Mat leave and childcare
Over the last 4 weeks:
-I’ve watched a LOT of trash TV during nursing and pumping sessions. Biggest wastes of TV time: The Revolution, The Chew, and the fact that E! has turned into the Kardashian channel. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some Kardashians, but if that’s not on E! during the day, it’s some morbid show like “Teens that Kill.”
-I’ve successfully rotated between maybe 5 outfits. I love my nursing tank tops, and will usually rock one of those will a zip-up hoodie and lulu pants. One day I will wear real clothes on a regular basis.
-I’ve eaten a lot of eggs and cookies
-I’ve snuggled a little lovebug, sang more songs out loud than I have in a long time, fell out of love with my pump –it does a great job, but turning it on makes me cringe because pumping is such a pain, and have really enjoyed daily walks and hanging out with my friends
-It’s been a lot of insanely hard work, and I feel like I’m so so busy busy, and not busy at all at the same time. If we have one appointment or outing planned for the day (tomorrow is her one month checkup!), I feel like the day is packed
Each day, I try to plan one thing to get us out of the house, and today it was one that I had to do solo: stop by work.
It was only for a little over an hour, but it was my first day being back at work in 5 weeks. Nana watched Livi for me, so I went to take an optional Tabata training that I ended up missing. I thought it was at 1 instead of 12- FAIL.… so instead, I talked with my bosses and work friends and also got the rest of my leave time figured out. I’m very fortunate to work where I do, and the ability to take a personal leave of absence to spend time with Livi has been incredible. As much as I love my job, I have to admit that wasn’t sure how I’d feel being back there. I didn’t know if I’d walk in and dread the thought of going back, or feel energized and excited.
It was definitely the latter.
It was great to catch up with everyone, and I can’t wait to learn the new class formats. I’ll probably observe and take quite a few classes too, just so I feel like my confidence is back before I start teaching again.
4 weeks have already flown by, and I bet the next 8 will go by even faster, so we have to figure out childcare while I’m gone at work for the day. We’re very lucky to be surrounded by friends and family here in Tucson, but many of them work fulltime and I while I’m only part-time, it’s 3 full days each week.
When I was in elementary school, we did the daycare thing for a little while- my brother and I hated it. They split up the “little kids” and the “big kids” so I would hear little Kyle crying for me through the fence, and spend playtime holding his hand through the hole in the fence at the bottom. We also stayed at a daycare that a woman ran out of her house, which was amazing. She had a playroom entirely filled with toys, and was such a kind and sweet woman.
Moms out there, who usually watches your kiddos when you’re working or out and about?
When you were young, did you stay at a daycare, have a nanny, or your mom/dad home with you?
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i had a stay at home mom and loved it! we lived on a shoe-string budget (my dad was a factory worker–no college, no certifications, just a good work ethic), but i never heard my parents dread days off from school because of child-care issues and if i had an “accident” she would come ASAP. i’m a stay at home wife now, i find it hard to juggle relationships and work. i was an overachiever in college and had a job i liked, but nothing makes me happier than having random lunches with my boy and having a clean stress free home environment. we had a housekeeper and would have a personal chef come to our home for some time, but even scheduling them was a pain in the butt.
My mom worked at a daycare when I was younger, but once my little bro was born–I was the babysitter. I was really lucky that my mom stays at home–she watched my little man until he was 2 1/2 & then I put him in “play school.” Currently, my job has an onsite daycare & he goes to preschool there. It’s so nice to have him close by.
Confession time: I have a secret love for those “Teens Who Kill” shows on E!…and yes, I swear I’m not a serial killer! 🙂
That makes me so sad about your little brother! Poor thing!! I’ve nanny’d for lots of families and absolutely loved every minute of it 🙂
My mom was fortunate to stay and home watch us as kids. And I’m really glad. My friend works for a daycare and over dinner last week she told me some horror stories about kids that are there when she arrives at 7:00 and are still there at the end of day after 5:30. I’m glad they have somewhere safe to be, but that just sounds like too much time away from your family.
I’m doing the full time working mom thing now and having to use a daycare when school is out. I LOATHE it. I love my job. It’s so awesome, but leaving my babies for 5 days, 10 hours a day just kills me inside…especially when they have programs or something special at school. The summer daycare is going to just kill us. Full time tuition for TWO kids. ugh
I’m thinking of being poor and staying at home. Going to one vehicle and downsizing the house sounds good when your babies look at you with those eyes when you tell them they have to go to daycare through Spring Break or might miss their report card award ceremony. 🙁
Vent over. Sorry. 😉
Both my husband and I had mothers who stayed home with us. We knew we wanted the same for our kids so I’ve been a SAHM for 6 years. Its much easier for us since we are in the military and always moving and not always in a place where we have family and friends who can watch the kids. That and with the cost of daycare it just didn’t make sense for us. Just this past year I started teaching spin at the gym so I just take my 3year old with me and leave him at the gym daycare.
I was very lucky to have a mom who stayed at home full-time and then had a homecare when my brother were I were older. I don’t honestly know what I will do, I would like my kids to have the same experience I did of having a mom around all the time, but I am ambitious, love my job, and am not in a career that is very friendly to staying at home or working part time …
I’m sure you’ll do well with Livi, good luck!
We were a military family up until Sept. of last year so since daddy was away for the first 18 months my mom watched him while I worked. Once daddy was back in the states he was enrolled at the CDC on Andrews AFB for about 2 and half years and he LOVED it and so did I. He is 6 now and still talks about the center… Not sure how far you are from base but it may be worth your while to check them out. We also did a home childcare as well which we loved we were blessed to have found her and her amazing family. Her hubby was also military so she really understood what we were going through. Don’t be afraid to do a visit to check the place out we did quite a few until we found one we felt comfortable with. Good luck!!
My husband and I had opposite schedules when my son was born — so we both watched him until he was 18 months old. To be honest, it was horrible. We never saw each other and it was so lonely. We switched him to a daycare center at 18 months and it was the best thing ever!
For my daughter, we found an in-home daycare that I loved. It was less expensive and I loved that another mom was watching her. It was really the best of both worlds. When my son went to Kindergarten (it goes by so fast!) we moved my daughter to the daycare center (she was 2.5). I love both – but I’ll say that the discipline and curriculum of the center is worth the money!
I went back to work when they were both between 7-8 weeks old and I still get teary thinking about it — but I LOVE being a working mom (I’m probably in the minority saying that!).
Aww reading the part about you and your brother totally brought tears to my eyes! That happen with me and my own bro, only I was the little one and held hands through the chain link fence at discovery in Ttown on Broadway! I would recommend taking her to a church day care, I use to work at one, everyone is usually so sweet and they take little babies. They would also let you observe. Good Luck!
That was the daycare!!!!! Crazy
When I was young my brother (one year younger) and I stayed at the home of an older lady who watched kids. When my own daughter was a teeny, tiny baby she stayed with a very close friend. The friend also had a little girl only a few months older than my own so she had all the baby stuff that was needed around the house. Now that my daughter is 2 I am transitioning her to a day care facility so she has lots of youngins to run around with.
I stayed at a day care but only when I was 4 years old. I absolutely hated it at first! I just hated being away from my mom but after a couple of weeks I loved it and never wanted to live. It, also, was out of a lovely woman’s house.
I stayed at home recently for 12 weeks with my daugther. While she was a high maintenence baby (not quite colicky) and it was very hard at times, I cried like a baby when it was time for her to go to daycare. After she went, several mothers I knew asked if it was hard on me~ they knew…and then I knew! It was so difficult to put her in the care of others. I felt guilt, saddness, fear, anxiety. I work from home and coming home to an empty house without her for the first time in 12 weeks was so hard. 🙁
That said, she’s now seven months old and she loves daycare! She is so happy while she’s there and enjoys all the girls who work there. The socialization has been very good for her. I find she is sometimes crankier at home with us than she is at daycare. She thrives on the activity. Plus, it has helped her to get into a fantastic sleep schedule. She takes a few short naps, but comes home and takes a nap and sleeps all night (I think because she’s tired out from her day).
The downsides are the cost (I can’t imagine having two or more in daycare 🙁 mortgage payment!) and the sickness. She, my husband, and I have all been sick almost constantly from the day she started. My immune system must have been compromised from giving birth..it’s been rough! My husband and I have never been so sick in our lives. Her pediatrician did say that it was either now or school though and not to worry; it is supposed to build her immune system. Hard to accept when I’m feeling terrible for my sick baby.
I think the best situation would be a bit of everything; spending time with her parents, family or close friends, and also at a daycare. 🙂
I feel the same way! My 7 month old is in daycare and she loves it! She takes short naps too! I think she doesnt want to miss anything! When she comes home in the evenings she naps and sleeps through the night. And I agree about sickness….we have all been sick as well. I love the daycare but I’m tired of all of us being sick! We heard the same thing…its now or when she goes to school so I just keep telling myself at least she is building up her immune system.
Ah Carrie and Jessica you just made me feel SO much better as today is my first day back at work full time and my little guy is 15 weeks. I feel so many emotions right now about it, but feel better hearing your stories about your babes and day care. Since I weaned myself by taking him in last week for a few hours here and there, I have found he is definitely sleeping better and is soooooo happy too:).
Good luck Gina, my advice is to find one close and that you connect with. The daycare I chose us in my office park so I can literally walk over and see him (even nurse if I want) anytime.
Thanks for the post!!!!
I can relate to the sickness thing. OMG, daycare centres are so very germy. I felt like I should set up a decontamination tent that all kids must pass through and be disinfected before entering my house.
oh, I am about to go back to work (in 4 weeks) and I am so sad, I will be missing my little girl’s smiles and the way she looks at me…. tears…. She will most likely go to a day care that is being run out of the lady’s home, we have friends who take their little boy there and they love it. I will have to take my baby to the day care 5 days a week, I will try my best to leave work early, so that I can spend some time with her before bed time. It breaks my heart but rent has to be paid and we need health insurance, so it is work and carry on. i totally understand women wanting to stay home with the baby… I used to be totally for being a working mom, “I am going to go crazy if I stay at home” type of person, but now I want to spend every minute with my baby and strangely do not miss “adult” conversations at all!
I had a babyistter/nanny, whom my brother and I called Auntie, for 3 years until I was preschool age. Then I went to preschool 3 days a week and my mom only worked Monday, Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday so I was in Preschool Monday, Thursday, Friday and with my mom on Tuesdays and Auntie on Wednesdays. Now that I look at it, I had a pretty busy schedule when I was small!
I was brought up with a live in nanny and it was sometimes awkward but great for my parents. I bring my 18 month old for an in home daycare. This lady takes care of 5 babies at her house. It’s great because he is close with the other babies and doesn’t get sick too often. The stinky party is the lady and I have different philosophies.
My sisters and brother and I went to a babysitter who operated out of her home. We LOVED it, and her, we called her Aunt Sharon. My mom quit her job to be a stay at home mom when I was around ten. I never knew the reason until I was older…we saw Aunt Sharon at the store one day, ran up to her, and started crying and begging to stay with her instead of going with my mom. She told us that when we cried to stay with our babysitter was one of the worst feelings she has ever had as a mom except when we were hurt.
My husband and I are very fortunate in that we have really flexible schedules. He is a professor, and I work part time, so hopefully in the not to distant future when we start a family, we won’t have to worry too much about childcare because we will be able to adjust our schedules so that someone is always home.
Having a stay at home mom definitely is amazing, if you can swing it. My own mother had/has a thriving career, and was one of the first women to get a PhD in her field at the school she attended. I’m so proud of all her career achievements, and I don’t remember her not “being there.”
She had more flexibility than a lot of working moms, so she always attended my plays, soccer games, music recitals, etc. My sister and I shared a nanny with the two kids next store, she would rotate between our house and their house everyday after school for two or three hours. We also had a cleaning person twice a month, and the nanny would start dinner at our house 2 or 3 x a week, so when my parents got home, the homework was sometimes done, the housework/dinner started, so they got to just relax and spend time with us. It was definitely the best of both worlds for me.
My mom stayed at home with us until my younger sister started school, then my mom went to work at the same school part-time (there are four of us). I loved that she stayed home with us. Growing up, I always wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom too, but that hasn’t worked out for us unfortunately.
My daughter is 16 months old now and we have a son on the way (due in 3 months!). I would love nothing more than to be able to stay at home with them, and it truly breaks my heart that I can’t. They are only little for such a short amount of time and it goes by so fast! But, I make the best of it and have fortunately found an in-home childcare provider that my husband, daughter, and I all really love. The only downfall is that she doesn’t always serve the healthiest food, and that bothers me. (I use to take her lunch and snacks, but she wouldn’t eat them becuase she wanted to eat what all the other children were eating…).
Both my parents were/are full-time lawyers, so I grew up with nannies.
I just wanted to give you a shout and let you know that even though my parents crazy busy, I never resented them or felt like we didn’t bond because I had outside care. I know some moms panic about that at first, but I’m tight with both my parents. I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished in their careers, and they made sure to spend real quality time on weekends and in the evenings. So don’t feel guilty about not being stay-at-home: it works fantastic for some, of course, but you can absolutely work without being “absent.”
That story about you and your little bro is a heartbreaker! Does he remember that? What a great big sis you are! I had a stay at home mom and am one too (although we live near several fun-looking daycares, and both my kids went through phases where they were begging to go! LOL! Can’t win.)
I keep forgetting that mat leaves are different in the US vs. Canada (it’s 1 yr up here).. i still haven’t had baby #1 yet, but couldn’t imagine having to go back so soon! When my brothers and I were kids, we were fortunate enough to have our mom stay home until I started school full time (i’m the baby). And then, luckily my grandma lived right next door, so when we were still too young to be home alone, the bus would drop us off at her house after school where we stayed until our parents got home from work. My hubby and I are only now starting to think about beginning our family and in an ideal world, i would get to stay home with the baby like my mom did, until he/she goes to school full time. BUT, it is expensive to live where we do and living on 1 income might be close to impossible.. thankfully, we do have both sets of parents basically in the same city though, so maybe we’ll luck out when that time comes. good luck with your decision!
I have to say although it’s sad that your brother cried for you and you spent play time holding his hand through a fence…I think it’s so sweet. What a great big sister! When I was little my parents were lucky and neither of my grandmas worked, we also lived about 5 minutes away from each of them so we spent our days at their houses until we started school and then we spent summers there too when we were older. When I went back to work after having my daughter we put her in daycare. It’s a home daycare and I love the 2 ladies there. I am so happy and grateful that we found them. I don’t worry about her at all during the day. They are sweet and send me pictures of her playing and when she is sick they always call to check on her. We were gone last week on a vacation and I really think they missed having her there! Whatever you decide will definitely be hard, but just go with your gut!
my mom stayed home with my sister and i and i feel so lucky for it. i would have turned out a lot differently if someone else raised me. kids need their mommy when they are young. it’s just important. i’m glad you are only working part time, and i hope your nana or mom or someone like that can be with livi those three days.
This is something I dread thinking about. I am an engineer and I work with mostly men… my old job was pretty great, they would allow moms to work part time or even work from home. I don’t really know the policies at my new job yet. I feel like in my field it would be almost impossible to take a few years off and then come back and still be advancing my career. I don’t know what I’ll do but I still have some years before I even begin thinking about it!
My mom was a stay at home mom, but I feel like times are a little different now with everyone spending so much money going to college. How can I justify staying at home with my kids when I put myself into student loan debt to get this great education and have a career? I don’t know. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get there!!!!
Good luck finding something, I’m sure you’ll figure out something that works for you!
Second, your comment about trashy tv! There are only so many episodes of “A Baby Story” you can watch. I pretty much turned the tv off about a month into my maternity leave! I listen to music, try new recipes, go on the computer and clean my house. I walk around my neighborhood and try to get out of the house when I can! I am a stay at home mom right now, mainly because we live at least an hour from family, but also because I never had any desire to return to the job I had while I was pregnant (customer service!) My ideal situation would be working part time at a job I love and still getting to spend a decent amount of time with my daughter. Good luck finding Childcare 🙂 and enjoy the next 8 weeks!
Childcare has been something that has been on my mind quite a bit since I recently (~1 month ago) found out I was expecting. I always thought parents *should* have no problem dropping their kids off when they went to work (after all, they would see them once they got out of work after being surrounded by adults all day)….now, I couldn’t imagine the thought of it and luckily, I am SUPER fortunate that my mom has a home daycare so I will be able to drop my child off there with no worries. I now see why it would be so difficult for parents to drop their children off with someone who is essentially a total stranger.
we used a private sitter until our girls were 2 – 2 1/2’ish. i loved it! i could take them there while they were still in the pajamas and sometime during the day before i came back to pick them up our sitter would dress them. i loved the laid back, unstructured atmosphere of it. they were just babies and needed to be babies. shortly after they turned two, i enrolled them in a church dayschool. you will know when it is time to make the switch. the girls loved their “nana” but they needed more stimulation and interaction with other kids their age.
I went back to work full time after my 12 week maternity leave was up. My son is now 7 months old, and I have to say—that first month back was ROUGH!!! I was sort of in denial that I was really back to work for good, I think. Our child care situation changes by the week depending on my husband’s schedule. My mom comes over one day a week, my MIL one day, my husband is usually home one weekday, and our son goes to an in-home daycare for the other 2 days. We found the in-home daycare by asking friends with children for references. We visited a few before our son was born, and went with our gut (and glowing recommendations) for the place we eventually chose. We couldn’t be happier. Emitt is SO happy there and shrieks with happiness when he sees his “friends” at daycare. He is really outgoing, social, and so sweet, and I know the women running the daycare really love him, too. It helps knowing he’s so happy when I have to drop him off in the morning! I feel like we have a good balance going, and it seems like you will, too!
My son started daycare at 16 months – at a small daycare center. I have to say it has been great for his language and social development. All of the teachers just adore my son and I feel comfortable with them. He loves going and does great age appropriate projects and has wonderful music and movement programs.
I’m lucky enough to be working in a school so I have school hours and summers off.
But we looked at several options, at home day cares, nanny, and several different daycare centers
I understand how hard it is to make the decision of where to go but it’s important to check out lots of different options, ask lots of questions to care givers and you’ll know when you find the right fit for you and your baby.
I am confused, in Canada maternity leave is an entire year and facilities will not even take babies until they are 18 months. I have many friends with babies who loved the time off, but at the end you are ready to go back to work. In fact my friend and I are going to try and coordinate our pregnancies so we can be off together for the same year and have lots of both baby and us play dates.
Right now I only have a stepson, we have him every weekend and I love every minute of it, I take him everywhere with me. I can only imagine making a baby that came from my own body, I know I wouldn’t want to leave them either!
My nana lived with us until I was 11 so I never really had to go through the daycare thing even though I had two parents that both worked full-time.
I’m 13 weeks pregnant now, & childcare after birth is something thats been on my mind a lot so I love this post & reading about others’ experiences in the comments! My husband owns his own business and I’m in my last year of graduate school, so I’m hoping that I’ll mostly be able to work from home…and maybe have the hubbs’ take off 1 weekday/week so I can go into school to get things done that I can’t do at home. Otherwise, I generally only have to go in if there are meetings, which are typically short (about an hour) and only 1-2 times per week, so I hope to find a good babysitter or nanny that can come be with our child during short periods of time during the day (is that even possible? yikes – I don’t know!). We’ve still got several months to figure it out, but I’m already dreading having to leave him/her during the day!!! Hopefully it will be a minimal amount of time.
My siblings and I had a nanny growing up and we loved it. Both my parents always had to work to support us. Compared to my friends who were in daycare I could see there was an advantage to always being in your house and being able to play with your own toys. There were also lots of kids on my street to play with.
I was extremely fortunate growing up in that my mom was able to stay with my brother and me. She didn’t go back to work until we were both in school. Even though she stayed home with us, we went to parent’s day out at a local church two days a week (I can’t imagine why she needed time without us haha). The days when I stayed home with my mom are some of my best childhood memories! As we got older, when she and my dad were both working, we would stay with a neighbor until they got home or at my grandmother’s house.
I wish you could have the Mat leave we get as Canadians – 1 year at 60% of your pay! I’m glad you get to spend a few months with Livi at least 🙂
Hey Lovely! Motherhood suits you! 🙂
Gina – what about just working 2 days/ wk? or not at all for a spell??? I know you love doing your thing – but work will always be there – this time won’t…
Don’t get me wrong – I love the fact that you have your own thing going on…but you deserve it!
That’s just crazy that it’s so short in the US – I remember when I worked in HR for a corporation here in Canada that also had branches in the US and they would say that the US employees got 4 weeks mat leave. In Canada it’s a standard 1 year. I just can’t imagine being forced to make that decision! Having said that it’s fab that you have a flexible and friendly workplace that can work with you on something!
I was very lucky, I got to stay with my great-grandparents growing up and didn’t have to do the daycare thing. They were the best babysitters ever 🙂 I remember playing dominoes with my grandpa and watching TV under the card table my grandma would sew her quilts at. I think that’s why I have a deep appreciation for older people, they took such excellent care of me. My mom did make sure I got other kid interaction too, play dates with friends on weekends and there was a church preschool program. So if it’s possible, I think family is best! Of course in a perfect world, we would all be able to stay home with our babies.
Hi – When my boys were babies, they went to a home daycare, which was perfect for them. They were cuddled and loved in a home setting. When my oldest was 4, we switched hom to a daycare center / preschool because he needed more mental stimulation and to be with more kids/boys his age. I would say, make the best choice you can and be willing to change that choice if your needs change.
This is a post that is near and dear to my heart. I had a stay at home mom when I was little and loved every flipping second of it, from what I can remember. When I had my son (16 months ago) I wanted to stay home with him in the worst way, but my husband and I couldn’t afford it…..and it stunk. I always dreamed of being a stay at home mom and there are days where I throw my hands up and just cry.
My husband was able to take 12 weeks of leave directly after my 12 weeks, so my son was out of a daycare setting for almost 6 months. Initally we sent him to a traditional daycare close to our house but we hated every second of it. He was sick all the time and I felt like the director of the child care wasn’t listening to my concerns. After a month, we pulled him out of there, vowing to do anything it took to find another solution….even if that meant downsizing to an apartment or moving in with my mom for awhile.
Someone my MIL worked with knew someone who ran a daycare out of her home and she was my last hope. I went and talked with her and absoluetly loved her. My hubby agreed and my son has been there ever since. I can’t tell you how much I love his woman – she has 4 kids of her own (all in school) and she watches 6 children (depending on the day, some days there are less kids). My son gets the socialization with other kids and in turn, my husband and I get piece of mine while we are at work. My favorite part about this arrangment is that I know she loves my son and it’s not just a job for her.
I know that was such a long answer, but I hope it helped. As a mom, make sure you trust your gut and your heart. You’ll know when you find the right option for you!
My daughter is a daycare center which is very nurturing and only has a 3 to 1 ratio for infants and slightly higher after 2. They do lots of creative and educational things all day and have lots of time to run around and be kids in a very nice playground. They also have great security and are 100% reliable for care everyday. She also is with her grandparents once a week, which is a nice switch-up for her.
Honestly I was freaked out by all the in-home daycares I visited. But I think those vary so much, and I know plenty of moms have their kids at safe, nurturing ones.
I guess my advice is just be super picky whatever you choose.
My mom stayed home from work until I (the youngest) was able to take care of myself. Then she went back to teaching…it was great not having to go to daycare or an afterschool program when I was little. I got to explore other options instead….mostly sports, but it was still nice to have the option 🙂
I had a stay at home mom until I was in Jr High, must say I appreciate the sacrifice my mom & dad made to do this.
I have 2 daughters, 9 yrs apart. The first was in day care YUK, home care YEA, and then I had a high schooler come in and stay in the summer with her YEA
My husband stayed home with my younger daughter and I think this is the best option ever for us. He worked before she was born and the I made more money, so he stays home. She is now 14 and he still is at home for her. Love it!
I’m lucky enough to be able to be a SAHM for the foreseeable future.. we want to add another little one into the mix within a few years here and prior to this my husband and I both worked from home – my husband still does. It’s a nice arrangement, both of us are around for most of the little guy’s growing up.
However, when we want to catch a break, my mother in law typically watches him. My mother lives 5000 miles away (thankfully she was here for the birth and the first 10 days of his life!), so that’s out. 🙁 I trust my MIL and she does a great job. I do wish my mom was around, though.
Growing up I always had babysitters at home (before everyone called them nannies, but that’s what they were), since my mom worked full-time. I have worked full-time with my three kids. I had the older two start at home daycares which, because I found great ones (with one exception that we remedied), we absolutely loved. They were in a home environment with a loving caregiver, and with other kids so they had the opportunity to socialize. At the age of two, they both moved to a large daycare center, and since the older two were already there, when I had number three, he started there as an infant. We love the daycare center, too. The kids always had such a great time and really had such great socialization. Drop-offs are still hard at times, but they are well cared for. I do wish I was able to be home with them more, though.
For an in f ant, I suggest you look at some home daycares to see if any feel right for you. It’s just nice to have them in that kind of environment, getting home-cooked meals and being in a homey environment.
Both my parents, as well as my husband’s parents worked. I went to daycare and I remember liking it a lot. I always got to do fun acitivites and had lots of friends.
I went back to work at 9 weeks because my company only paid for 6 weeks of leave. It was awful. I cried, a lot. Now my daughter is 7 months old and it’s gotten a lot easier. There are still hard days, but I enjoy working and the life my additional income affords our little family. Luckily my boss has been flexible with me and I get to leave at 3 so I’m with my baby girl by 3:45 every afternoon. She’s at daycare about 8-9 hours/day but of that she’s typically napping up to 5 hours. They are wonderful there and she is always one happy camper when I get there.
I didn’t read through all the comments so this may be a repeat. Check out childcareaware.org–you can locarte centers and licensed inhome childcare by zipcode. If you choose to call and do a short phone referral the specialist will email you all of the information you might need to make the best personal choice about childcare. There should also be information on the licensing laws in Arizona which is helpful as you do your interviews with potential caregivers. Good luck!
The key is to find a good daycare in your area. Talk to the parents. It broke my heart to send my kids, but they loved it. My son is now almost 4 and he does great projects, they have ‘dance party’ and theme days…Start looking for one now if that’s the route you decide to go…good daycares have waiting lists. In the long run I prefer daycare to a nanny (and I did both) because there is more accountability, and as the little one gets older she will enjoy being around other children. Good luck!!