How Long Would You Give

[Naptime yet?]

A 2 day-a-week infant who will play for about 20 mins. then screams unless held & carried around? Never been in DC, 7 mos old, admittedly this is only her 2nd day here, but she screamed at nap her 1st day (mom claims she's napping better, we'll see), and her screaming is setting everyone off, including the most mellow 2 yr old you'd ever meet.

Is it wrong to tell mom that I'll give her to the end of the month? I'm treating her as a drop-in, so no big loss if I term, but I'm wondering what a fair trial time would be? What is the probability that an infant will get into a routine only being here 2 days a week? Thanks!

[Blackcat31]

IME, the probability is very low....NOT that it can't or won't happen but the probability of a baby adjusting while attending only 2 days a week is slim to none.

I give a 2 week trial period for all new enrollees. I know that is not a lot of time but no way am I going to subject myself or the other kids to MORE than that when a child only comes 2 days a week.

I know that isn't a lot of time to help with the adjustment, but the way I look at it, is the family/child isn't bringing me in enough income to devote more time than that.

I don't want to do all the hard work just to get a couple extra days income for a drop in kid....kwim?

[morgan24]

A 2 day-a-week infant who will play for about 20 mins. then screams unless held & carried around? Never been in DC, 7 mos old, admittedly this is only her 2nd day here, but she screamed at nap her 1st day (mom claims she's napping better, we'll see), and her screaming is setting everyone off, including the most mellow 2 yr old you'd ever meet.

Is it wrong to tell mom that I'll give her to the end of the month? I'm treating her as a drop-in, so no big loss if I term, but I'm wondering what a fair trial time would be? What is the probability that an infant will get into a routine only being here 2 days a week? Thanks!

I have the same baby...same schedule for 6 months. She has never adjusted. I would never do it again.

[Cat Herder]

What is the probability that an infant will get into a routine only being here 2 days a week? Thanks!

Not very good.

It may take a year or more.

Part-time at any age is miserable to me, but infants seem to be the worst to transition.

[MarinaVanessa]

I agree with the others. Realistically the baby will have a hard time adjusting with only 2 days a week attendance.

I had a 12 month old start not long ago and she cried and cried and cried. It didn't help that she was cared for by her parents only and had never been to daycare either. Factor in the part where the age is just right about the time that they start to show separation distress anyway. She was here 5 days a week and it took 2 full weeks of screaming (with some improvement by the end of the second week) and then another 3 or 4 weeks of crying at drop off and pick up only before she was fully comfortable and didn't cry at all.

2 days a week seems like you're in for a very very very looooooong transition period and a long road ahead of you. I'm not saying it's not possible, just saying that I would not want to be in your shoes

[Naptime yet?]

Ack! Thank you, everyone, this is pretty much what my DH said (now I have to admit he was RIGHT). This is the same infant I had posted about before with the sleep issues, so I shouldn't be surprised...as she's currently alternating between screaming/sobbing/crying because it's naptime...funny, this was supposed to be my calm day...a part of me felt like I should really TRY, the other part is fashioning the noose (for me, not the baby ).

My first termination! Where's that fall on the provider milestone chart?

[Naptime yet?]

In the same vein...

What about an 8 week old who comes 3 days for maybe 9-10 hours? Same advice? She is part of a sibling set (sibling was FT until recently). Or is she too young at this stage to fall into any type of DC routine (these are the first infants I've had under the age of 10 mos. so I apologize for my cluelessness).

[cheerfuldom]

One of the first pieces of advice I would give to any daycare provider is do not take part time infants. 99.99999% of the time, it does not work out, so don't feel bad. I understand why parents look for this type of care but developmentally, most babies are not going to thrive with various caregivers, schedules, environments.

[cheerfuldom]

What about an 8 week old who comes 3 days for maybe 9-10 hours? Same advice? She is part of a sibling set (sibling was FT until recently). Or is she too young at this stage to fall into any type of DC routine (these are the first infants I've had under the age of 10 mos. so I apologize for my cluelessness).

No way. a part time 2 month old is not going to be on any predictable pattern and may not be for months. The reality that she will come to your house and cry all day every day for the next 4+ months is very real. it may be a bit better if you have three days in a row with her AND are working with the parents on consistency but I wouldn't count on it.

Someone says part time infant and I always say RUN!

[grandmom]

Honestly, the best thing you can do is REQUIRE the parents to enroll full time for at least a month. And yes, they have to pay for the month. Then, after a month, they can back off to part time, if the child adjusts to the schedule change. Until the child gets used to you it is hell for the child, the parents, you, and the other children.

[MarinaVanessa]

Maybe circumstances worked differently for me but I actually found that younger infants did better than older infants when it comes to PT care. IDK why, maybe because cognitively they're not as advanced and really the separation distress starts a little later like closer to a year old.

In the words of my 9yo DD "they're like potatoes, they don't do much"

They won't have much of a schedule as they follow their own eat/sleep patterns but they aren't as aware that mommy and daddy are gone so as long as they feed from a bottle well I find that I have better luck than I would with an older infant that has been home with a parent or family member the whole time.

[Naptime yet?]

I swear, one last question!

My said 8 week old took a morning nap, no drama. Come late morning the screaming began. Mom said she likes to be rocked to sleep or sleep in the bouncy chair, both of which aren't happening. I'm trying to prepare lunch while alternating between picking up baby to calm her and getting everyone ready to eat. I changed her diaper, I tried to feed her, she just wanted to be held & I couldn't do it. She finally exhausted herself & fell asleep.

I know my picking her up then putting her down made the screaming worse.

I know my original question was about schedules, but what do I tell mom? That her baby is going to scream (this went on for an hour) because I can't hold her when she wants to be held? I don't want baby to scream, but what else can I do? I highly doubt mom lets her scream at home, it's agonizing.

I thought maybe she wasn't feeling well, but based on the last few days, she screams when she isn't attended to immediately. I do get it, it's her way of communicating.

I guess I should throw it back to mom, ask her what she thinks I should do because I cannot let her scream like this and I can't hold her all day. Does that sound right? Then tell her there's x-amount of time for improvement or it's bye-bye?

I'm sorry this is so long, these little ones have completely stressed me out.

[coolconfidentme]

Maybe circumstances worked differently for me but I actually found that younger infants did better than older infants when it comes to PT care. IDK why, maybe because cognitively they're not as advanced and really the separation distress starts a little later like closer to a year old.

In the words of my 9yo DD "they're like potatoes, they don't do much"

They won't have much of a schedule as they follow their own eat/sleep patterns but they aren't as aware that mommy and daddy are gone so as long as they feed from a bottle well I find that I have better luck than I would with an older infant that has been home with a parent or family member the whole time.

True..., I have a DCB 18 mth who cries & whimpers all day long. He is here 1-2 days a weeks. DCM was going to bring him FT to transition, but now she said she can't afford it. I told her yesterday that if he doesn't do better in the next two weeks, he never will adjust to DC.

[TaylorTots]

I have had these kids - but at 5 days a week full time and it took a month or two to completely train/adjust them. Don't expect a change 2 days a week in a month. Even if mom is on the same page (which she isn't if she is rocking or bouncy chairing her to sleep), your DC is a new place for the child and it could take multiple months easily if the adjustment happens at all.