Anonymous
Post 06/30/2020 14:28     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
The list of prohibitions we have seen from our center is no sensory table, no water play, no bubbles, no circle time, no dress up/ dramatic play, no soft toys, no outside vendors for music and pe, and no outside time for infants bc they can't be distanced in strollers, no use of shared multipurpose room including if they cant go to playground.

Anonymous
Post 06/29/2020 13:17     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:I am sending my kids back, but fully assuming everything will shut down again in the fall. My kids have a cold from Oct-Feb. But I just need a break for a couple weeks, a couple months, whatever I can get...


NP here. Do you mind if i ask how old your kids are? Ours are really young, infant and 2 year old. We are weighing what to do.
Anonymous
Post 06/25/2020 14:38     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
In DC the "no circle time" is a rule from OSSE (our licensor) - this is becasuse it encourages all the children in the room to cluster together and be very close together. Children can still listen to a book being read - either one on one or in smaller groups or they can have lunch (spreading out around all tables) and a teacher can read a book. Or they can have a conversation that usually happens at circle time/morning meeting while they sit around at lunch time. there will only be 8 children, so they can all hear the conversation.

this is a time when all teachers (and directors) will need to be flexible and innovative.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2020 22:42     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
I am sending my kids back, but fully assuming everything will shut down again in the fall. My kids have a cold from Oct-Feb. But I just need a break for a couple weeks, a couple months, whatever I can get...
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 14:17     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.



This is starting to dawn on me as we weigh sending DD back. Center daycare doesn't seem feasible or sustainable through the fall, but maybe I'm wrong.


I think policies and procedures will have to change for the daycares to sustain themselves. Right now everyone is flying by the seats of their pants. Sending a kid home for two weeks with just a runny nose and/or cough unless you have a doctor's note will not last. It may evolve into something in between this and the usual policy of a 24 hours with a fever. Maybe 72 hours with a fever or doctor's note.

On the other hand, as much as I don't like these things, I like the daycare and the kids have been happy there. Finding an alternative arrangement seems disruptive and I really don't have time or energy. So how many parents will tolerate kids wearing masks, distanced play, and potential frequent doctor's trips and unreliability of care because the other options are not as good? For now we'll try it out and see how it goes.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 14:06     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.



Same. I just don't think masks make sense at that age. Our daycare has given us conflicting info on what they will require- first said no masks for kids, but I'm guessing a bunch of parents complained because now they will be encouraged, but still not required. Could change again I guess. But our alternative options are limited so will probably have to send them back.


Same here. Teachers - no issue and if it helps them feel/be safe, thats fine. But the payoff isn’t worth it for preschoolers.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 13:47     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.



This is starting to dawn on me as we weigh sending DD back. Center daycare doesn't seem feasible or sustainable through the fall, but maybe I'm wrong.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 13:14     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.



Same. I just don't think masks make sense at that age. Our daycare has given us conflicting info on what they will require- first said no masks for kids, but I'm guessing a bunch of parents complained because now they will be encouraged, but still not required. Could change again I guess. But our alternative options are limited so will probably have to send them back.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 11:59     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Oh goodness. I am hoping our preschool opens in August but there's no way my 3 year old would wear a mask all day or engage in "socially distant play" - every time I came for pickups, the kids would be crawling all over each other like puppies...
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 11:57     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:Those of you with infants, let us know how that is going.


I think in some ways it will be easier for infants. They really just lay in a crib, poop, and eat. They don't have to wear masks or worry about distanced play.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 11:18     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.



If you have a high deductible plan, $300 for a visit/note. I've done this for a note to say my kid didn't have pink eye. With two kids, assuming they each got sick a few times during the fall/winter and had to go to the doctor each time or stay out of daycare for a week or, that's a pretty good chunk of change in doctor's notes, care you paid for but didn't use, and possibly unpaid leave when you run out of paid leave. Not sure the centers should do anything differently, but it does make me want to explore a more flexible home care or nanny arrangement.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 10:57     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Those of you with infants, let us know how that is going.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 10:51     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Your doctor will see you, if you need that. The main problem is you'll be spending your co-pay all the time for the doctor to declare it's a cold, not COVID. But this will be part of the disruption that people don't seem to grasp. I have told my work I can't spend time in the office until I have reliable and NORMAL daycare/school for my kids. Because one runny nose and they are home for the week or more.

So even if daycares/schools open, there will still be significant disruption. The sooner employers realize teleworking will be the norm (for jobs that allow it) the better.

My 3 year old's school is prepping to open. I am less likely to send him if they try to require masks. I don't think the payoff is worth it. If I'm sending him, I'm accepting the risk of group care and don't really want the social/emotional detriment of masks on young kids. If the teachers wear them, fine.

Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 10:20     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Which daycares are making kids wear masks all day? That’s insane.


Our chain center based daycare is asking kids ages 2 and older to wear masks. Our kids have not yet returned but I'd like to know how that piece of it is going. I believe in mask wearing but it seems a bit difficult and possibly unpleasant for 2 or 3 year olds and maybe even preschoolers to be wearing a mask all day. There is a also a hand washing protocol before taking on/off the mask for meals and snacks. I think it has questionable efficacy because kids are going to be touching/fussing with the mask all day. I have trouble not adjusting the mask when I'm wearing it. The center's language (and the state's/CDC's) is somewhat loose around it--saying if the kid won't wear one in can be discussed with the director and a possible exception granted.

In general I'm not sure whether I want to send my kids back to center care. I do believe most of the modifications are the right thing to do and am not particularly worried about COVID. But I worry it is an unpleasant and scary environment. Masks, parents not allowed in the center (which means you can't get to interact with the teachers or maybe even know who they are), "socially distanced play" (whatever that means), three times a day "health checks" for kids and "health monitors" going from classroom to classroom throughout the day looking for coughs and runny noses, etc. Again, most probably the right things to do, just doesn't seem like a fun place to be. But kids are adaptable, I guess.

We have friends at one chain center where a child or family member with a fever, cough, and apparently vomitting and diahreeah is required to remain out of the center for 14 days, unless a doctor's note is provided. I can't see how this is going to work. First, no doctor is going to want you to come into the office with symptoms. And no doctor is going to give you a note saying it's OK to return to daycare unless they test you for COVID, and that's not going to happen because they don't want you in the office and have no tests. So many of the ailments with which kids suffer in the fall land winter like the common cold or rotavirus will incur a economic huge cost to parents in doctors bills, work leave, and care that was paid for and unused.

I think 50 percent of the policies will be deemed unfeasible by October and modified significantly or dropped.

There is a home daycare in my neighborhood which serves 6 children and does health/temperature checks, more frequent cleaning, etc. No masks for kids (but for adults), no distanced play, etc. So there is going to be a lot of inconsistency.



I agree with much of what you wrote. The center my older DC normally attends is planning to implement mask wearing, among other things, and I just don’t understand how it’s all going to work with preschoolers. My younger DC is normally at a home daycare that is already open and pretty much like the home daycare you described. Cautious, but more developmentally appropriate. Older DC loves the center but we will have to see how it goes. May end up taking both to the home daycare.
Anonymous
Post 06/18/2020 09:02     Subject: How is the "new normal" at daycare?
Anonymous wrote:Which daycares are making kids wear masks all day? That’s insane.


Our chain center based daycare is asking kids ages 2 and older to wear masks. Our kids have not yet returned but I'd like to know how that piece of it is going. I believe in mask wearing but it seems a bit difficult and possibly unpleasant for 2 or 3 year olds and maybe even preschoolers to be wearing a mask all day. There is a also a hand washing protocol before taking on/off the mask for meals and snacks. I think it has questionable efficacy because kids are going to be touching/fussing with the mask all day. I have trouble not adjusting the mask when I'm wearing it. The center's language (and the state's/CDC's) is somewhat loose around it--saying if the kid won't wear one in can be discussed with the director and a possible exception granted.

In general I'm not sure whether I want to send my kids back to center care. I do believe most of the modifications are the right thing to do and am not particularly worried about COVID. But I worry it is an unpleasant and scary environment. Masks, parents not allowed in the center (which means you can't get to interact with the teachers or maybe even know who they are), "socially distanced play" (whatever that means), three times a day "health checks" for kids and "health monitors" going from classroom to classroom throughout the day looking for coughs and runny noses, etc. Again, most probably the right things to do, just doesn't seem like a fun place to be. But kids are adaptable, I guess.

We have friends at one chain center where a child or family member with a fever, cough, and apparently vomitting and diahreeah is required to remain out of the center for 14 days, unless a doctor's note is provided. I can't see how this is going to work. First, no doctor is going to want you to come into the office with symptoms. And no doctor is going to give you a note saying it's OK to return to daycare unless they test you for COVID, and that's not going to happen because they don't want you in the office and have no tests. So many of the ailments with which kids suffer in the fall land winter like the common cold or rotavirus will incur a economic huge cost to parents in doctors bills, work leave, and care that was paid for and unused.

I think 50 percent of the policies will be deemed unfeasible by October and modified significantly or dropped.

There is a home daycare in my neighborhood which serves 6 children and does health/temperature checks, more frequent cleaning, etc. No masks for kids (but for adults), no distanced play, etc. So there is going to be a lot of inconsistency.