Does anyone actually like their infant daycare??!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pulled my first child from her daycare after 4 months (it was that bad!) and for my second child left after about 5 months (more so for convenience, but also some issues). So, I hear you, OP. We've been happy where we ended up, but we're in Old Town Alexandria, so not sure if that would be helpful to you.

Let me guess, you used to be in Bluebird/Tiny Tots, and then finally got a spot at either St. Anthony's or at Bright Horizons Innovation Station.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We were at Commerce Kids and the teachers are amazing.

Also at CC with our child. We were at another daycare for a short while with our kid; both were NAEYC. From my perspective, both are great.

However, DW doesn't really seem to think too highly of either daycare. DW has some really high expectations and tends to assume the worst case scenario: "Will they love our baby as much as a nanny would?!?" "Do you think they just leave the baby sitting all day in the crib when we are not there?!?!" "Do you think they actually work on education and development stuff, or is it all BS?!?!"

We go round and round with these discussions every week or two - DW questioning the quality of care (for no real valid reason) and me trying to pacify DW's fears.

It is what it is.

My kids went to Commerce Kids and we were very happy in the infant rooms (and older rooms, too). Having spent a fair amount of time in the infant rooms nursing, I can assure pp's wife the kids are not just sitting in their cribs. If they aren't asleep, they aren't in the crib at all. That would wake the other babies! From what I saw, the babies were rocked to sleep and taken out of their cribs as soon as they woke.

[Anonymous]

We switched from a center to a home daycare at 6 months and have loved it since. We really loved the small home daycare setting for the infant time - just a little more individual care, separate rooms for naptime so napping was much better, consistent caregiver, mixed ages so infants get a lot attention (because there aren't a ton of infants to be cared for at one time). I've seen a lot of people post similar experiences with home daycares for infant care here. I would give it a look. Best way to find them is if there is a parent listserv inyour neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We were at Commerce Kids and the teachers are amazing.

Also at CC with our child. We were at another daycare for a short while with our kid; both were NAEYC. From my perspective, both are great.

However, DW doesn't really seem to think too highly of either daycare. DW has some really high expectations and tends to assume the worst case scenario: "Will they love our baby as much as a nanny would?!?" "Do you think they just leave the baby sitting all day in the crib when we are not there?!?!" "Do you think they actually work on education and development stuff, or is it all BS?!?!"

We go round and round with these discussions every week or two - DW questioning the quality of care (for no real valid reason) and me trying to pacify DW's fears.

It is what it is.

My kids went to Commerce Kids and we were very happy in the infant rooms (and older rooms, too). Having spent a fair amount of time in the infant rooms nursing, I can assure pp's wife the kids are not just sitting in their cribs. If they aren't asleep, they aren't in the crib at all. That would wake the other babies! From what I saw, the babies were rocked to sleep and taken out of their cribs as soon as they woke.

And, yes, they love the babies. And they work on development and education. Development should be a topic at your parent teacher conferences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We were at Commerce Kids and the teachers are amazing.

Also at CC with our child. We were at another daycare for a short while with our kid; both were NAEYC. From my perspective, both are great.

However, DW doesn't really seem to think too highly of either daycare. DW has some really high expectations and tends to assume the worst case scenario: "Will they love our baby as much as a nanny would?!?" "Do you think they just leave the baby sitting all day in the crib when we are not there?!?!" "Do you think they actually work on education and development stuff, or is it all BS?!?!"

We go round and round with these discussions every week or two - DW questioning the quality of care (for no real valid reason) and me trying to pacify DW's fears.

It is what it is.

My kids went to Commerce Kids and we were very happy in the infant rooms (and older rooms, too). Having spent a fair amount of time in the infant rooms nursing, I can assure pp's wife the kids are not just sitting in their cribs. If they aren't asleep, they aren't in the crib at all. That would wake the other babies! From what I saw, the babies were rocked to sleep and taken out of their cribs as soon as they woke.

And, yes, they love the babies. And they work on development and education. Development should be a topic at your parent teacher conferences.

Thank you for these responses. Very helpful.

[Anonymous]

I'd hire a nanny. Children need a primary attachment as infants.

[Anonymous]

Loved ours as well.

[Anonymous]

Wonders in Bethesda is great. Truly wonderful experience, particularly in the infant room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd hire a nanny. Children need a primary attachment as infants.

Even to the extent that is true and not filled by the parents, why wouldn’t the teachers in an infant room play the same role? It is two people instead of one, but that hardly seems like a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Loved it, loved it. She's about to get moved up to the next room (10 mos) and I'm in tears over it because I will miss her teachers so much, they are like family!

Daycare with a 3 month old is hard no matter what, IMO - the naps are short and your baby is often tired in the evenings. And they're still on a "eat on demand" schedule which daycare can't always be immediately responsive too, even if they try. It just kind of sucks no matter how great your center is (at least my experience with two kids). By about 6 months though we noticed a big difference in our daughters not coming home exhausted and starving, and feeling better about the whole thing.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but how can a 10 month old have "teachers?" I've always thought this was a euphemism to make daycare sound more like preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loved it, loved it. She's about to get moved up to the next room (10 mos) and I'm in tears over it because I will miss her teachers so much, they are like family!

Daycare with a 3 month old is hard no matter what, IMO - the naps are short and your baby is often tired in the evenings. And they're still on a "eat on demand" schedule which daycare can't always be immediately responsive too, even if they try. It just kind of sucks no matter how great your center is (at least my experience with two kids). By about 6 months though we noticed a big difference in our daughters not coming home exhausted and starving, and feeling better about the whole thing.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but how can a 10 month old have "teachers?" I've always thought this was a euphemism to make daycare sound more like preschool.

Well they aren't nannies, sitters or au pairs. Maybe daycare workers? But that is awkward and a mouthful..."Larla's daycare worker is wonderful!". Doesn't sound quite right. I think "carer" could work but is not really used in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Loved it, loved it. She's about to get moved up to the next room (10 mos) and I'm in tears over it because I will miss her teachers so much, they are like family!

Daycare with a 3 month old is hard no matter what, IMO - the naps are short and your baby is often tired in the evenings. And they're still on a "eat on demand" schedule which daycare can't always be immediately responsive too, even if they try. It just kind of sucks no matter how great your center is (at least my experience with two kids). By about 6 months though we noticed a big difference in our daughters not coming home exhausted and starving, and feeling better about the whole thing.

Not to put too fine a point on this, but how can a 10 month old have "teachers?" I've always thought this was a euphemism to make daycare sound more like preschool.

Teacher is an actual title/name in daycare in my state (not DMV). Licensed centers need teachers in each room who have a certain number of credits in child development and a certain number of hours as an aide or trainee before they can be a teacher. The teacher is different from the aides/assistants and Has accountability for the class and communication with parents.

[Anonymous]

I love my child’s home daycare. I like the mixed age groups and the small number of kids.

[Anonymous]

I loved the daycare where all three of our kids have gone (only one is still the right age). Warm, caring teachers who developed very good relationships with my kids. I liked it better when they were slightly older, though- once they bonded with the other kids there. My oldest is 7 and her best friend is still another girl who also started at that daycare as a 4 month old.

[Anonymous]

I toured a lot of daycares and didn't like a lot of the infant rooms in some of the centers. I ended using a home based daycare for both my kids, until they were old enough for preschool.