Can a child handle two different daycare arrangements

[neeter]

DS is currently with a home daycare provider, and we're happy with the arrangement. DS has a good time, and is never ready to go home with us at the end of the day!

When DS turns two, I'm thinking of sending him to a small Montessori program for toddlers (also a home daycare but with a strong focus Montessori principles). I'm thinking of sending him there two days a week, and two days with his current provider. (And one day at home with me). So it would be M-Tu at Montessori, W with me, Th-Fri with at-home provider.

I'm wondering if there are any problems with this idea, assuming all parties agree to his part-time care. DH thinks it may be a little bit disruptive or not give him a sense of routine.

What do you think? Can a two year old handle this sort of routine? Will he enjoy the variety or is it too much -- is it better to stick with only one daycare arrangement?

Thanks, I appreciate your point of views!!

[hez]

I'd have to think long and hard on this.

DS is M-Th at an in-home place, and F-Su home with me (& DH too on Sa-Su, of course). We basically have two transition days a week-- Mondays and Fridays.

Transition days can be tough. You're about to give yourself and DS 4 transition days a week. Kids are pretty adaptable, but I personally would feel like I was losing my mind (what day is it? whose house are we going to?). Then again, I like to have a sense of order to my week, and am a big-time creature of habit. Part of me has a feeling kids would prefer it that way, too. For instance, Payton just brought me my shoes (he and Daddy are putting theirs on). It was NOT OK when I put them on without tying them-- he came over to tell me 'tie shoes please'. He knows *exactly* how he thinks certain things are supposed to happen, and gets ticked off if we change them.

Excuse my ramblings-- I hope they were at least a little help!

[lmintzer]

My good friend's baby is in day care 2 days/week, home with mom 1 day/week, and at home with grandparents watching him 2 days/week. According to my friend, he's done wonderfully with this arrangment.

I believe he's been in the daycare since he was 6 mos. old (before that it was mom and grandparents all 5 days).

Tempermentally, my friend classifies him as "average". He's basically your typical toddler.

He is 2 years and a few months now. Right now, mom is home full time for 6 mos. b/c they have a new baby.

[lmintzer]

My good friend's baby is in day care 2 days/week, home with mom 1 day/week, and at home with grandparents watching him 2 days/week. According to my friend, he's done wonderfully with this arrangment.

I believe he's been in the daycare since he was 6 mos. old (before that it was mom and grandparents all 5 days).

Tempermentally, my friend classifies him as "average". He's basically your typical toddler.

He is 2 years and a few months now. Right now, mom is home full time for 6 mos. b/c they have a new baby.

[neeter]

Thank you - your replies have been really helpful!! I agree, its a lot of transition time. Maybe it would make sense then for him to be with us Sat, Sun, Mon, then one daycare on Tues, Wed and then another daycare on Fri, Sat. Thanks also for information that your friend's arrangement that is similar to the one I'm thinking about works really well!! :)

The reason why I don't want to do full-time at the Mont program is that the provider expressed a preference for part-time, and also b/c DS is doing so well at his current daycare (he's been there since 6 mos, too). So if we decide to just stick with one daycare, it would either be stay with the current daycare, or find an all-day Mont program. Hmmm...

Thanks again!!!

[jbowman]

During the school year, we have a nanny who come to our home two mornings a week (9-1, MW) and DD goes to a Parent's Day Out on Tuesdays and Thursdays (9-2:30). I'm home on Fridays. Now that school is out (I'm a prof), DD only goes to PDO one day a week and our nanny comes over only when I need to run to campus.

This has worked very well for us--we've been on this schedule since DD was 9 months old. I like that DD gets to be at home most of the time, but also gets out of the house a couple of times a week for what essentially amounts to two extended play dates. Honestly I have never thought about it as disruptive, probably because Ellie seems fine and it works well with my work schedule while also allowing me maximum time with DD (although I work full-time, I did not want to put DD in full-time daycare; fortunately--and I am thankful for this--I have this luxury since I can determine some of my working hours). And I guess you could say there is a routine, albeit one that changes day to day.

HTH!

[mama2galpals]

we did this with my second dd. she was in prek but i had a freelance assignment so i had to put my two younger dds in childcare one day per week for a bit and she seemed fine. just make a distinction in which place they are going to like i would say today we're going to regular school or the "red" fun school.



rita
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[aliceinwonderland]

This is what we wanted to do with DS this fall (2 days with daycare, 2 days in "school" and one day with me at home), but, the spot at the school did not open up, so we;ll just do 4 days daycare and one day with me at home.

But we do things a bit differently in my family. Sometimes DS's daycare changes monthly (my parents will visit, or my sister is off school, or this summer I'm in a different city and I have him with me for a month or week). Anyway, our philosophy is that as long as his needs are met, and there is *some* routine in his day, this is what we do and will continue to do the rest of our lives because this is just how our life is, and it's not going to change. I think I'm teaching him flexibility and indipendence, and those are very good qualities to have ;)

e.

[JElaineB]

Currently DS is in home daycare 6-8 h a day Tue-Fri and home Sat, Sun and Mon. Starting in a couple of weeks I'll be working full-time and he will be in new childcare (a center most likely, we haven't 100% decided yet) for 4 days a week, with grandma 1 day a week and home with us on the weekends. Grandma is going to tell us what day of the week she wants today. I do think it might be better if she picks Monday (she won't want to do Fridays) so there will be fewer "transition" days. But whatever day I think DS will be able to handle the transitions just fine, he loves grandma's house and hopefully will like his new childcare center. If your DS is very comfortable with the home daycare he is in then I would think it would be ok. But I can imagine some kids would do better with a single child care provider. I guess I would say try it and see.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[Eloise36]

I think your DS could handle it. They seem to be pretty adaptable at that age. DS is currently in a Moms Morning Out Program, a home care center, and with a neighbor on different mornings each week, and seems to be handling it just fine. In fact, he seems to like the variety and is comfortable and excited to do different things at each place. IMO, I think you should try it and see how it works out.

[ellies mom]

My sister had to do something like that with her son. He was in preschool part-time, my dad had him part-time and a family friend had him part-time. It worked out pretty good because since he was with each person for such a short period of time, they (my dad and friend) were always fresh and at their best (spending time with two year old wise). So he spent his early years knowing he was the best kid in the world because everyone was always so happy to see him.

I think it depends on the kids, but they seem pretty adaptable for the most part.

[neeter]

Thank you so much for all your replies! This has been very helpful!!!

[ribbit1019]

My mom watches DD Mondays, MIL watches her the rest of the week and DH and I have her on the weekends. It has been this way since she was almost 4 months. It is rough, especially when I was BF full time on the weekends. However, I feel this is directly attributed to MIL's inability to keep any kind of schedule for DD. She feeds her whenever, gives her naps whenever, DD watches T.V. and DD and nephew (whom MIL started watching around amonth ago) do not take naps at the same time equalling shorter nap times for both of them because of noise.

That said we are looking into a more stable Day Care environment for DD. The situation that we have with MIL is out of control, but you should not have these problems as pre-school would be a very structured environment for your DS. If the main part of their day stays the saem I think you would see minimal impact after a while. though at first things might be rough.


Christy
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