While it is much easier on the kids transitioning in, as a home daycare I look forward to the porch drop offs & pick ups ending. So much is communicated having parents in even for a few quick minutes at the beginning & end of the day. I find myself sending dozens of pictures each week, but it is not nearly the same.

We're so lucky because our small daycare has several [locked] external doors so we get to drop off/pick up at the door near our child's classroom and can talk to the teachers then. They're not extended conversations, but it's enough that they let us know if there's a concern and we can tell them anything they need to know. What I do miss is building a connection with other parents at drop off/pick up - we got to know so many families just through seeing parents at that time with my older child and I only know a couple families now that we knew from last year.

Anonymous wrote:Drop off and pick up are so much better without parents inside the building. I’m hoping this is the new normal.

Me too. No more screaming toddlers.

Anonymous wrote:Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful not to have to go into our daycare. Pick up and drop off are so much faster and no germs! Plus, I don't have to deal with packing up all her artwork, etc. (sorry teachers!). That said, my older daughter's daycare used to send photos daily (or nearly daily) and our current daycare has cameras so I don't feel disconnected. Our teachers also do phone conferences twice per year. Maybe you could set up a call (or zoom?) with your teachers?

It might save us SOME time but man, it is slow. And it's not fun to wait outside when it's 30 degrees.

Drop off and pick up are so much better without parents inside the building. I’m hoping this is the new normal.

Drop offs are much easier now that parents are not allowed in the buildings. There are no more prolonged good byes which devolve into tears and tantrums. Some parents like to linger and watch and kids are much better behaved when parents are not around. I hope it's a long time before parents are allowed back in.

I agree it saves time to not have to go in, but I also feel like I never get to just casually chat with my kids teachers. They do formal conferences twice a year but it's not the same.

Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful not to have to go into our daycare. Pick up and drop off are so much faster and no germs! Plus, I don't have to deal with packing up all her artwork, etc. (sorry teachers!). That said, my older daughter's daycare used to send photos daily (or nearly daily) and our current daycare has cameras so I don't feel disconnected. Our teachers also do phone conferences twice per year. Maybe you could set up a call (or zoom?) with your teachers?

I would guess widespread adult vaccination. Who knows, though.

I also miss going in a lot. It’s not the worst part of the pandemic obviously, but I miss it.

I feel really disconnected with our daycare because I can't go inside. I want to talk to her teachers and meet her friends. I want to see her cubby. I have no idea where her classroom even is. Will they ever let us back inside? If they are only vaccinating children up to 6 years old, then no daycare children will be vaccinated for a long time.