Dealing with the question of "Why do you use daycare?"

[Anonymous]

"Why do you ask?"

"We examined the options and this is what worked best for our family. We've been very happy with our center; our child is thriving."

Don't get into a debate on the merits of home daycare v. center v. nanny v. SAH. If someone is considering options and asks about my experience, I do enumerate the reasons we chose daycare (I like the idea of more eyes on my child; she's very social and loves to be around other children, etc.) and discuss our experience, but otherwise, I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just turn the question around on them and don't answer it. When they ask, just say "Hmm, what did you decide to do with your children?" Usually most people love talking about themselves so much you can avoid disclosing your own details by letting them blather on.

that is so true.

[Anonymous]

"I don't have any family that lives here." or More specifically, "I don't have any family that lives here that would be able to watch the baby/ are retired/ do childcare- no friends in that position either."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who the heck asks questions like these? My child is now in K and was in daycare since birth. No one ever asked me anything about it. Some people did ask "what do you do for daycare" because they were trying to figure it out themselves.

Yes, I work with a bunch of jerks but that can't be helped. They can't fathom how a baby can do well in daycare. Quite honesty DC enjoys the daycare. Last week when most of the babies were gone, DC seemed a bit down and would touch the pictures of the classmates on the wall. When some of them showed up this week, DC was so happy to see them -- waving and crawling over to sit with them. I truly believe DC is happy there and has learned from the older babies. I think DC has acquired new skills from observing the other babies eat solids, crawl, stand/pull up etc.