daycare

what age did you put your kids in daycare/ preschool?

i have a 2 year old and 2-1 year olds.. i feel that my two year old is being heald back..

so im asking.. should iput him in daycare.. or realize that at the end of this year.. he and the twinsters will be on the same level.. and it wont hold him back that much..

thanks

 

what age did you put your kids in daycare/ preschool?

i have a 2 year old and 2-1 year olds.. i feel that my two year old is being heald back..

so im asking.. should iput him in daycare.. or realize that at the end of this year.. he and the twinsters will be on the same level.. and it wont hold him back that much..

thanks

 

The boys started a Parent's Day Out Preschool that is from 9-1 on Tues and Thurs. They started in August so they weren't quite two. They have so loved it. Their vocabulary has blossomed. They love the structure and being around the other kids. They love gym time, music time, story time, craft time, snack time, and lunch time. Their are 10 in their class with 2 teachers that I absolutely love and so do the boys. Although my family thought I was nuts when I told them they were starting school to see how much they have sponged from that program is amazing. And not one person in my family was complaining when they performed at their Christmas Program...everyone thought it was amazing that they would even stand on stage.

At the same time I don't think it is necessarily holding the 2 year old back because he's not in preschool either. I would never say that preschool at two is a must but is sure has worked for us!

 

thankyou alot chris.. i really appreciate it..

its hard to handle all three..

and my son thrives off of time and energy spent..

i may consider it.. what school do they attend.
m

 

We are hoping for our girls to start preschool in September when they will be 2 1/2. The program is two mornings a week. The girls are home right now with a nanny and although they are thriving, I think it would benefit them greatly to be with the other children and also in a learning environment. We do teach colors, letters, songs, read books, etc with the girls, but I think that an outside environment would help them develop even that much more.

 

thankyou alot.. with three so close i have to be sure that they have proper education.. i think your right.. this may be the right time to put him in..
m

 

I said 3, that seems to be the norm around here anyway. But then James is just over 2 and at daycare she also does preschool stuff and I know he absorbs it. But he does need the structure some of the time. Alot of it depends on your kiddo

That being said, I would check into the preschool to see what their policy on potty training is. There are many that will not even take them until they are 100% out of diapers, which we are nowhere near.

Good Luck!

 

My twins went to daycare from 4 months until 14 months because I had to work. They loved it and I was sure that they were learning a great deal from the social interactions. I became a SAHM this summer and they stopped going to daycare fulltime. However, in October (a month before baby #3 was to arrive) we put them back in daycare (a more structured, school-like daycare program). They go two days a week for about 6 hours each time. They love it and it gives me a chance to spend quality time with the baby and to get some errands done (that I could not do with all three). They learn something new almost every time they go. I'm so amazed at how much their vocabulary has improved over the last few months.

If you have the means, I say go for it. I don't think you are holding your son back, but he might enjoy the time (and you might enjoy some alone time with your twins).

Good luck with your decision!

-rosie

 

I have a 4.5-year-old who went to daycare from 4 months onward and twins who are about to turn 2 in Feb. and have gone to daycare from about 15 months onward (all of them for 6 hours/day, 9-3). From my experience of starting right away vs. later, I would definitely say 15-18 months is a good age. In fact, I think the best time to be in day care is between 15 months and 3 to 3.5 years. That age range is so difficult because they're mobile, but can't do much, they are constantly getting into trouble or unsafe things, they can't quite communicate yet, and so on. Daycare provides a world of things designed just for them.

I also think there's a difference between a single and twins. When my twins got to daycare around 15 months, they LOVED it because they could be free. When there is just one of me and two of them, we are limited in what we can do and where I can take them. (Just parks with fenced in tot lots, as an example, or the mall, etc.). With my older single, I could take her a lot more places earlier on because I only had her to watch and keep up with.

But getting back to earlier vs. later, my older one went right away to daycare and they had an "infant-led" sleep program with no set naps for the babies until after they turned one year old. I was new at parenting and didn't realize how disruptive that could be. She did not sleep well at night that whole first year, but magically started sleeping through really well after turning one, going to the toddler room and getting on a consistent daytime sleep routine. Oh, the things you learn! So, I was able to start my twins a lot later on at daycare and that made the first year SOOOO much easier.

Good luck!
Sharon

 

I don't feel "qualified" to vote. But if I were you...if you are home and mobile, I'd probably do part-time nursery school i.e. a couple mornings or afternoons a week for a couple of hours. That'd be enough for him to get out and get some skills (and be a "big boy") and give you a break at the same time.

We're probably sending our girls to full-time preschool next year because we feel they need to get out of the house and they have been home with an au pair for the last two years, with only limited other social interaction (some neighborhood kids regularly stop by, but I guess I'm thinking they need to get ready for kindergarten -- but I really don't know what I think...). We also want to no longer have someone living with us and have to do something and this feels like it is probably right. It's hard to think of right now because they will change a lot in the next seven months by the time September comes around...okay, enough about me...

I think you do what works best for you and what you think is best for your kids all the way. If you do that, and choose good places and situations, you'll be okay.

 

my oldest singelton started when he was 6 wks going to daycare. he is now in preschool and he lears so much. he stared ps at the age of 2.5. mytwins on the other hand are alomst 9 mths and have been in daycare since they were 5 mths old. mommy has to work . my oldest has learned sooooooo much from school it amazes me.

 

I'm a SAHM and I had not intended to start preschool until they were three. When they turned two I noticed that they had very little language skills and they seemed to need more structure so I enrolled them in a preschool program at a Goddard School (national chain) for three half-days each week (MWF). They have been doing really well there. Their language has exploded and they are much better at participating in group activities. They love going to school (if they did not like it I would have removed them by now). I made sure I found a program that was specifically a preschool and not just a daycare. The Goddard Schools require all teachers for the 2-year-olds and older to have a four year degree and special training in early childhood learning. Each day the teacher has a lesson plan and they keep the kids very busy. When I bring the boys home at 1:00 they are quite tired and go straight to their naps.

The down-side is that I have found that the few preschool programs for 2-year-olds around here are all quite expensive. When the boys turn three, I'm going to shop around for a program that's more affordable for me. There are a lot more options for 3-year-olds when it comes to preschool.

 

We do a Parent and Me class and started when the kids were 20 months old. It is 1 day a week from 9:15 - 11:45 and a parent has to attend. Then when they turn 3 they will go to a preschool 2 days a week from 9-12.

Just the one day a week class has been so beneficial to them and they have learned a lot. The best part though is they get to socialize and interact with other children and are exposed to structured schedule that they have to follow.

 

We just signed the girls up for a 1 day a week 2.5yr old preschool program for the fall (they also have a 2 day a week class, but I wasn't ready to do that yet ). Right now they are home with a nanny 4 days and I'm home the other 3. We took a tour last Friday of the school and the girls loved the room they'll be in. Natalie kept on trying to go back into it to play with the toys!! They limit the class to 10 kids and they don't have to be potty trained. We signed them up because I think they would benefit from being around other kids their age, the socializing etc. . .

 

Personally, I wouldn't put him in daycare if you are able to have him at home. Some people don't have a choice due to bills but a child does best with his family. He doesn't need much scripted learning at this point and just reading to him and playing blocks or play-doh teach him a lot. When he turns three, you can try a morning preschool class (again, I don't like all-day preschool at that age). That's just my opinion.

 

I'm glad you posted this - the replies are very interesting. My boys were home with me the first 8 months. Then I went back to work full time and now DH stays home with them. They are now 18 months old and we're trying to decide when DH will go back to work. We know he will have to go back eventually, so we are trying to pick the best time. Now? When they are 2? 3?? I hope more people respond because this is really helpful.

Do you find that they have a harder time adjusting to daycare if you wait to send them, versus starting them when they are younger??

Michelle

 

There wasn't an option for when I put mine in daycare in the poll so here's my experience. We moved to FL last Feb. When the girls turned one last April, I started them at a daycare so that I could start looking for a job. I don't think the daycare was as good as I had hoped plus I think it may have been bad timing on my part. They were 10 months adjusted age and couldn't walk and were in a room with all young one year olds and older one year olds that could walk. When I picked them up, they were all nasty with dirty clothes and their faces were dirty and they just cried and cried. Then on top of it, for that month, they were out ill the entire month practically. I pulled them out of it with the intention of waiting until their spot with this other daycare opened up that I had them on the waiting list for. Good move on my part. Now, I'm sure the extra couple months of maturity may have helped a bit BUT this place is more of a little school and not just a "daycare". There is structured learning and activities. On top of it, the have separate classes for the young once year olds and the older one year olds. They also, offer breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack. The meals are better meals than I fix at home. The kicker for me though was when I picked them up after the first day....they didn't cry. They were happy to see me but weren't crying and carrying on. They really seemed to have enjoyed themselves. Although they still don't like to say goodbye in the mornings, they always seem to have enjoyed themselves and I can tell a HUGE difference in their personalities and overall I think it has benefited them a great big deal. Not just my girls but all the kids in their class, I've noticed are much more well-behaved there, they've been taught to listen, to wait, they are truly in a positive learning environment. SO, with that, I dont' regret it now. If you find a good one, I think it would benefit them. Good luck.

P.S. yes, it is full time, all day long. Always has been. Usually 7:30 til 5 or 5:30 pm and they are always so happy when I pick them up as if they really enjoyed their day. OH, and they have actually hardly been out sick with fever but maybe a handful of times since they began last summer, whereas the first place, they were out that much in the one month they attended. Just got to find a good school.