Daycare Mums

We chose in home care till our boy was 1, we then moved him into a DC by work.
We found inhome to be fantastic and could not fault his carer, she loved our boy as if he was her own!

Each DC has different waiting list, also each room has a different waiting list. Our DC has about a year for the babies room then it varies for the next 3 rooms.

My son would not have it any other way, by the time the weekend is up he is ready to go to DC, he is talking about them all the way there.

My suggestion would be to visit a few and have a chat to them....also the carers in the room Elle might be in.
I went around to a couple when we were looking, in various areas, work...home. We went with by work so if we were needed urgently we were 2 mins away.
They are just lovely and have been so helpful...some things have taken a bit of help...allegies etc.
We have stated TT and they have been so supportive!
I would be happy to take you along for a visit, they would love to show you around!

I havnt read what every one wrote but I agree with Janine.

Zaara stayed home for the 1st year, and when she went to Day care I found her to be more confident and she started walking soon after she started Day care. She talks alot I think for her age and she knows soooo many songs, rhymes, stories etc that I dont think I could have taught her that even if I tried.

They do so much at Day care and they do it from scratch and kids all join in with what ever is going on. They can get messy and wet etc at Day care, while at home we try and avoid that.

Also at home on weekends even tho we try to keep her entertained I find that may be she gets bored after a bit.....

I think day care is great!!

However the down side is that she does pick up some funny habbits. Tantrums, spitting, bitting etc (No bad words yet...Thank God). But we just keep enforcing that this is not acceptable at home and she does learn sooner or later.

But I think there are way more upsides then down.

Oh and Zaara goes to Day care 5 days a week from 8.30 - 3.30 (Some time 4).

hehe, ours is officially called an early education centre, my friend who used to teach there hates the word daycare as it implies they just baby sit the kids .. which they sooo don't, it really is an early childhood education they get.

Fiona, like others have said you might find that in-home or nanny etc work better, depending on hours you need to work and you can go through Porse, or there are various nanny agencies out there that are very very reputable, and that could work until she got into daycare if the list at the one you liked was a bit long. The other thing some people do is shared care with another family and hire a nanny between them so they can fill in the gaps, and kids either go to one or the other's house and that also fulfils the social side. Most nanny agencies etc also have their nannies keep a progress book of what the child has done/learnt and eaten that day and sleeps times and all that, plus alot of agencies have weekly playgroups that the nannies take the kids to as well so the kids socialise and the nannies can catch up and pick up different ideas from one another.. much like a coffee group. (he he, can you guess i was a nanny before i went nursing?)

there are really lots of options out there, good luck finding the one that suits you best.

Edited by mum2paris

Ha Jack picked up all of those bad habits without even going to daycare.

Andrew went to daycare from 5 months old and I think it made him the headstrong boy he is. He had learnt a lot at daycare but also picked up on some bad things as well.

Best way to find out about them is to ring them and visit them.

In some ways I think Josh has had it better by staying at home with me till he is about 18 months old and then he is going into care.