How did you get your children to go to day care?
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In the US our child started going at 6 weeks old.
Daycare (and now preschool) is just as normal to her as being at home. Especially since in her three years she’s probably had over a dozen different teachers. She’s learned to warm up to new people and situations quickly.I also work in an elementary school. (5 to 11 years old). I see kids that didn’t go to school at all before coming to us. Even some are homeschooled for a few years before starting school. I can usually tell the difference between kids who went to some kind of preschool (3-4 year old program, even part time) and who hasn’t. It’s not always a bad thing but it’s a harder adjustment for those kids.
Where I live, here in Germany, it's unusual for children younger than one to go to any kind of day care. Starting at around age one I'd estimate that around one third of children go to day care. By age three virtually all children go to Kindergarten. In my home country, the Netherlands, it's much more common for children younger than one to go to day care.
What I find baffling though is that this German system is that it's fully geared towards mothers staying at home for very long periods of time. Not only does this not make sense on a macroeconomic level, but it also deprives people of social interactions that don't stem from being a parent, at least in my opinion.
Well, at least our day care is dirt cheap here, coming in at 280 € per month per child for five days a week between 7 am and 4 pm.
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Where I live, here in Germany, it's unusual for children younger than one to go to any kind of day care. Starting at around age one I'd estimate that around one third of children go to day care. By age three virtually all children go to Kindergarten. In my home country, the Netherlands, it's much more common for children younger than one to go to day care.
What I find baffling though is that this German system is that it's fully geared towards mothers staying at home for very long periods of time. Not only does this not make sense on a macroeconomic level, but it also deprives people of social interactions that don't stem from being a parent, at least in my opinion.
Well, at least our day care is dirt cheap here, coming in at 280 € per month per child for five days a week between 7 am and 4 pm.
Out daycare costs were between $205-305 a week, so between $820-1,225 a month. Once she’s 5, school is free.
Being a new mom can definitely be isolating and I’m not a person who does well at being home. I like being active and doing things. I don’t regret having my kid in daycare. I do think the United States needs to do better at giving mothers the choice though. It’s almost impossible to be a single income family, especially with multiple children. But then daycare is so expensive too.
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I'm sorry that happened to your child and to you by proxy. Sounds like a really bad time. Hopefully it wasn't all bad.
Take care.
Thanks. It's been ten years, I've learned to advocate for my son and myself over this time, and found a support system.
I felt trapped then. Thanks for understanding.
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Thanks. It's been ten years, I've learned to advocate for my son and myself over this time, and found a support system.
I felt trapped then. Thanks for understanding.
Love to hear that you came out stronger. I have two kids about to "graduate" preschool, I can definitely relate to the stress.
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Love to hear that you came out stronger. I have two kids about to "graduate" preschool, I can definitely relate to the stress.
It's really some of the hardest years I think.
They say parenting doesn't get easier, the challenges just change, which is true to an extent. The first 5 years or so, I'd say, the challenges can push you pretty hard.
It becomes much easier once a kid understands reason and can fully communicate. Before that, aye. I certainly sympathize.
