day care for 14 month old?

Question

we are considering putting our 14 month old in day care two days a week - he stays at home with my husband now. if he only goes two days a week, will it be hard for him to adjust going back and forth? do you think he will be a disruption to the others? my concern is that he is not on the same schedule as the day care, for instance, they have a 9:30 worship where they have to sit on a mat. ok my son has never had any kind of formal situation where he would be required to sit on his own. (maybe if he was strapped in a high chair, and someone was feeding him)

ok - it is a fun daycare center that has kids of all ages. they are just christian based and have a worship in the morning and bible studies and play. so i think it would be just like a normal day care.

Answer 1

If you are worried about circle time with a 14 month old then it is defintely time to put him in daycare. Don't worry about the disruption it may cause, that is why they give you a schedule of hours to bring him part time.
He will cry the first time you drop him off. Its the age, however if you pick the right daycare a few hours a week can be tremendous fun for him. They get new toys, games, stimulation, and they learn from the other children. Also it will aid you in realizing all of the things that your son is capable of doing that you don't realize that he is ready for. As far as how he behaves, the daycare will work with him, get to know him and they have strageties and tools for engaging children in activities. They will work with you to find the best things for your son. I recommend it totally. As I said my son LOVES to play there. Give your son a chance to figure out what he is ready for.

Answer 2

My son originally went to daycare full time and then last summer when he was about 1 1/2 my partner switched shifts so we took him out for a while and then sent him back only 2 days a week (home daycare). He had a lot of trouble at that age adjusting with just 2 days a week. He ended up going back full time after the summer and then partner switched jobs again so he started going only 2 days a week again and at 2 1/2 he was fine with that. Younger kids have a little more trouble adjusting to changes in routine so I would suggest seeing if they could take your child maybe just a few hours in the morning 5 days a week so there's more routine.

Answer 3

I would ask what the kid to teacher ratio is for your child's age group. Is there any type of curriculum or what is a typical plan/schedule for the day? What is the day care center's policy on discipline, what circumstances would they kick a kid out for? (biting, hitting- how many incidences have to occur before they will ask the child with the behavior issue to leave) What is their policy on sickness, do they send kids home right away? How long do they have to stay home before they can come back? What education or certifications does your child's potential teacher hold? These are just a few that come to mind. I worked at a daycare and my director could sell the !@#$ out the place, making it seem like the greatest school, but it wasn't at all; it was the worst preschool I had ever been to. She maxed out the teacher ratios, moved kids around from classroom to classroom because there weren't enough teachers, so there was no structure, she barely spent any money on supplies or new toys, and even when I, as a teacher, was cursed out by the kids, hit, scratched, punched nearly everyday, she would just say 'thats how kids are these days' and not kick them out of the school because she wanted the money. So don't let the director fool you!! I'm sorry I don't know much about home-based daycares other than I went to home based day cares until I was 3 then started preschool. But I think the same concerns apply for in home daycare and the large scale daycare center.

Answer 4

I put my son in daycare at 12 weeks, had to go back to work. You might be surprised at how well your child will adjust. Kids sometimes listen better in a group situation, they see what their classmates are doing and follow suit. I was amazed at how well my child was there, compared to how he sometimes was at home. He went 3 days a week. I tried to keep him close to the schedule he had a school. Of course, I didn't have everything they did. He learned to play with others, sit at the table and eat, ring around the rosie, etc. I think the social interaction is great. And if for some reason it doesn't work out, he can go somewhere else or stay home.

Answer 5

Daycare will be good for both your child and your husband.

The social skills and experiences will be good for the baby. We have a 12 month old in daycare now. He does fine, he is a little upset when I drop him, but he enjoys it. Also, the variation in experiences and schedule will be good for him, making him more tolerant of change. Don't listen to people saying 14 months is too young, besides you are only talking about 2x a week.

Second, your husband will come to like having those days off. I spend a lot of time with our boys (I work out of the house, so my wife is only around in the evenings and weekends to help). Spending a lot of time with little ones really takes its toll. Especially when they get to the more mobile and attention demanding toddler age. Being able to have a couple of days to get things done and have a little quiet time will do wonders for his sanity.

The religious nature of your daycare is up to you. We are active members of a congregation. However, prefer our children be in an environment more focused on love, play, and general education (rather than religion). If you feel they offer the environment you want, then it is your choice.

Answer 6

Your child is too young to try to make him sit still for any length of time. I think putting him in a daycare for a couple of days a week is a good idea though because it will help him learn how to get along with other children and in some cases help boost his immune system.

A great place to start is by asking your friends and family for suggestions. Word of mouth is always great. Next I would look into headstart, our town here has a wonderful headstart program. If you still don't have any luck I would check with your local SRS, they should have a list of the registered daycare providers in your area. Just be careful that you check out each provider carefully.

Good luck with your decision.

Answer 7

My opinion on this is...if it is some type of christian group where they have to sit on a mat and have chapel sessions then no he is too young for this and does not have an attention span to sit and pay attention for a long period of time. Now, if you want him to go to a regular daycare twice a week I think it is great because he will learn to interact and share with other children and people and tend to not be as spoiled as children who stay home all the time. But, on the flip side being around other children tends to bring home more germs...

Answer 8

i think its going to depend alot on the daycare to.being 14 months i think the child is a lil young to really truly act out i think it would be good for baby so it can interact with other kids and babies.

Answer 9

my daughter started daycare when she was an infant and it did wonders for her. she has exellent verbal skills. she knew her abc`s before she was even 2, she also learned sign language, potty training and how to count. she is at a 4 year olds level for her verbal skills. she isnt even 3 yet. anyhow i recomend it. start off slow and then put him in full time. its good to create some structure for him and a schedule. this will help you out in the long run for sure!

Answer 10

I would not reccomend it. Your child will have a hard time ajusting. I think a strict schedule would be good for him but it is a little early. Wait until your child is 3 years old and get him in a preschool.