What's a good age to send my baby to daycare?

Question

Not too young when they're fragile, not too old so they have separation anxiety. What do you recommend?

Answer 1

it's not so much about your baby's age. It's about how comfortable you are with the idea of daycare, the reality of your daycare, what your baby's temperament is like, and what your financial picture is.

My kids go to an in-home daycare. They've been going since they were 8 weeks old. And they love it. I'm confident that they're being properly cared for, and that their provider is the next-best-thing to me. Great activities, great attention, great meals, great socialization, great, great, great.

I've never had a drop-off where they're screaming to come with me. And they're happy to see me at pick-up.

I need to work. I want to work. I don't have friends or family who can watch my children. And this is real life: they need to learn about different rules, different people...Daycare has been good to them. No regrets.

Answer 2

My older sister went to daycare from when she was about 1 1/2 until she was about 4. My mother has always regretted doing it..... my sister broke her arm(s) 3x while there! Therefore, my mom stopped working, and I never went to daycare. It really depends on the place you go. Anyway, to get to your age Q, I think they should be old enough to talk and communicate. You don't want to send a baby there..... parenting is an amazing experience, and if you send your young child to a daycare for the majority of the day everyday, then you and your baby are both going to miss out on that bonding that mothers and children have at that young age! It's an experience to valuable to skip over. You don't want someone else to raise your baby, do you? Because you can never really know what people do with the youngsters while they're at a daycare if they are too young to tell you..... (punishment, naps, food... etc)

I say, don't send your kid to daycare at all. If you must, try about the age of three or four. (but then again, thats about the time to be starting preschool.) Any earliar wouldnt be good. So, I may or may not have helped you here, and Im sorry for that. I gave you my best opinion, though!

Good luck!

Answer 3

Best Age To Start Daycare

Answer 4

Mine went at 20 months and it worked out perfectly. She had very little separation anxiety. However, I think she would've been fine starting daycare earlier. I know people that had their kids in daycare as young as 2-3 months. I used to think that was too young, but a few years later, I can't see any negative impact when comparing their kids to mine.

Answer 5

Well, daycare will not take them any earlier than six weeks old and they need to have their shots, but they say if you have to do daycare with your child the younger the better it is on them because they bond better with their teachers, I worked in a daycare and I did find this to be true. It seemed like if the child was four months and up they were already beginning to realize that people were different than their parents.

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What's a good age to send my baby to daycare?
Not too young when they're fragile, not too old so they have separation anxiety. What do you recommend?

Answer 7

If you value your children's life? Never. If it's at all possible stay home with them. If you can't stay with them try to find a responsible relative to watch them. If you HAVE to put them in day care I'd recommend not doing it before they can walk very well and talk well enough to tell you about their day. I had my kids in day care ( the older two, one started at about 2-3 the other around 3-4) for 6 months before the older one (and some other parents and former workers at this day care) were doing. They'd leave children screaming in cribs, throw them into the cribs (actually throw), sit on the older ones if they wouldn't lay down at nap time. The current Day Care system sucks. If you must put them in day care then I recommend you stop by unannounced frequently.

*add in*: You may also want to consider not sending them until they are fully potty trained. You really don't want a stranger changing their diapers. You never know what sickos work where and the less temptation given the better.

Answer 8

i've worked in daycare for 3 years and i would say the best time to start daycare is around 6 months.

Answer 9

Are you really asking when should you go back to work? Daycare is only a necessity if you have to have a care giver during the day and are unable to find a family member who can accommodate. Only you know what type of financial situation you are in. Their will be hurdles to jump over no matter when you put her in daycare. I would suggest doing whatever is best for your family and not setting a timeline based on your childs age.
:o)
Take Care

Answer 10

5 months