Most people we know that had nannies switched to a full day preschool at 2 or 2.5

My child started daycare at 5 months.

Anonymous wrote:I think 3 is when the benefits tip toward group care and away from a single caregiver (nanny/SAHP) BUT - that’s only looking purely at what is best for the child in a vacuum. Happy parents, a happy home, financial stability, future career prospects for parents, these all factor in. In a lot of cases, that means daycare as an infant and that’s great, too.

FWIW we’re going to be looking for a toddler for our nanny share in August/September if you’re in the Columbia Heights area!

+1 My kids were in daycare at 10 and 6 months respectively. In an ideal world I think I would have preferred to start them between 2 and 3, but I don't think early daycare is ruining their lives by any stretch of the imagination.

I think 3 is when the benefits tip toward group care and away from a single caregiver (nanny/SAHP) BUT - that’s only looking purely at what is best for the child in a vacuum. Happy parents, a happy home, financial stability, future career prospects for parents, these all factor in. In a lot of cases, that means daycare as an infant and that’s great, too.

FWIW we’re going to be looking for a toddler for our nanny share in August/September if you’re in the Columbia Heights area!

My kids started daycare at 12 weeks old. Such was life for us when they were born.

They were in daycare until they started Kindergarten. Now in college and high school and doing fine.

Send your child to daycare when it works for you, or when you need to. Or don't send your child to daycare. It'll be fine.

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You need to make the financial sacrifice for your child to ensure they get the best care. Your child will feel abandoned in a class with 12+ kids and two teachers. A vetted pre-kindergarten is really the first time children are emotionally stable enough to be in large group settings without a dedicated care giver.

This is obviously a troll.

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You need to make the financial sacrifice for your child to ensure they get the best care. Your child will feel abandoned in a class with 12+ kids and two teachers. A vetted pre-kindergarten is really the first time children are emotionally stable enough to be in large group settings without a dedicated care giver.

One, your data is incorrect, and two, give me a break. Plenty of kids go to daycare as toddlers, and they grow up to be well adjusted adults.

Anonymous wrote:It’s your child. You need to make the financial sacrifice for your child to ensure they get the best care. Your child will feel abandoned in a class with 12+ kids and two teachers. A vetted pre-kindergarten is really the first time children are emotionally stable enough to be in large group settings without a dedicated care giver.

In Maryland the required ratio for a 15 month old is 1 teacher for every 3 babies. The maximum group size is 9. For 2 year olds 12 is the maximum group size, not the minimum.

It’s your child. You need to make the financial sacrifice for your child to ensure they get the best care. Your child will feel abandoned in a class with 12+ kids and two teachers. A vetted pre-kindergarten is really the first time children are emotionally stable enough to be in large group settings without a dedicated care giver.

My child started daycare at 5 months so I am definitely not someone who thinks 15 months is too young.

I will say I think daycare/any group setting can be beneficial for a 15 month old. It was around that age that DD was home for a few months due to a pandemic closure. She didn't have any words and we had started early intervention. When she started at daycare her speech exploded, and her therapist said this is pretty common. I do think children that young do learn from being around and observing other children and adults even if they are not yet "socializing".

I would wait with covid, RSV, colds and flu.

We never sent our kids to daycare. Full time nanny here.

I sent DS at 8months, once he was mobile. He was super happy there. played all day with his friends.

He's now 17 and super happy kid, super smart, too.

15 months seems early to me for daycare. DS is currently at home with our wonderful nanny, but financially we should probably make a move to daycare at some point.

If you think 15 months is too young, what is the ideal age you'd make the move?

(And yes, we have tried to find a nanny share partner without luck. Apparently it is not easy to find once the kids are not little babies anymore....)

Thanks!