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How can I organize cot sheets at a daycare?

Is this daycare or Animal House?

  • My child just had her first day of daycare (6 months old). I'm a bit freaked out by how crazy it seemed. Is this normal? We just moved to a new city, and basically had to organize daycare without visiting a lot of places. The city we now live in is HIGHLY competitive for the really well-known daycares (we're talking wait lists over a year long, some into 2016, however that is possible!) -- we got on those lists and took a temporary spot at the daycare near my husband's job. We didn't see it initially because we couldn't travel there, but talked to some people who had kids there who said it was a good place, it has a decent government rating, and we decided to sign up at least for the first few months that we arrived and were settling in, hoping a place in another school would open up (where we could tour, etc.) Today we went for our first day (a short day to get her settled in.) Boy, am I kind of freaked out. It is LOUD. There aren't even that many kids in the class (within the state guidelines teacher/child ratio, and she has one person assigned to her primarily) but it is SO LOUD. Babies/kids were just screaming endlessly -- not as I could see it because they were being abused or anything, they were just -- loud. My daughter is not used to that and seemed a bit dazed by it all. Also, they have the kids sleep in these pack n plays in the open, with these really bright lights on. No way that's going to happen sleep wise. (Or does she just get used to it?) And geez, the colors in there -- all fluorescent pink and blue and red, and a zillion toys and things to do, it just seemed crazy overstimulating. Not an inch of wall space left uncovered. On the plus side, the people there seemed nice (and laid back); they seem willing to follow any instructions we give them (feed on demand, etc.). It's close to my husband's work so he could stop in on her frequently. It's within our budget. The other parents seemed very friendly and warm. I haven't really visited any other daycares yet (am scheduled to) so I'm not sure if this is all just how daycare is or if it's just this one. And if all daycares are like this, if it's a bad idea to send her there. So TLDR: is it normal and okay for a six month old to spend all day in a place that is LOUD (I really cannot emphasize how loud and crazy it seemed), with REALLY BRIGHT fluorescent lights that are only dimmed for a prescheduled naptime after lunch (she usually takes more naps than this -- not a scheduled baby yet at least) and with an extremely stimulating environment? She's scheduled to be there three days a week. Or am I just being a nervous mother? Are all daycares like this -- even the really good ones? I'm not into hiring a nanny because we can't really afford it, I don't like the lack of oversight, and I really don't want to be someone's employer. My situation is such that I COULD stay home with her, but I'm really for lots of reasons trying to find a good job and advance a burgeoning career; I'm at the point where it's kind of do or die for me workwise. I'm not suited in general, I think, to be a full time parent. But obviously she comes first!! Help, working parents!

  • Answer:

    My personal take on this, based on the experience with my three kids; the plusses you list are very important, and would overrule the misgivings re: the noise and brightness. Buy daycares are loud; ours had a traffic light mounted on the wall that lit up first amber, then red, when the noise levels went too high. The kids loved it, and it served its purpose well - when the light went red, the kids went quiet (and giggling...)

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Also note that it will be not be loud at nap time. Your daughter is a growing being and she will learn new skills there like napping in a new way. (The stimulating environment may actually help with that.) I would genuinely give it a month or two; I promise you that even if this is a fun, active daycare that is ultimately not a good fit for your daughter, you will not break your baby leaving her in the care of good and caring daycare workers.

DarlingBri

You should give it some time. My little one is at a very highly rated and loved day care/preschool/private elementary school (all rolled into one) and some days are just chaotic and some days are peaceful and you never know which will be which. As your baby gets a bit older, they will love the novelty of the bright colors and highly decorated room. Toddlers thrive on looking and doing, so the more to look at and do and explore the happier they'll be, at least in my experience. She'll learn to sleep in the pack and plays. I thought for certain mine would NEVER nap on a mat in a room full of other kids, but the teachers are magic and I've often gone in to pick her up on the tail end of nap time and she is sound asleep. (18 months old here) Don't freak out, give it a while and see how she adjusts. Kids are loud and kids are bright.

danielle the bee

My son's daycare was insanely loud when I dropped him off on the first day, unlike how peaceful it was when I visited. I think mornings are like that; everyone is still getting settled in for the day. I definitely nth giving it time- babies are quite resilient!

ThePinkSuperhero

re: sleeping: if it helps at all a lot of kids do get used to it, and it can be a benefit in that the kid learns to sleep anywhere, rather than needing it to be quiet, dark, specific routine, etc. Babies can sleep just about anywhere. It's us as parents who latch on to the magic of routines (like magic spells for sleep) and then the babies get used to them.

anastasiav

Your 6 month old won't notice the zillion toys and colors, but your 12-18 month old will love it!

treehorn+bunny

First days are hard and it's easy to second-guess everything. Be kind to yourself today. Be patient. With our first, I panicked every time she moved up to a different room at day care - "I just don't know about Miss XXXX," that kind of thing - but we ended up staying there for a total of 11 years. YMMV It's ok to decide that this isn't the right place for you, but give it time and base it on empirical evidence, not your initial reaction. There's a lot going on in your head right now. Also, you know she's going to get sick pretty soon, right? That seems to be another big jettison point for new moms. It's not necessarily the day care's fault; just a fact of life with that many little people in one place. Good luck! It will be ok.

Sweetie Darling

Sounds like EVERY day care I was in as a kid. You DO get used to it. Give it a shot, a good ratio, happy kids, happy parents and loving staff are MUCH more important than volume. Life in a large family is loud and stimulating too! Your daughter may love all the activity and being around the older kids will help her cognitively too.

Ruthless Bunny

Thanks everyone for all the responses (if anyone is still checking this thread!) I've decided to keep her in for a few weeks at least until I figure something else out (or get more comfortable). Thanks especially for the tips about home daycare and nanny share -- I had kind of discarded those earlier, and I realize that was rash! The cons are still the cons, but after three days I realize I do really like the staff a lot, esp. the key worker for my daughter who clearly adores her. So I'll see how it goes for a little while longer. We'll see -- thanks everyone, this was really helpful! And if anyone is out there pregnant, get on a wait list RIGHT NOW!!!

caoimhe

I agree that you should go with your gut, but I think you need to give it some time to separate "gut feelings about this daycare" from "gut feelings about a major transition that would be occurring no matter which daycare." As others have said, it sounds safe and loving; the chaos this morning may have been anomaly, or it may start to seem like the loving chaos of a large close-knit family. I think it would be worthwhile to check out other daycares in the meantime, in case you do find one that clicks better for you, but I'm not sure you need to rush to pull her out of this one immediately.

jaguar

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