3 days at day care just TOO MUCH??

[megb]

Hi everyone. My DD has been going to day care in a kindy room (she is 3) for about 6 weeks now. She has not cried so far. She loved going two days a week so much that she kept asking to go more. So I popped her in three days a week. But this week has been horrible, she won't sleep there anymore and when she gets home at 3.30pm, she is yawning, cranky and very, very tired. It's pretty horrid until she heads to bed at 6.45pm-7.00pm. She seems to have real attitude this week and I'm sure these little ones pick up things from other kids, it's all a part of being a kid and learning isn't it?

I just am not sure whether I should knock her back to two days again. I am finding I really miss her more than I ever did but I know she loves kindy, she does heaps of activities and things I just couldn't do at home due to having a DS who is 1 year old (and quite demanding at the moment).

Poor thing, I really feel like I'm neglecting her and just throwing her into the centre. I try and stay and look at all of her pictures she's done and she even shows me things she is doing in the playground now, her confidence has grown plenty. Teachers have said she does heaps of things on her own now. It's wonderful to see that side of it.

I'm thinking of keeping her home tomorrow and us all going shopping. I just miss her and wonder whether this whole day care thing is a great idea three days a week. She seems so blooming tired! She starts pre-prep next year and that's three days a week.

I'm a SAHM too so it's not necessary I put her in kindy. This is her first time in care. Is family day care better?

Hope you can help make my mind up or just listen to me

[Olive]

my DD1 is 4 and doing 4 yr old kinder, starts school next year... she goes 12 odd hours a week over three days and shes tired, so i could only imagine how tired she is if shes going 3 days for by the sounds of it 6 hours, maybe drop a day for the first half of the year and she how she goes in the second hal, 6 months makes a big difference

[megb]

thanks olive. i drop her off at 8.30am and pick her up around 3.30pm. too much i think.

[Olive]

sounds too much to me darl, does she nap there?

[megb]

she was doing that. but not this week :-( i'm looking into family day care too. i know nothing about it! anyone else experienced family day care? why did you like it?

[Deedles]

A friend of mine does home daycare. She has a maximum of 5 children I think it is.
I spent the day with her last year to see what it was like and what she did with the kids.

It is so relaxed there and a it really is a family sort of environment.
She makes sure they ALL have a sleep, its a must. Not too many kids so it is a lot easier and she plays relaxing music to get them to sleep and if they dont sleep then they lay there for the hour and just relax.
They do all the usual daycare activities like playdough, colouring, arts and crafts, outdoor play. It is more one on one and they don't get ANYWHERE near as stimulated as at a large daycare facility.

They are still interacting with other children and learning. Sometimes she does excursions to the museum or art gallery with permission from parents.
Sometimes she pops t.v on for bit, not all day but just when they start to get a bit rowdy.

If I could get DS into one around my area I would TOTALLY do it for sure!