Is 22 months too young for daycare?

Hello,

My 22 month old twins were on the waiting list for a daycare and just received a call that there is room! We thought they would be on the list for MUCH longer as it was quite a wait. (until after they turned two)

Now, I am having mixed feelings. Husband works full-time and I work part time (5days/4hrs per day). I hope Iam doing the right thing.

I will miss them. The school is at my husband's job on campus. He can visit any time.

they would start part time 2 or 3 days per week.

Any advice would be great.

I think they are ready, but am feeling guilty. They have always had a sitter or relative here at the house, but this is less expensive and more structured, of course.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

Mine have been in daycare since 8 weeks old and totally love it, so I know I am sort of biased in favor of daycare, but IMO there is really no "too young" in general. There is only a question of whether they (as individuals) are ready and whether you are ready yourself! (And that's an important question.)

If you are planning on sending them at some point anyway, then there's not much difference between doing it now and doing it in a few months. My girls really love the structure, the activities, and seeing their friends everyday. There will obviously be an adjustment period. If your twins are not currently in the middle of anything difficult (potty training, just moved to a new house, etc.), then it's probably an OK time to start them. If they are facing other challenges right now, you might want to wait till that's resolved -- if you can (some daycares are "use it or lose it" when there's an available place).

Whatever you do, give it some time before you panic. If they are used to being home every day, they will cry (most likely) for the first couple of weeks. If you're comfortable with the daycare, trust the staff and ask them to tell you how the kids are doing after you leave. (If you're not comfortable with it, then it's not the right place for them!) They can also give you advice on how to handle the adjustment.

Good luck!

 

Double post, sorry.

 

I started mine at 18 months. They do 2 days a week and they really do love it. Lots of art projects that I would never attempt at home!! It is an adjustment and they will cry in the beginning - so will you - but they learn so so much!! Go for it!

 

When my twins were two years old, we put them in a partime daycare on MWF from 9-3pm. I don't even work; so it was just so they could have fun and social interaction with other kids. It turned out to be a disaster. My DD got two ear infections, and was constantly sick. She cried all day. The daycare workers called me to come get her that she was either not feeling well or was having a bad day. I guess it was good that I didn't work. Some of the staff didn't particularly like my DD, and they would put her in other areas of the daycare where unruly children go. I would pick her up, and she was always in tears. One worker if voiced her opinion that my DD is noncompliant, and whines all day. Another complained that she grinds her teeth too much. :huh: . Come to find out she was having consecutive ear infections that she acquired at the daycare. My DH and I decided that they are not quite ready for the daycare/preschool situation just yet. So, we took the out. I take them to a child/parent play group once a week. That way, I can keep an eye on them.

We have a free voluntary pre-kindergarten here in FL. I plan on enrolling them in that when they are four. I don't have much of a desire to send them back to the daycare setting.

I hope your experience is much better than mine.

 

I don't think they are "too young". I was lucky enough to stay home with them for a year and then I went back to work part time a little after their first birthday. It was a great time to get them "socialized" with other children. They now are doing just great. They go two days a week and it's just perfect for us. I'm hoping to be able to save up enough money to send them through my maternity leave so i have a couple of "days off" with the new baby once he/she is born. I think they will enjoy the social aspect of things.

 

I love our day care we started at about 20 months. It has been awesome for them, great socialization, new prjoects, they learn all sorts of new things and LOVE it. DS didn't at first and cried horribly when he was dropped off, now he runs to his room, they go 2 days/week and we are moving to 3 in the fall!

 

I think the only one that can answer your question, "Is 22 months old too young for daycare?" is you and your husband. It sounds to me like a perfect set up. Having them on site at your husband's work is awesome, and like you said, he can pop in to see them anytime. And if it doesn't work out, you can always go back to having a sitter, but you will not know unless you give it a try.

 

I'm sure they'll be fine. Not a lot goes on between 22 and 24 months. It'll take them some time to understand that you're not leaving them for forever and even then not every drop off will happen without some crying or whining. It'll be just fine mommy.

 

I bet they will actually enjoy it quite a bit. My guys started going to the sitters, which had a lot of other children, it was like a daycare just at my SIL's home, when they were 17 months old. I would have taken them sooner, but I just couldn't.

The daycares around here start taking babies at 8 weeks old.

My guys really enjoyed going to the sitters, they would have so much fun. I would get there, and they would tell me all about their day, it was so cute.