Requesting Some Enlightenment
Anybody ever work at a day care?
I'm looking for a place to take Cecilia a few days a week, and it's a harder task than I imagined. There are two openings at day cares in Ste. Gen, but I think I'm kind of anti-day-care. I would rather have someone watch her in their house who is licensed, but there are very few of those type of saints around, so so far we've narrowed it down to 2 day cares. So, my question is; if I have specific instructions, how well with the workers abide by my requests? The workers, or "teachers" have a ratio of 4 to 1 in the baby rooms, so 1 adult will be watching Cecilia and 3 other babies. How is this possible? I am kind of anal when it comes to her food, no, really? Will they really give her the homemade baby food I give them? Will they really make her cereal out of water when they make all the other baby's cereal out of juice? How sick is she going to get from all the other babies? How will they get Cecilia in their schedule; she doesn't gulp down her food real fast, sometimes she protests, and sometimes she doesn't want to take a nap, she needs some coercing, and she doesn't take a nap at the exact same time everyday. She takes a morning nap, an early afternoon nap and a late afternoon nap. I wish I could just find someone who is licensed and has an opening for a baby in their house...
I told John on Friday that all this was making me go crazy, and he insinuated that I might already be there.
I'm looking for a place to take Cecilia a few days a week, and it's a harder task than I imagined. There are two openings at day cares in Ste. Gen, but I think I'm kind of anti-day-care. I would rather have someone watch her in their house who is licensed, but there are very few of those type of saints around, so so far we've narrowed it down to 2 day cares. So, my question is; if I have specific instructions, how well with the workers abide by my requests? The workers, or "teachers" have a ratio of 4 to 1 in the baby rooms, so 1 adult will be watching Cecilia and 3 other babies. How is this possible? I am kind of anal when it comes to her food, no, really? Will they really give her the homemade baby food I give them? Will they really make her cereal out of water when they make all the other baby's cereal out of juice? How sick is she going to get from all the other babies? How will they get Cecilia in their schedule; she doesn't gulp down her food real fast, sometimes she protests, and sometimes she doesn't want to take a nap, she needs some coercing, and she doesn't take a nap at the exact same time everyday. She takes a morning nap, an early afternoon nap and a late afternoon nap. I wish I could just find someone who is licensed and has an opening for a baby in their house...
I told John on Friday that all this was making me go crazy, and he insinuated that I might already be there.
Labels: sweet child o'mine
posted by happylaney @ 8:12 PM
5 Comments:
At 12:28 AM, August 25, 2008,
Unknown said…
I actually worked in a daycare for 3 years in college. I would say there are definitely pros and cons to both daycare and in home daycare. Will is in a home daycare and I trust the lady completely, but there is something nice about a daycare center with more oversight. To answer your questions (or most of them):
1. I think the ratio is okay. They are usually in one big room so it is easier to watch them all.
2. Where I worked, they followed all food instructions...so I don't think that will be a problem. I think they will feed your special food. I would remind them the first week about the cereal thing. I didn't know people used juice with cereal instead of water.
3. Your baby is totally going to get sick. Unfortunately, there is no way around it. Especially since she will be hitting cold season when she is still mouthing everything. Will was so sick his first winter in daycare. It was ridiculously frustrating. Not only did he get sick, both Brant and I caught every new cold/virus that he did. We were just as sick as him. Brant has worked in a hospital for years and was never more sick than the first year Will was in daycare.
4. Sometimes kids are easier for other people and so she might go to sleep easier for them than for you. The con about daycare centers is that they don't get to sleep in their own room, so they do tend to wake up because of other kids. That is one of the main things I like about in home daycare. He sleeps when he wants to sleep and for how long he wants to sleep. However, kids seemed to adjust and it might actually help her get on a schedule for you too.
I can understand feeling crazy making this decision. It is a big deal! On a positive note, I think Will has learned some great things from daycare and is really good with other kids and loves playing with other kids. I bet Cecilia will really like being around the other kids. That's it for now...let's talk soon!
Melissa
At 9:26 AM, August 25, 2008,
Anonymous said…
yeah, you might already be crazy, but that's what kids do to us, it's their fault!!! dad's don't understand why we let this happen to ourselves, so us moms have to stick together. i feel your pain.
melissa seems like she has great advice, especially having worked in a daycare.
the only thing that i think i can add is pep-talky. don't waver in how you know you want to raise cecilia. they should be willing to follow your food wishes(& they aren't THAT weird or far out), and you should tell them what her normal routine has been thus far, but kids are so adaptable. cecilia will probably get in the groove of a new environment in a week. and as far as getting every bug & other kids, i think there's always good & bad that comes with that. she's gonna get sick, she's gonna bring in a bug from somewhere else & make kids sick. same with other kids habits & sayings & mannerisms. she's going to teach & learn both good & bad.
i think that trust is a huge thing, so make sure you feel comfy with leaving her there everyday. remember, you can stop in there whenever you want and check in on her & what's going on. everything will be great. it's just such a big decision, so i know it must be so hard to make. you know you'll make the right one.
love you! good luck! becky
At 12:03 PM, August 25, 2008,
Unknown said…
I wanted to pipe back in and say that Will was much less sick this past winter (and us too!). I think there is one bad year in there for illness and then you build up your resistance. Also, they have to go through it at some point...either in daycare or preschool or kindergarten...whenever it is that they are first exposed to a lot of kids.
At 9:59 PM, August 25, 2008,
happylaney said…
I don't remember being so sick when I started kindergarten. Why does it have to be this way? Isn't she too tiny to be so sick? She's only had a runny nose twice in her lifetime, and the latest one was blamed on her two teeth.
The lady at the one day care said the state mandates that children have 2 ounces of juice per day. Isn't that crazy? She said it would be no problem to use water instead of juice, but that I would have to write a letter and they would put it in her file.
Mandatory juice...what is the world coming to?
At 2:43 PM, August 27, 2008,
Anonymous said…
I remember after Norah was born I declared myself the Mayor of Crazytown- then I changed it to President- then Supreme Commander ... realizing on my own that whatever the highest title was- I had it covered.
Welcome to Crazytown, you can apply for the open position of Mayor..... -Amanda
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