Im on maternity leave and im taking 8 weeks off. I work at a daycare which i take my 3 year old. Just wondering when i go back if he will throw a fit and have to get use to it all over again after being there for almost a year. or if he'll remember and be comfortable. should he be going instead of staying home with me for the 8 weeks? also I dont want to take him there if im not there, what should i do?
2007-02-09 02:23:56 · 8 answers · asked by Nicki08 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
I would keep him with you at home! There is no telling for sure how he is going to act when you go back? Every kids is different and reacts different, and that is ok one kid is not better then another...BUT what you need to watch out for is sibling rivalry and if you stay home with the new baby and take him to preschool when he is used to you being at preschool with him he will see that something is different and pick up on that. The best option is to keep him at home...let him help you as much as possible with the baby, if he does something that scares you with the baby ie pick the baby up, try not to freak out stay calm and correct the issue as quickly as possible then calmly tell him why he can't do something this will curve sibling rivalry for you. Hope this helps good luck with your recovery and family!
2007-02-09 02:33:10 · answer #1 · answered by ChristyE 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Do you really want your three year old around your newborn all the time?
I haven't had a second child yet, but I remember how demanding my daughter was in the first few weeks, and I know that when I have another, I want to know that I can go to sleep when my newborn does instead of having to look after an older child, because I will be a far better mommy to both of them if I am rested.
Personally, I would send the oldest to daycare because of them being used to going there. I wouldn't want to change too much of the daily routine.
But this is your decision. How about keeping him home for a week and see how you all get on. If you need to send him back, keep the option there :)
2007-02-09 10:32:31 · answer #2 · answered by ♥Pamela♥ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My wife wondered about whether or not to keep our 3 year old home while she was on maternity leave for 15 weeks and I think after three days she knew that we made the right decision to keep him in daycare. Two kids is about 3 times as much work as one kid. You are going to be very tired and a three year old can be very trying when you are not tired. Keep in mind that you need to think about how four people will be affected.
Will you get adequate sleep and down time with your three year old home.
Will the baby be a happy one or a collicky one (our second was very collicky).
Will you 3 year old have problems having his schedule changed and being around a baby. Will he have a very exhausted mom that is short tempered? This may not be the case but you don;t know for sure.
What does your hubby think? Is he going to ready for another 8 hours of work when he gets home? I was ready willing and able, but that doesn't mean that I wasn't dead tired for 12 weeks while we waited for the collic to end, and our new bundle of joy did nothing but cry from 5:00 pm to 9:00pm every night.
You are the most qualified person to make the decision, you apparently have the patience of a god to work in a daycare center so you may really be perfectly situated to handle baby and 3 year old. Just do what you think it the right thing to do. And keep taking you son to daycare as a option should things prove harder than you expect.
2007-02-09 11:16:21 · answer #3 · answered by 12341234 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Having a newborn and a 3yr old at home during your maternity leave will be stressful. You will need your rest after the baby comes and having your son in daycare is the only way to get it. Also, I can only imagine that he loves his friends, the interaction and the time he gets to run free on the playground. When you keep him home he won't have as much at home to occupy or distract him and he could easily become bored.
I would suggest trying to keep him in daycare - either all day or part of the day or just sending him a few days a week. This way you and the new baby can bond, your son can play and enjoy his friends and you have some time to rest!
2007-02-09 10:33:05 · answer #4 · answered by Jen 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How about sending him just one or two days a week? That way he will still be involved there and you'll get a little break at home. Trust me, once that new baby come you will really need some quiet time. And your 3 year old won't be away so much that he'll feel like he's missing out at home.
2007-02-09 10:28:53 · answer #5 · answered by Jennifer F 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You know what is best for your child, don't let him decide how to run your life. Trust your instincts. He could be a very good "helper" for you and the baby too. Having him at home can create a good bonding experience and not one that he feels left out on. Sending him to school may make him feel you are making him leave because of the baby.
2007-02-09 13:29:37 · answer #6 · answered by Honeypai 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will be good bonding for him and the new baby for him to spend time home too. Is there anyway you can take him to day care say 2 days a week for just a few hours each time? That way he is still exposed, yet you get one on one time with the new one.
2007-02-09 10:30:05 · answer #7 · answered by punkin_eater26 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
my suggestion would be to take him to the daycare a couple days a week that way he will stay on schedule and that way you won't have problems when you go back. by staying hom from daycare, he might get used to that and not want to go back and it can and will cause major problems
2007-02-09 11:19:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋