Daycare Dilemma

Just so we're clear - I am not an expert on child raising - as if there were any doubt.  I may post things here and you may feel compelled to read them, but that should, in no way, lend even the slightest bit of credibility to my premises.  They are, in short, what works for us - and by "us" I mean Mrs. Big Dubya and me - not the other dads here at DadCentric.  But, all things considered, like all the pundits on television, I do have a platform (this blog) and an audience (you) so, maybe I can pass myself off as an expert on all things parenting.  I'll just scream and talk over you if you have a differing opinion - he who is loudest is rightest.  So there.

A month or so ago, Jason posted about us doing an "Ask DadCentric" - a place where we would answer your questions about parenting, the dad lifestyle, what to do when you have pocket fours or the age old discussion on who has better pop cred: Tiffany or Debbie Gibson.  Well, someone asked about the mundane topic of daycare so I figured that since we do send Little Dub to one, maybe I could provide some perspective.

Now, maybe it's not a good idea for me to write about the petri dish that is full-time daycare what with Little Dub currently asleep, battling a fever and filled to the gills with Tylenol and Amoxocillin.  But, hey, let me give it a go.  In all honesty, we do like our daycare and Little Dub's progress while he's been attending.  That isn't to say that if we were able to do it financially we wouldn't pull him out of there in a heartbeat and have one of us stay home full-time - nope, not at all (c'mon Powerball).  So far though, aside from the game of pass the virus to the left-hand side, it has been a pretty good experience.

Little Dub, even though he is (was?) a preemie, has been developing right on track or, in some cases, a little ahead of schedule.  I think, without fear of ascribing too much credit to daycare, that his attendance there ceratinly has contributed to that development - call it positive peer pressure - "If all the other kids were walking around and then falling on their asses....."  We've also found that he works well in crowds and unfamiliar situations - there's no stranger anxiety and rarely, if ever, has anything akin to a meltdown.  All in all, pretty positive stuff.  Other than daily dips in Purel, I can't really think of anything they should differently.

Like I said, if we had our druthers, Little Dub would be home with a SAHM or SAHD, but financially, it just isn't feasible at the present time.  It's a difficult choice to make, but daycare has worked for us and we believe that it has been good for Little Dub, however your mileage may differ.

Comments

[Kaz]

We have our daughter in daycare 2.5 days a week. We have noticed that she seems to be very outgoing and has RARELY ever exhibited stranger anxiety (if she has, I think she's been faking shy - she's such a flirt). I like to attribute it to being exposed to other people and children in daycare.

Like Mr. Big Dubya, this has just been our experience with our kid. Mileage may vary.

[kara]

I am a proponent of center daycare- you know, the big places where parents are constantly walking in and out thereby keeping the place honest. I know there are some great home daycare providers out there, but I like the idea of lots of people watching. That said, I think the best choice in childcare is always the one that's the easiest for parents to send their kids to without losing sleep at night. One mom's bustling, well- lit center is another woman's nightmare. The kiddo did VERY well at her daycare center and I like to think some of her personality traits were probably amplified there (she, like the lil Dub is outgoing and great in a crowd). I think it also made the transition to school a bit easier.

[Christy]

My kids go to an in-home daycare, but it has quite a few kids. It seems to be a nice balance between having a one on one sitter and the super-regimented day care center.

One thing I really like about day care is that my kids have learned that they are but one tiny part of the world - not the center of the universe. Don't get me wrong, they do a great job of giving the kids attention and making them feel special, etc. but they have also learned a lot about waiting in line, sharing, etc. that I don't think I would have been able to teach as effectively at home.

[McD]

Little man has been going to an in-home daycare provider since day 1. Okay not day 1, but it sure seems that way. Needless to say, he loves it. I think we're also "victims" of the positive peer pressure, as up until a month or so ago, he was the baby of the group.

As such, all he wants to do is play with the big kids. Run with them, jump with them (unfortunately he seems to have inherited his father's 1/2 inch vertical), and do everything they do.

Now that there's a new baby there, he seems to have taken on the protector/mentor role.

I don't think either of us would remain sane for long if either turned into SAHM or SAHD, tho the others in the neighborhood would likely stop staring down their noses at us... ;)

Little man certainly exhibits the same comfort level with others and in larger groups as noted above.

I'm just curious to see what happens when it's time to really start going to school, instead of daycare... with new teachers and new structures.