

Answer 6

I'm pretty satisfied with my daycare situation. It's an in-home daycare with a really stable group of kids/parents.

My kids have been going since they were each about 8 weeks old. They've never cried for me to stay, and they happily jump from my arms to Deb's at the beginning of the day, and from Deb's arms to my husband's when he comes to pick them up. We've never experienced any separation anxiety or drama surrounding drop-off.

I like that it's a mixed-age setting, like a family. Deb cooks, cleans, gardens, and runs errands with the kids, as well as providing a preschool curriculum and art and music lessons. Older children "help" to care for the little ones, and everyone has small chores to do. And Deb loves them and understands them and knows why each kid is special.

I don't feel bad about leaving my kids there. It's messy and disorganized, and nowhere near as regimented as a center, but I know my kids are safe, well cared for, and loved. They're getting all the benefits of daycare--better social skills, understanding of different rules for different places, exposure to other kids, as well as mama's paycheck and mental well-being--and none of the downsides. And that's what matters to me.

Answer 7

not for me. i dont trust anyone else to watch my children. I understand it if you truly do need to work and have no other resources, but best case scenario IMO is to find a friend or family member or at least an in-home daycare. I checked out daycare facilities for my daughter when i briefly considered going back to work part time, and they just seemed like baby assemby lines. Not financially worth it to me either.

Answer 8

I would not send my son to daycare! I am fortunate to be a stay at home Mom. If I had to work my Mom or other close relatives would watch my son. I have nothing against people that send their children off to daycare everyday. It's their business, not mine.

Answer 9

If I could be at home with my baby girl, I would. When I pick my daughter up from daycare, she is in a room filled with other babies with green snot. She is often dirty and wet. She has caught the cold and I can't seem to get rid of it. Before she was in daycare, I never had problems with her being sick. And even at 15 months, she has caught on to the temper tantrum thing. The only upside is that she gets to socialize with kids her age. But when I pick her up, she is usually playing alone. My son has been bitten and come home with knots on his head.

Answer 10

daycare can be a great thing for alot of kids. Although you have to do your homework first. I think that it is very important to visit many daycares before you place yourchild in one. Same with baby sitters. It is important you see how things work first before you can trust a person/group of people to care for your kids. But as far as good for your kids? It is great, they learn how to play, share, take naps, trust others, and many other great things.