Anyone on here ever been to daycare and enjoyed it?

Question

I believe that in a few years time there are going to be major problems with kids who have been raised in daycare.
I HATE DAYCARE. It messes with kids. My childrens kindegarten teacher says she can spot a daycare kid - they are 'institutionalised (her words not mine)
It is not good for kids to spend so much time in daycare. If you have no choice eg single parent then I feel sorry for you. But I absolutely hate it when I see new 'mothers' out without their kids . I even know one woman who put her daughter into daycare so they would toilet train her - the epitome of laziness.
It saddens me so much to see a whole generation of children being raised by strangers who dont love them.If parents want their kids to be 'socialised' they should join a playgroup or something where they can attend with their kids.
They go to full time school at 5 - why cant 'mothers' give up 5 years of their life to raise their own kids?
Is there anyone on here who actually went to daycare and enjoyed their time?

By the way, my issue isnt with the workers who work there.
Not at all -I think they are mostly doing a great job!
Infact they are trying to do a job that isnt theirs - its the parents!

Woah Charli!
Defensive or what?
I didnt say you were a 'bad' parent, I dont even know you - but clearly you are an 'absent' parent.

Eric G - Middle aged and without a skill set?
There are more important things than a career!
Anyway, after raising my kids I am now at university - so what's the rush? Giving time to your kids is the MOST important thing,
And Cindy - WELL SAID! Despite the fact that I wholeheartedly disagree with you I think you made your case really well!

Oh Nina - he is gone from you for most of his waking hours. So at the most you would have what? About 4 hours with him? Sad.

Wow.
Lots of defensive mothers on here who aren't actually answering the question I originally asked.
I didn't ask 'are you happy with your decision to send your child to daycare' - I asked have YOU been. Big difference.

Answer 1

Well my first born daughter went to daycare for about six months when she was two, and she absolutely loved it. I wasn't going to send her to day care but she actually ASKED to go, in fact begged to go, over a long period of time, because a little boy she was friends with went there. The carers were very good, and she had friends there before she went, so she had a ball. She was a very very social child so she just loved going there and being the centre of attention. I didn't enjoy being away from her though, so as soon as I stopped work to have my second child, she came home with me. She then went again at 3.5 yo, and again just loved it. None of my other children have gone though, as either my partner or I have been home with them.

I worked in the daycare that my daughter went to when she was 3.5, it was a 3 yo and up daycare, and it was really really good. We (the carers) really did care for and genuinely loved the children attending...how could you not? It was only a small community run daycare, and the carers were related to many of the children. We had lots of fun, playing with the kids, reading with them, drawing pictures and being creative. My sister in law (who is a lot younger than my partner and I) was one of the children attending, and she really loved it, it drew her out of her shell. I also had two nephews attending, and they also really loved to go. I still have a box full of drawings and knick knacks that the children made for me while I worked there and I treasure them. It was the best job I've ever done, such job satisfaction, such a pleasure to go to work in the morning.

The right daycare can be wonderful for a child. Ours was child centred and child led, which makes a big difference. A daycare that is too rigidly structured can stifle creativity and individuality, but one that caters to each child's different needs, abilities and personalities can be wonderful.

I remember going to my daycare when I was small, we called it creche. It was great, I still remember my carers names (Dot and Debbie) and what fun we had. I did really enjoy it, I can't remember a time when I didn't want to go to creche.

Answer 2

My son is 2.5yrs old and goes to daycare one day a week from 9-3 while his big sister is at school and I get my mum stuff done like shopping (food), errands, doctors appts, cleaning, catching up on that book I was reading a month ago, a hot cup of tea drunk from start to finish... This makes for a very happy balance for all of us as I get 6hrs uninterrupted time to get my things done (and lets face it every parent knows how much you can get done without the kids in tow).
I feel like I am losing my sanity if I can't have some time out during the week from just being mum and I feel that being there for my kids 24/7, 6 days a week and getting 6hrs out of 24 for myself the 7th day is pretty good.
If I didn't have this time, I know that I would physically and mentally burn myself out. I love my children to death and only want the best of them but I don't feel bad putting my son in daycare for 6hrs a week so that I can be a saner, more relaxed mother. It benefits everyone in our family when I have some time out too. If the mummy isn't taken care of first and foremost the whole family will suffer.
My son runs into his daycare and hugs his teacher when we get there, waves goodbye to me and looks so happy when I peek around the corner and spy on him when I pick him up. When I pick him up, we are both happy to see each other and usually have the best afternoons and evenings on the day we have all taken a break.

I believe children need to learn and socialise without their parent to give them the cues. That doesn't mean leave them there 12hrs a day 5 days a week and let the carer's become the primary caregiver over the parent. Thats just wrong.
I've found a balance that works for everyone and he has developed and advanced a lot since being in a different learning environment. Children benefit from the structure and learning of a quality daycare environment if it is done in a sensible way.

My son is not 'institutionalised' (but will be once he starts big school) and I didn't enrol him so they could toilet train him and I'm not a lazy parent. I am realistic about how much I can mentally and phsyically handle and will not accept criticism from parents that think what I do is wrong. If you really hate children going into care why don't you homeschool too. Kindergarten, preschool, normal school (whatever you call the start of formal education) is an institution is it not????


Way to go Charlie! You are doing and have done nothing wrong so don't feel bad, this woman thinks she is obviously gods gift to human kind and feels the need to berate daycare users. She obviously thinks she is a supermum and that we all should be too.

Answer 3

I went to daycare for the equivalent of 3 full days as a child, spread out over the week. I remember always being happy and well looked after, and I think I actually had more quality time with my mom because of it.
My kids don't go to daycare, because I'm lucky and don't have to work, but I'm totally open minded about it. It's funny, because a Kindergarten teacher I know says that daycare kids are almost always more advanced, happy, and well adjusted. I know I did great at school.
I guess a lot of it depends on the kind of daycare, and mostly the quality of the parenting outside of daycare.

Answer 4

Is it feasible your 3rd puppy used to be followed from a safe haven? Some puppies who're rescued from safe haven instances get very harassed, get anxiousness and panic whilst there are plenty of puppies round or have a equivalent consider to a safe haven. If that is not the case, i would more commonly have her on leash, but it surely does not sound like she rather enjoys it. If it ever so occurs that you just pass on holiday and a DD is all you've got, then it can be satisfactory to begin very slowly introducing it to her. Always be certain the puppy is in a joyful excited temper to head, as good because the character taking her, and make it an satisfying revel in like keeping apart her from the opposite puppies, bringing her favorite treats (clear of different puppies) and moneymaking her for calm. Have her tethered to you regardless that and if she ever suggests indicators of worry or pressure, you can also wish to take her away and provide her a holiday. I would not convey her as a rule, i would begin doing it possibly as soon as every week or so. Be mindful at what maybe triggering her to get apprehensive or harassed on the daycare. Maybe too many excited or stressed out puppies, too many barking puppies?

Answer 5

My daughter went to daycare on and off since she was 3 months old. With the exception of one daycare I thought they did a spectacular job.
The daycare that I liked the best was on my college campus and they did all kinds of fun things with the kids. I remember once for "multicultural day" I came to pick her up and she was wearing a sari...she looked SOOO cute. She loved her daycare teachers and they adored her.
She was only there while I was in class, so she wasn't staying for a full 8 hours or anything. And I potty trained her...I don't think that's anyone's responsibility but the parent's. Also...her daycare wouldn't potty train. They put them in diapers and if they went to the potty, fine. If not, fine.
The one daycare I did have issues with, I just took her out and found a new one. I honestly think my daughter learned things from being in daycare that I could have never taough her. Like how to get along in a group.
She always loved going and I never had any reason not to trust the people I was leaving her with. Plus she made friends while she was there. I never lived anywhere that had kids around, so being able to play with others her age was very important to her.
I agree that children shouldn't be left in daycare for 8 or 9 hours while the parents work, but a few hours a day or a couple days a week I think is beneficial.

Answer 6

This subject comes up constantly and everytime it makes me sick to my stomach at the views of some people. Who are you to judge a parent? Both my wife and I are highly educated; college, graduate school make nice salaries. How would you like it if we judged you based on assumptions about Stay at Home Parents? The bottom line is I have Stayed at Home with my Daughter for the past eight months and know that staying home is work, so I am not going to judge you becasue I know it is work.

I decided to go back to work becasue, assuming we have other children sometime soon, I don 't want to be approaching 40 and have to start a career all over again. As fast as your children grow, your skills grow worthless faster. With the changes in technology and laws etc.. a program used today may be irrelevant a month from now.
We found a great daycare that has a structured program and after speaking to other parents they are thrilled with the daycare. We made both an announced and unannounced visit to the daycare and everything was still the same. Kids were playing quietly, workers were actaully attending to children and we had the same good feeling both times. Daycare is expensive and unfortuntely many parents do not have the luxury of shoping around to find the right one.
So do us all a favor, get off your pedestal that becasue you stay home you are a better parent. Parents who work do not love their children any less than the parent who takes their last five dollars and feeds their child before themselves.
My wife and I love our daughter more than anything. We have a mortage over $2,000 a month, high taxes, college and graduate school loans, two car payments and a nice standard of living. We decided although we could get by it would be better to do better than just get by. So you can call me a terrible parent, you can judge me but when you are a middle aged adult with an irrelevent skill set maybe you wont think working parents are so horrible after all.

Answer 7

I personally don't like the idea of daycare either however I don't think that a child in daycare means an unloved child. And there's also the situation where the mother actually HAS to work. Bills must be paid and sometimes that means children go to daycare. It isn't the end of the world. I don't really remember my time spend in daycare...but I'm fine now. I know my mother loves me and she did her best. I'm married and have children of my own so I'm a totally functional adult. And I'm sure there are benifits to daycare as well as the negatives.

Answer 8

I work at a daycare. Some people leave their children from 5 am- 7 pm. Its horrible. I have also seen mothers just leave children long enough to get potty trained (my mom is good at potty training). But on the other hand some children don't go to daycare then they go to school with no idea how to socialize with other children. Most children need a few hours of daycare a week. It helps them learn to socialize, follow a "school" like schedule, and learn how to act in school. Everyone that went to my moms daycare LOVED it. They still talk about how good my mom is with children. That's my opinion though...

Answer 9

I went to daycare more than 20 years ago. I did fine in school, studied abroad while in high school and in college, participated in extracurricular activities, got a PhD and now have a great job that lets me travel (I'm typing as I'm waiting at the airport).
I am also married.
My sister also went to daycare, and she's also just fine.
My mom is doctor and she couldn't just "give up 5 years of her life". If you have any kind of real career that requires lots of training like medicine, law, or research, it very stupid to take more than a year off. I feel that I have been as successful as I am because I learned work ethics and the importance of having a life outside the home from both of my parents.

Answer 10

I'm a single mom who has NO CHOICE to work full time. I send my 3 yr old to preschool and is with a family member. Preschool 3days, my aunt 2 days. My daughter is intelligent and actually a pleasure to be around. She loves her school. Not all of the children are like this but most of them are a pleasure to be around. Have you sent your child to daycare? Maybe its just the day care around you? The place I found is fabulous AND affordable. Please dont judge the situation. not everyone has the luxury of being able to stay home with their children. And I personally think they should have time with other kids in a structured environment to prepare them for kindergarten.
And its not like a child is being "raised" in daycare. Some people choose to send their kids and leave them there even for a little bit after work. I do not, i get her right away. She makes dinner with me, we paint each others nails, have mommy and daughter time.
So tired of people judging others!!!!!!!