By Jess, Contributor
My baby is in daycare. She started at 12 weeks old. My oldest didn’t start daycare till she was almost 2 and a half. Entirely different ball game when your kid can eat on her own and speak up for herself (sort of).
Allie is at daycare very close to my office, so I’m very lucky that I can visit during the day. Her teachers are absolutely wonderful and caring. They’ve made the transition into the world of daycare a lot easier.
Not all daycare providers are Mary Poppins happy to be caring for kids. There’s no law that says you have to love your job, but in this case, it sure would be nice if they at least liked their jobs. It’s a disheartening feeling to leave your baby with someone you know could care less. Yes, the baby’s fundamental needs are met (diapers changed, bottles fed) but care and love is important too. I am so glad that A’s teachers show a real interest in the kids.
I won’t lie, leaving your kid at daycare isn’t easy. Yesterday I dropped off milk during a quick visit and for the first time, my heart broke because I had to run off. My sweet girl had just woken up and was in a happy mood. It killed me to leave her there while all the other parents spent their lunches playing with their babies. I felt like a fail for not staying.
But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, the daycare experience can be made better. The key is feeling comfortable and knowing your child is safe and accommodated. You can’t be shy and you have to speak up for yourself (or in this case, your kid). I’ve watched my friends’ journeys through daycare with their babies and they’ve taught me a some things.
- If you want things done a certain way, you have to make that very clear and stick to your guns. All parents want different things. If you don’t specify, then the daycare teacher will just do what’s easiest or what all the other kids are doing.
- Be nice. Seriously, this is the golden rule for everything. You want people to be good to you (and your kid) you have to be nice. Genuinely show an interest in your child’s care providers. Talk to them. Smile at the other parents and babies. Don’t you want people to smile at your baby on a fussy day?
- Keep the lines of communication open. Make clear that you want to help them resolve any issues. You are there to make their job easier too. I firmly believe that if you make yourself approachable, they will talk to you and be receptive when you talk to them about your concerns.
- A little thoughtfulness goes a long way. The people watching your kids are with them for the majority of their waking hours. Show them how much you appreciate them by dropping them a simple note now and again or telling their supervisors how great they are. Bring in donuts or bagels one day. I guarantee that little act of kindness will go miles at your daycare. The teachers talk, I’ve heard them.
- Do what works for you and don’t worry about all the other parents. We all run our households differently and there’s no reason it can’t work that way at daycare. So what if your kid doesn’t nap in a crib or eat every 4 hours? No big deal.
Above all, just remember: be nice and talk to your daycare providers. I can’t tell you not to worry because you will. But when you pick up a happy face like this, it makes it all worth it.
Jess – I love your baby’s eyeballs. Also, I’m totally buying donuts for the girls tomorrow.
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LOL. She was probably like “GAH mom I’m just trying to have me some lunch. Back it up a bit!”
Jess recently posted..Protecting My Baby.
Twitter: jessesco
Here here. We love our daycare. My boy is moving this week to the next class(2s!!) and I am taking in gifts for our current teachers. I know they have hard days all the time but they never let it show. A simple coffee on your starbucks run goes a long way…i promise.
We have one now!
They also don’t like being treated like another piece of furniture in the classroom either. There are some parents who come off really cold…and they notice. I hear the talking too. Also? If you get lucky, you might have a built in moonlighting baby sitter
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It totally does! I love doing that kind of stuff for people. Yeah, it’s nice to have them take extra care of your kid, but at the end of the day, I truly deep down appreciate them. They take care of my precious girl all day. I am so thankful for that!
Oooh we totally used Ava’s teacher as a babysitter a couple times!
Jess recently posted..Protecting My Baby.
Twitter: jessesco
The kindness thing. You wouldn’t think you had to tell people something so simple, but I have seen some of the rudest parents at daycare. Like yes ok I get it, your kid only drinks organic goat milk and can’t have any foods that are processed, fine but, don’t yell at the daycare lady when he steals a cracker from another kid. Or giving them trouble when your kid doesn’t sleep well? What are they supposed to do. I try to be as laid back as I can. I figure they are professionals, they have a process, so they can do it their way (unless it’s something serious like an allergy or whatever). I mean, I am paying them to care for her, so I should just let them do their jobs, right?
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Seriously! How do people not get that being kind to others is a NORMAL HUMAN thing. You aren’t better than anyone around you so why do you need to be reminded? It blows my mind that parents would be jerks to people that take care of their kid. Not that the teacher will be a jerk back to the kid, but gah take care of the one who cares for your child more hours a day than you see them awake!
Jess recently posted..Protecting My Baby.
Twitter: jessesco
The failure to be nice always kills me. There is this young, bratty mom at my daycare. She’s a sahm who drops her kid off a couple hours a day to socialize. Anyways, she was completely rude to the teachers because they had requested wipes and “oh my gawd I just brought wipes in, what are you guys doing with them?” I wanted to drag her into the parking lot and lecture her on being nice (or smack her in her bratty face, either one).
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Wow that blows me away. I just don’t get it when people act like that. Makes me so incredibly frustrated! Also? I can’t even imagine the luxury of taking my kid to daycare so I can hang out. But that’s just me…
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