2 year old to daycare full time with stranger anxiety & no daycare experience

[Anonymous]

We are thinking to put our will be 2 year old in daycare full time in April after flu season is gone. We need to sign a contract with deposit in advance to keep the spot. She is scared of other people, has pretty much no exposure to other people (because of covid, stay home) and has no daycare experience. This is a trustworthy daycare center, and parents have to drop off/ pick up kids at the daycare front door because of virus. DH says 100% yes, and I am 50% undecided. I am more concerned about her separation & stranger anxiety than covid exposures, and she may need a long time to adjust & cry a lot. Mask is optional for her age group. The reason we decide to send her because of her developmental delay in social & speech, and pediatrician recommend to send her to daycare to learn. We either do full time daycare or zero daycare, and part time won’t be considered. What do you think? Anyone has done this during covid time, putting new kid to daycare?

[Anonymous]

I can't speak to your specific question, but I know some DCUMers will come in and say "She's just 2! She doesn't need socialization! She just needs you!"

My experience is a good daycare can help with speech delays.
Our 19 month is in early intervention for a speech delay. She has started to pick up words, especially in daycare. Her speech pathologist says oftentimes toddlers do talk more when around other children. It's good for them to be around other kids. I do think it is a good idea. As far as Covid goes I would not worry about it too much unless you or anyone who interacts with her is at high risk for serious disease from Covid.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked into nanny shares? Could help with language and social development but be a much more gentle transition.

[Anonymous]

Disclose all of that to the daycare so they are ready to handle SA and bouts of crying. Be ready to pick her up if she does not calm down, be ready to work with the daycare to help her.

Or, she will surprise you and love her new environment.

[Anonymous]

This is op. We are not considering other nannyshare because my order kid attended this daycare center years ago & we had great experience. With covid, I would rather go with a daycare center that I had experiences with, and bother to look for a new one.

My older child attended this daycare center a few years ago around 2 year old full time, and he did not cry much and adjusted really fast. He did not want to leave the daycare on the first day when I picked him up. But, we prepared really well with all music/gym class, playmates and such before his first day. He never had stranger or separation anxieties . I feel bad for this little one because we cannot prepare her like we did on the older child.

[Anonymous]

Send her in April.

When you start, ask the provider if you can start with half days for a week. The second week, transition to full days, but try to keep them as short as possible (say, aim for 8am-4pm if you can).

Kids adjust pretty quickly. It may be a tough 2 weeks while she gets into the new routine, but she will get there.

[Anonymous]

OP I hope this is of comfort for you. My 3 year old started a 2 day program this year and I had so much anxiety about it because he is very, very shy. He doesn’t talk to anyone he doesn’t know well. He sometimes won’t even talk to his aunts/uncles if he hasn’t seen them in a while or he is nervous. We talked about what would happen at drop off a lot and the first day went great! His teacher said he cried a few times the first couple days and didn’t speak but 2 words to anyone. But after that it was smooth sailing and he LOVES school! I can’t emphasize how excited he is to go in the mornings. His personality has truly blossomed since starting school and has had such a positive impact. Granted this isn’t daycare but I hope it helps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you looked into nanny shares? Could help with language and social development but be a much more gentle transition.

As a parent that knows first hand, this is a horrible idea. Nanny shares do not provide the children with the age appropriate developmental fundamentals they need. Nanny share is usually different age groups and it’s daycare, not preschool. There are a load of nannies on this site pushing nannies for parents. Definitely not a good idea

[Anonymous]

Don't send her to daycare. Your pediatrician commended that? I can't imagine. Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't send her to daycare. Your pediatrician commended that? I can't imagine. Don't do it.

Lmao so your advice is to listen to an anonymous poster on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

OP, ignore the PP who feels qualified to trash your pediatrician’s medical advice. Our pediatrician and a counselor also recently recommended that we send our child back to daycare because of developmental difficulties that we’re experiencing. Her center is being really careful about COVID and as a healthcare worker I feel comfortable with the steps they are taking to keep kids and staff safe during this pandemic.