What does COVID-era infant/toddler daycare look like these days?

[Anonymous]

My son was born several months before the pandemic hit and just as he was about to start daycare, everything closed. Since then, he has been at home cared for by his parents or grandma.

This lack of socialization concerns me, as does my punctuated work day, and I feel like he should start daycare soon. But I need someone to give it to me straight about what daycare is like these days (we would choose an in-home provider, we have found several we like so far). The providers, as well as older children, all wear masks from what I gather, is this right? Long-term are we worried about children at the cusp of learning to speak not being able to see mouths form words all day long? (Yes, I wear masks and believe in science, just wondering what this means from a child development perceptive).

What happens when the child cries -- are they able to hold and comfort them as they used to? Are the children playing together? One provider told me "social distancing norms are in effect," what does that look like in reality?

Of course I am discussing this issue with potential providers, too, but I would like to hear an honest take from some parents about what daycare (particularly in-homes) are like now, versus prior to the pandemic.

[Anonymous]

For infants, teachers wear masks. Of course crying infants are held. Children older than 2 wear masks. I'm not sure how much distancing there is. Our children are in daycare and are as happy as they were before.

[Anonymous]

In reality, kids over two and teachers wear masks. No kid observes SD, the teachers try a little with the young ones but basically give up, and there are fewer shared toys/supplies.

Crying infants are held. Diapers are changed. Babies are given bottles.

You should consider yourself in a bubble with the teachers and classmates. Even masked kids take the off to eat and sleep, which is at least 50% of the day.

[Anonymous]

Our babies are probably the same age. I have a nanny share for her. I would wait until summer to send her to daycare. Our daycare starts at 2 years old so I am not worried about Covid being an issue.

[Anonymous]

DD started back at her daycare center in August at 17 months after it was closed from March through the summer.

It's been great. She had zero trouble adjusting. They don't wear masks under 2 but the teachers do. She was speech delayed when she started (yes, she was assessed), and her speech has exploded since she started and no longer qualifies for services. She often would talk more at daycare than at home - speech therapist says it's normal for her to talk more in a school setting and good for her to be around other children. There's no restriction on teachers holding or comforting babies. They don't try to keep the children social distanced from what I can tell. No Covid cases so far.

We will need to try masks when she moves to the 2s room. I'm a little worried about the impact on her speech, but from what I have observed so far, I'm hopeful it won't be an issue.

DD was at an in-home briefly while we waiting for the center to reopen. Some of the children, and the owner, wore masks. It felt like a very warm, calm place and I had no concerns about the impact of Covid precautions. Often came to pick up DD and the owner was holding her (she was the youngest).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son was born several months before the pandemic hit and just as he was about to start daycare, everything closed. Since then, he has been at home cared for by his parents or grandma.

This lack of socialization concerns me, as does my punctuated work day, and I feel like he should start daycare soon. But I need someone to give it to me straight about what daycare is like these days (we would choose an in-home provider, we have found several we like so far). The providers, as well as older children, all wear masks from what I gather, is this right? Long-term are we worried about children at the cusp of learning to speak not being able to see mouths form words all day long? (Yes, I wear masks and believe in science, just wondering what this means from a child development perceptive).

What happens when the child cries -- are they able to hold and comfort them as they used to? Are the children playing together? One provider told me "social distancing norms are in effect," what does that look like in reality?

Of course I am discussing this issue with potential providers, too, but I would like to hear an honest take from some parents about what daycare (particularly in-homes) are like now, versus prior to the pandemic.

My professional opinion as a child care provider is that your infant is better off with grandmother at least until the summertime when most people have their vaccines. Daycare is safe, and if it is an issue of mental health for you or grandmother, then you should feel confident that he will be safe in a daycare setting even during Covid times.

[Anonymous]

This would terrify many people here but our in home hasn’t changed at all since pre covid times. Almost all the kids are under 2 so masks for them and the teachers don’t wear masks either. Honestly i prefer that since babies can see facial expressions which calm them. Our children are cuddled and played with. They eat together and nap. They have had no sickness and never closed.

[Anonymous]

Depending on where you are a big thing is outdoor time. Our daycare used to go to the neighborhood playground and now they don't so they just go for walks around the block. One of the reasons we went with a nanny. Otherwise it is pretty similar to before covid.

[Anonymous]

We are sending our little kid to daycare this summer because she is obviously speech delayed. She will turn 2 in summer. And, I expect she will cry a lot because she has not played with any one (except family) for almost a year, and she has been at home with me. I hope summertime will have less covid rate because of the warmer weather.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are sending our little kid to daycare this summer because she is obviously speech delayed. She will turn 2 in summer. And, I expect she will cry a lot because she has not played with any one (except family) for almost a year, and she has been at home with me. I hope summertime will have less covid rate because of the warmer weather.

I forgot to mention wearing mask in summer is really tough because of all the heat & sweating, so it will be a harder challenge for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In reality, kids over two and teachers wear masks. No kid observes SD, the teachers try a little with the young ones but basically give up, and there are fewer shared toys/supplies.

Crying infants are held. Diapers are changed. Babies are given bottles.

You should consider yourself in a bubble with the teachers and classmates. Even masked kids take the off to eat and sleep, which is at least 50% of the day.

I have a 9mo and a 5yo at daycare, and this is accurate for our experience. We are at a daycare center in NoVA.
We’ve been back since last July. There have been 5 cases...one child and 4 teachers. Cases were unrelated and acquired via contact with people outside of the school. No spread within the school, as far as we know (mass testing wasn’t done, although we had our children tested for each of their exposures).

[Anonymous]

Babies dont really need socialization until close to 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Babies dont really need socialization until close to 2.

This is anti daycare propaganda.

Being in daycare has helped my 1.5 year old's speech immensely and her speech therapist says it's common.

[Anonymous]

We've sent our 2 and 5 year olds to a daycare since August 2020. All staff wear masks and aprons. There are temperature checks and health questions at check-in every day. They have fewer kids per classroom and staff members don't mix between them or between classrooms.

Children over 2 yo are required to wear masks. Compliance varies for the little ones, but the older kids wear them all the time. Babies and small children are held and cared for.

We've been happy. A few cases have been reported, including in our younger's classroom, but so far in-classroom transmission has not occurred. As per the schools protocol, if a case appears, the whole class needs to quarantine for one week.

Of course, number of cases would depend on where you live and how well the parent community follows the school's protocols (avoiding traveling or quarantining after traveling, wearing masks, etc.).