Missing Out On Special Moments...

[daycarediva]

When I worked and my kids were in daycare, I took vacation days & did something fun with JUST them. I cherish these memories, and although my oldest daughter doesn't remember her very first McDonalds happy meal on her second birthday, she has the pictures and knows I care. The following year I had it scheduled off, and she wanted to go to daycare! I was DEVASTATED! I called and spoke to them, she told me that I could come in, bring cupcakes and stay for a mini celebration, then take her home/out for her birthday. Even if I couldn't have stayed, I would have come back after the 'party' was over. (Which I did for her 4th+ birthday). Those times FLEW by. This year she turned 13, and was off from school and went to the mall with friends to spend birthday money. (wah!)

I have done this since doing daycare as well. My oldest three kids are all born in the same month, and we pick a day in between/on a Friday dh & I take off and spend it together.

My youngest was born in a different month, and I am off for his birthday every year as well. It happens to be a Friday this year (YAY).

So to answer the poll. HECK NO would I send my child to daycare on their birthday when I wasn't working. I never sent my kids to daycare if I WASNT WORKING, PERIOD.

[itlw8]

You know I think part of it is I think of my program as a preschool and so do the parents . When a child misses a day they miss something w are doing. So yes my kids all come if theey can when parents are off work.

If the parents thought of me as just childcare then that would be different. They would not miss much.

I guess because I market myself as a preschool/childcare they do think of this as school.

[DaisyMamma]

Never. Ever.
I hire a sub for my kids birthdays and take them out somewhere special.

I'm sorry to come across like a jerk but this really irkes me to the core. It is ONLY one day a year, there is plenty of time to plan for it, as it is the same day every year!
It truly makes me sick.

I had a mom take off the day before her kids birthday but not the day of because she had stuff SHE needed to do. He was here both days.
I had another mom send her kid on his first birthday.
I use to babysit for a family 2nd shift. I got a 5 year old off the bus and put her to bed on her birthday. That is just WRONG!

[wdmmom]

I voted other. My reason being is this: 1st birthday is a milestone. But 2, 3, 4, 5 really isn't too big of a deal. I was employed in work that just didn't allow for absences. And if I took all my kids birthdays off, I'd be off a day in November, December, January, February and August. It's just too many days to take off.

I don't allow my kids to take their birthdays off of school so I don't see why they would miss daycare.

I've got a dcg that turns 1 today. She's here. I really didn't think she would be but she is.

[cheerfuldom]

I would never send my kids to daycare so no, they would never be there on their birthdays either. thats just me.....I am not saying that i judge others for making different choices but i personally would rather do almost anything then send my kid to someone elses house for 10 hours (or more) a day.

[Msdunny]

It is funny you ask this today, as I have a dcg with a birthday tomorrow. Her mom asked me this morning, "Are you making cupcakes for her birthday or do I need to supply them?" So apparently I am having this sweet girl's party for her with no parents in attendance.

I really don't understand some people.

And no, I would not take my child to daycare on their birthday. It is a special day and I would want to celebrate with them.

[DaisyMamma]

I just want to point out that if your daycare is open and you are working it and your kid is there on their birthday then that's almost the same thing as sending your kid to daycare IMO

[Play Care]

You know I think part of it is I think of my program as a preschool and so do the parents . When a child misses a day they miss something w are doing. So yes my kids all come if theey can when parents are off work.

If the parents thought of me as just childcare then that would be different. They would not miss much.

I guess because I market myself as a preschool/childcare they do think of this as school.

I consider myself a child care with preschool activities. I like to think of my dc as a fun, happening place to be My mom was a SAHM so I got to spend lots of time at the grocery store, bank, helping her clean, watching her clean, etc. And honestly? Not how I would have wanted to spend my birthday:: When we have a dc birthday the child gets to be "leader" for the day, they get a special treat for PM snack, they get a card and book from me. It never occured to me to wonder why the parent didn't keep their child home. Especially as another poster pointed out, when you have mulitple children that adds up fast! I don't know, most of my parents are good about keeping kids home when sick, taking family vacations that include the kids::, picking up on time, show me they appreciate me, etc. Maybe if I felt that they were "dumping" their kids on me I might feel differently.

On a side note, last year my DD's birthday was on a Friday so we had her friend party that evening. I took the day off to clean, shop, and decorate. She went to school

[Cat Herder]

Quick question... I understand the question as "Would you send your kid to DAYCARE on their birthday if you were off work"

IMHO Daycare and School are not the same thing in any way, shape or form. No matter what preschool curriculum you use during circle time.... Daycare is not School.

Preschoolers are not School Agers.

The topic got confusing... :confused:

[SquirrellyMama]

I voted other. It is hard to say what I would do because I'm not in the position and never have been. We rarely celebrate the kids birthdays on their birthdays. We usually pick a weekend day and take the birthday kids shopping and to lunch.

I imagine a lot of these parents do value time with their kids even if they take them to daycare on their birthdays. And I think cleaning house, buying party supplies, etc... is a valid excuse. If I were having a party for a young child the next day and knew I'd have a house full of kids or family I might try to spend a quiet day to myself also.

I'm not really hung up on the day but making a day around their birthday special. We may all have a preference but I don't think we should be so judgmental of someone's choice.

K

[Play Care]

Quick question... I understand the question as "Would you send your kid to DAYCARE on their birthday if you were off work"

IMHO Daycare and School are not the same thing in any way, shape or form. No matter what preschool curriculum you use during circle time.... Daycare is not School.

Preschoolers are not School Agers.

The topic got confusing... :confused:

I understood the question to be about dc and answered as a provider. But I also pointed out my experience as a parent. My kids are still young and I know many parents do not hesitate to pull their kids out of elementary school for vacations, events, etc. with the idea of "it's *only* K or First or Second" so that's why I included it. Sorry if it made it confusing.
Obviously when they were not in school they spent the day with me for their birthdays And my one child has a summer birthday so she's always with us that day

[Cat Herder]

I understood the question to be about dc and answered as a provider. But I also pointed out my experience as a parent. My kids are still young and I know many parents do not hesitate to pull their kids out of elementary school for vacations, events, etc. with the idea of "it's *only* K or First or Second" so that's why I included it. Sorry if it made it confusing.
Obviously when they were not in school they spent the day with me for their birthdays And my one child has a summer birthday so she's always with us that day

Oh, hun.... not your post... ::

I was peeking back into the thread from earlier... It seemed to shift and I did not want to have answered incorectly...

I was teaching my preschoolers they were special... now I have to teach my teens that they are not; they have to work hard like everyone else. :::::: Ah, gotta love the irony.

[jokalima]

I wouldn't... I was closed last year for my son's b day and I am thinking about doing same thing this year. For me is that he shares his mommy too much w/other kids that I think is just awesome for him to have me all for him on his special day.

[Willow]

No way.


But I also want to point I don't take the day off from work on my kids' birthdays and I don't think there is anything wrong with that at all. I don't have subs except in the event of an emergency and I really try to limit the amount of random days I take off.

Birthdays here are already way over the top. I don't feel the need to close to all my families for them, pull my child out of school, spend all day doing awesome things and then have a rockin weekend party with our ginormous family on top of that.

Would be overkill imho.

Not sure I'd want to deal with the complex they'd likely develop in regards to the severe overindulgence ::

[mamac]

I voted other. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend both my kids' first birthdays with them as a PT SAHM. After they turned 2 I initially enrolled them into DC for socialization, but then it became necessary due to my crazy, unpredictable schedule. If they had been enrolled on their birthdays, I would have let them choose whether or not they wanted to spend it with their friends or take a special day with me. (Their DC did celebrate all birthdays.) To me, that is their special day and they can spend it how they like. (First birthday being the exception- that should be a biggie for all parents.) We also always have a celebration on the weekend with all family members- aunts, grandparents, etc. if it happens to fall on a weekday.

I would keep them out of DC quite frequently because I would often go a week or two at a time without having to work and I couldn't see not having them home with me if I was home. I also had to pay whether they were there or not, but I would rather raise my own kids than have someone else do it for me.

As for school- I don't think I would take my kids out for the day. My son's school let's the kids bring in treats on their birthday and dress out of uniform for the day so that's a really big deal. I'm not sure that he would want to miss out on that. Plus, his birthday is right when school starts and that wouldn't be a great time to take him out. (Not to mention that the school really values good attendance.)