Parents that send their babies to daycare...

How old was your baby when they started? How much do you pay? What daycare is it and are you 100% completely comfortable sending them there?

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Marissa is 14 months old and I am going to start her in day care once a week just to see how she will react cuz I want to put h er in full time starting in January I have to start looking. So far most of them that I have called start taking children at the age of 2 I am having a hard time finding one that will take them earlier

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Well I'm not using a daycare center so it's a little different. My Dad's wife does in-home day care and she watches 3 other children besides Jake. He started there when he was three months. Because it's family, what I pay is irrelevant (nothing for the moment, but we'll be working out something soon) but I know that in-home daycares are usually less expensive than daycare centers (these are what I was researching) They also have less children.

I have heard that daycares take children as young as 3 months.

No, I am not 100% happy with the situation for my own reasons. But I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be 100% happy with any daycare situation unless it was me that was watching my son.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

My daughter started at 4 1/2 months old. I pay $50 a day she is only there 3 days and for a couple of hours. I am happy with it only because my mother works for the division of the county that licenses and inspects daycare centers and this woman knows my mom and my mom is in charge of the inspections of her center. Nothing will happen to my mother's granddaughter

ETA it's not my ideal, my ideal would be to be home with her but that can't happen so this is the next best thing. I work to far to do pop in but goodness knows my mother does!

Message edited 11/11/2005 11:42:26 AM.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Both my son and daughter started daycare at 3 months old. The youngest they take is 6 weeks though.

I know the pay scale is from $800-$1200/month (cheapest for older and most expensive for youngest). I get a discount from my job.

The daycare is in Suffolk.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

I pay $1684 for a 2 year old & 4 year old (amount will be higher for infants)
I'm just copying this from another link that I posted:

Yes very happy. I'd only be happier if they came to my house & picked him up for me when I'm running for a train.

I drop both of them off about 7am, they're picked up at 5:30 by DH. Teacher turnover rate seems to be very low. I love that Maddie just handed Joseph's teacher an egg & they started talking about it. The other teacher in the room was with Maddie since she was 3 mos. She started welling up with tears, saying "I can't believe she's talking so well." It's also the least expensive daycare I've found.

Only downside is the waiting list, but definitely worth the wait.
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They both went into daycare at 3 months. I preferred daycare over a sitter option. First daycare was in Huntington off of 25A, second is in Northport.

If you choose daycare - make sure you know the turnover rate. At Joseph & Maddie's daycare the teachers have been there for years.
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When Joseph was first born, he was in Kindercare - and the turnover rate was high - new facility, not so nice director (at least not nice to the staff, parents she was nice too). I pulled him out when there was an opening at another daycare. Mine is open every day EXCEPT Federal Holidays which is very convenient.

You should ask for their sick policy, vacation, etc. I was thinking about changing day cares at one point but the option was to pay more money, same hours, but less days open (they followed the school calendar) - and I'd have to make them lunch. The one they're in now, I have to provide linens - and there is a registered dietician doing the menu.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

See now the daycare centers t hat I have called they told me they won't take a child under the age of 2 I know of one woman that does the in home she has a couple of kids that she watches I am going to check her out in a few weeks a friend of mine refered her to me she brings her kids there as well

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

I have to agree with you too, my daycare has had teachers since my daughter was 3 months old and she is now 7!!
The majority of the teachers stay for years. Most of the quick turn overs are the young girls who go to college.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

I need western Nassau... I am in Lynbrook

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

I am in Suffolk, Ronkonkoma area.

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Andrew will be starting day care in Syosset in January, 3 xs a week for $253/week. He will be just shy of 11 months...

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Pook.....what happened to your mom?

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

that's what I was wondering...

Re: Parents that send their babies to daycare...

Molly started in daycare at 14 weeks old, once a week. I had to pay for 2 full-days per week though..they did not have a 1 day program. At 5 months old she started going 2x a week. She was in a center at that time. Her caregivers always loved her and allowed her to be on her own schedule. That was VERY important to me. She was held often. She was never left crying in a crib. They read to her and sang songs to her. It was VERY hard to leave her for the first few times and I just wanted to take care of her forever. I always knew that she was safe and cared for,but I am her Mommy and wanted to take care of her myself. I cried a number of times.

At 15 months old I moved her to a new daycare because her caregiver was transfered to another age group and I did not like the new person. I now travel 20 minutes each way to her new daycare because I really love it. She started going 3x a week and now at 24 months she will go 4x a week. I work from home so I just kept her home with me the other days but as she got older it got harder and harder to get any work done.
Honestly, she loves being at "school" as we call it. And her care givers LOVE her. They shower her with kisses and hugs. She can sing her ABCs, count to 20, knows many colors. She has friends.
Now it is a lot easier but still not perfect. I miss her all the time. But she is having a great time so that helps me.

Most daycare centers take infants. it is the pre-schools that don't. They are NOT for daycare, they are used typically by SAHMs or P/T working moms.

Message edited 11/11/2005 9:18:49 PM.