Should I worry about baby's daycare transition?

[Anonymous]

Baby moved daycare rooms to a slightly older baby room. In the original room, baby flourished and laughed and giggled. The first day of the new room, baby came home with bits of food still stuck under chin folds (disgusting and unsanitary, could've caused rashes). The teacher seemed unconcerned. In the next weeks, teachers have shuffled around a bit and baby stopped smiling in daycare photos sent home, and acts very serious and doesn't laugh at school, which is a total 180 change in personality. At home, baby's rambunctious and active and crawling and happy. At daycare, the teacher criticized baby's pants saying they were too long for crawling, baby's sippy cup (was splashing water, which is...kinda the point?), and baby's self-feeder spoon (baby's slowly getting the hang of it, it takes time). Their comments are wearing on my self-esteem as a new parent and after a particularly rough work week and the umpteenth daycare comment I came home and broke down crying. Baby's in the best daycare in the area, but I just have no faith in my ability to do the day-to-day without all the nitpicking. Do I need to grow a thicker skin? What would you do? The facility itself is in very high demand, and I know for a fact if we were to leave any other care would be inferior (or less safe or less standardized).

[Anonymous]

Aww. Well if you're confidence in the place, then address the issues you see. Definitely get a thicker skin too. You're doing a wonderful job! If someone criticizes baby's pants (couldn't they roll them?!), that's not your fault. Just put different pants on her and let that comment roll off your back. Ask them what sippy cup they want and just buy it. What's another $10? I get that it's annoying, but you have to keep the caregivers happy too. Mine just told me this week they hated the new diapers I bought. Whatever, I bought a different brand on Amazon and will send those in instead.

I wouldn't worry about baby smiling the first week. It's a LOT to change rooms and I'm sure baby is focusing on all the new things, new people and is getting the hang of it. If baby is still upset after 3-4 weeks, I would address it.

[Anonymous]

Transition can lasts a week, 2 weeks or a month. More than that I would be looking a Family Daycare/center/nanny. It seems they don't give much attention to the child, not interacting enough. But again it can be part of the transition.


If I worked there I would roll the pants up. But if they told you the pants are long then maybe they are right. Most caregivers tells you things so the baby is comfortable and for the environment and easy for the caregivers too.

Hugs, abrazos!