This is hard.
I have a preschooler. A wonderful, happy, smart preschooler. I attribute so many of his good qualities, his ability to make friends and his great social skills to my daycare provider/his preschool teacher. He has been in the same in home/unlicensed daycare since he was 3 months old.
Gosh. I'm in tears as I write this.
I am having another baby. My second. Another little boy, who I already love so much. Before I told anyone else, informed my daycare provider I was pregnant again and asked if she would be willing to take my new baby in her home. Her response: She would LOVE to watch my baby!
As time moved on, my daycare provider has given it more thought and has become unwilling to take my baby as young as I need care for him. I can't blame her, as another DCM is due the month before I am and had reserved her spot first. She told me, through tears, that she will be heartbroken if her decision about my second baby results in my preschooler no longer being with her. I cried too. For days actually.
As I begin exploring other options that are available, I see that some of the "center" type daycares have so much to offer my children. They seem safer in some ways and more secure than the in home daycare he goes to. They offer less flexibility, but more structure and more outside time. This place would offer kindergarten transportation to and from school and an after school program for my oldest -- all stuff I worry about in my current situation. Sometimes I like the idea of "different rooms" for each age group. Other times I like the meshing of different age groups offered by my in home daycare. Sometimes I don't like the 5-6 year old influences on my preschooler, other times, I feel he is learning from the bigger kids and teaching the smaller kids.
I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons. I COULD potentially leave my older son with the provider I love and do 2 drop offs and pick ups for 4 months or so until my new baby is bigger. It's really not ideal, it's hard enough being a working mom with a newborn, and with two drop offs/pick ups would potentially lose another 30-40 minutes of my day each day. They then could both ultimately be together at the in home daycare I love.
On the other hand, I'm hurt she changed her mind. I'm hurt she chose someone elses' family over mine. I was under the impression my unborn child had a spot in her daycare for over 3 months. Part of me feels like this is a blessing in disguise. The other part of me hurts for the potential loss of my little son's friendships and relationships that have grown so much over the years.
I'm just feeling heartbroken. I know my decision will have a lot of impact on quite a few people, my children, my provider, and a handful of his little friends who mean the world to me. Just hoping some of you have been where I am, know how difficult of a choice this is. I know it's not personal, it's a buisness decision, but I feel so so hurt. How on earth do you make a choice like this?!
I have a preschooler. A wonderful, happy, smart preschooler. I attribute so many of his good qualities, his ability to make friends and his great social skills to my daycare provider/his preschool teacher. He has been in the same in home/unlicensed daycare since he was 3 months old.
Gosh. I'm in tears as I write this.
I am having another baby. My second. Another little boy, who I already love so much. Before I told anyone else, informed my daycare provider I was pregnant again and asked if she would be willing to take my new baby in her home. Her response: She would LOVE to watch my baby!
As time moved on, my daycare provider has given it more thought and has become unwilling to take my baby as young as I need care for him. I can't blame her, as another DCM is due the month before I am and had reserved her spot first. She told me, through tears, that she will be heartbroken if her decision about my second baby results in my preschooler no longer being with her. I cried too. For days actually.
As I begin exploring other options that are available, I see that some of the "center" type daycares have so much to offer my children. They seem safer in some ways and more secure than the in home daycare he goes to. They offer less flexibility, but more structure and more outside time. This place would offer kindergarten transportation to and from school and an after school program for my oldest -- all stuff I worry about in my current situation. Sometimes I like the idea of "different rooms" for each age group. Other times I like the meshing of different age groups offered by my in home daycare. Sometimes I don't like the 5-6 year old influences on my preschooler, other times, I feel he is learning from the bigger kids and teaching the smaller kids.
I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons. I COULD potentially leave my older son with the provider I love and do 2 drop offs and pick ups for 4 months or so until my new baby is bigger. It's really not ideal, it's hard enough being a working mom with a newborn, and with two drop offs/pick ups would potentially lose another 30-40 minutes of my day each day. They then could both ultimately be together at the in home daycare I love.
On the other hand, I'm hurt she changed her mind. I'm hurt she chose someone elses' family over mine. I was under the impression my unborn child had a spot in her daycare for over 3 months. Part of me feels like this is a blessing in disguise. The other part of me hurts for the potential loss of my little son's friendships and relationships that have grown so much over the years.
I'm just feeling heartbroken. I know my decision will have a lot of impact on quite a few people, my children, my provider, and a handful of his little friends who mean the world to me. Just hoping some of you have been where I am, know how difficult of a choice this is. I know it's not personal, it's a buisness decision, but I feel so so hurt. How on earth do you make a choice like this?!
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