Changing your mind about sending your kids back to daycare?

[Anonymous]

I really want to send my kid, but have been in contact with a previous provider at his last daycare who is terrified to go back and really doesn't have any options (bills to,pay, needs insurance, etc.). Its made me think a lot about the other side. I'm sure there are a variety of thoughts and positions on the provider side and that some can't wait to get back to work, but things are manageable, if not great, at home. My biggest fear through all of this has been passing the virus to someone and accidentally killing them.

[Anonymous]

I've been on a waitlist for more than a year now, and there are still no spaces for a toddler at my two local daycare centers. So, it seems like most people haven't changed their minds about sending their kids to daycare, or at least haven't alerted the daycare yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were on the fence but the setup actually convinced us to go ahead and send. (So the opposite of your description.) They are doing small groups of 4 kids and you know who else is in the group. Keeping very close age (like 1-2 years apart) siblings together, too. So your 'bubble" is very small.

Temperature taking happens daily when they enter and at naptime. You tell them what time you will be dropping off so they can meet your child.

How would any of that help? Fever is not an indication of infection, and each child is possibly exposed to many people outside of daycare, so the risk is exponential anyway. I don't see how that set up is comforting.

[Anonymous]

No way. My kid starts all day. I cannot wait, and neither can she.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were on the fence but the setup actually convinced us to go ahead and send. (So the opposite of your description.) They are doing small groups of 4 kids and you know who else is in the group. Keeping very close age (like 1-2 years apart) siblings together, too. So your 'bubble" is very small.

Temperature taking happens daily when they enter and at naptime. You tell them what time you will be dropping off so they can meet your child.

How would any of that help? Fever is not an indication of infection, and each child is possibly exposed to many people outside of daycare, so the risk is exponential anyway. I don't see how that set up is comforting.

Not PP, but my preschool is doing something similar based on the guidance they are receiving from the state and local governments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were on the fence but the setup actually convinced us to go ahead and send. (So the opposite of your description.) They are doing small groups of 4 kids and you know who else is in the group. Keeping very close age (like 1-2 years apart) siblings together, too. So your 'bubble" is very small.

Temperature taking happens daily when they enter and at naptime. You tell them what time you will be dropping off so they can meet your child.

How would any of that help? Fever is not an indication of infection, and each child is possibly exposed to many people outside of daycare, so the risk is exponential anyway. I don't see how that set up is comforting.

It won’t catch everyone, but it may catch some. Fever and persistent cough are the two most common symptoms.

And I don’t know why you assume the child is exposed to many people outside daycare. If anything, returning to daycare is making me MORE vigilant, because I don’t want to unknowingly bring anything there. We just got it back, I don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting sick or a shutdown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No way. My kid starts all day. I cannot wait, and neither can she.

Typo - starts Monday.

[Anonymous]

This article / NPR piece helped me wrap my head around things: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/24/882316641/what-parents-can-learn-from-child-care-centers-that-stayed-open-during-lockdowns

[Anonymous]

Another issue that just occurred to me is that my first time preschool 3yo, who has never been away from Mom or Dad, will be getting dropped off this fall to strangers wearing masks.

Have any of you guys had any experience with how a potentially nervous and scared 3yo will deal with mask wearing strangers in a new place without Mom or Dad?

Is the potential damage of that experience better or worse than not spending time with peers until next year at age 4?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another issue that just occurred to me is that my first time preschool 3yo, who has never been away from Mom or Dad, will be getting dropped off this fall to strangers wearing masks.

Have any of you guys had any experience with how a potentially nervous and scared 3yo will deal with mask wearing strangers in a new place without Mom or Dad?

Is the potential damage of that experience better or worse than not spending time with peers until next year at age 4?

I have the same concerns for my 3 year-old. I wouldn't have had them with my now 5 year-old. They just have very different personalities. You have to go with your gut. You know your child best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another issue that just occurred to me is that my first time preschool 3yo, who has never been away from Mom or Dad, will be getting dropped off this fall to strangers wearing masks.

Have any of you guys had any experience with how a potentially nervous and scared 3yo will deal with mask wearing strangers in a new place without Mom or Dad?

Is the potential damage of that experience better or worse than not spending time with peers until next year at age 4?

I have the same concerns for my 3 year-old. I wouldn't have had them with my now 5 year-old. They just have very different personalities. You have to go with your gut. You know your child best.

Could you expand just a little bit on what you mean about your 5 year-old? Is it because your 5 is naturally very social and wouldn’t have had any issues picking right up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another issue that just occurred to me is that my first time preschool 3yo, who has never been away from Mom or Dad, will be getting dropped off this fall to strangers wearing masks.

Have any of you guys had any experience with how a potentially nervous and scared 3yo will deal with mask wearing strangers in a new place without Mom or Dad?

Is the potential damage of that experience better or worse than not spending time with peers until next year at age 4?

I have the same concerns for my 3 year-old. I wouldn't have had them with my now 5 year-old. They just have very different personalities. You have to go with your gut. You know your child best.

Could you expand just a little bit on what you mean about your 5 year-old? Is it because your 5 is naturally very social and wouldn’t have had any issues picking right up?

Yes. When I dropped her off the first day at preschool, I barely got a goodbye wave before she was off. No tears. No concerns. She has always been very easy when we traveled and takes to new routines/schedule changes well. I have been prepping her for what the new K will look like and she seems relatively unfazed.

My 3 year-old on the other hand is much more of a homebody and stubborn (in an endearing way!). I had tried a few drop-off activity options for her before the shutdown and she wasn't having it. I also know that she will not stick to her desk or space all day as she is a mover. She loves playing with toys and if those are generally missing her transition to school will be much harder for her. I also don't want her being taught that she is "bad" if she tries to play with other kids. As of now, I still have her signed up for preschool this fall, but I am waiting to hear more details from the school before I make a decision. Oh, and as far as the mask wearing she seems unfazed, but I don't think dropping her off at the door will go well. I'm really hoping that if she ends up going that the schools foresee this and perhaps just have an outdoor drop-off to the playground or something for the first few days so that everyone can ease into it???

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old has been going the whole time. No cases at her center (fingers crossed that continues).

Temp checks when they come in. Parents pick up/drop off outside the building. Teachers are in masks. Groups are small; no more than 15/room, though her room has 6 kids and 1 teacher.

We’re comfortable with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 3 year old has been going the whole time. No cases at her center (fingers crossed that continues).

Temp checks when they come in. Parents pick up/drop off outside the building. Teachers are in masks. Groups are small; no more than 15/room, though her room has 6 kids and 1 teacher.

We’re comfortable with it.

Are your teachers distanced from each other or are they together for breaks, coverage, etc.?

[Anonymous]

When I work I am sure my 17 months old is going back as soon as the daycare opens; once I am done with meetings I feel guilty of even thinking about it...