Does Anyone Take Their Child to Childcare in Pyjamas?

[Liviam]

I have taken mine in a handful of times when I've had to drop them off on my way to work which involves me leaving home at 6.25am. I would much prefer to take them in their nice and warm pj's than wake them up early just to dress them.
My CC have had no issue at all with it and they completely understand. It actually was them that told me to do it. They also feed them breakfast so that the kids can stay in bed and asleep for as long as possible.

[fionas]

Thanks ladies. You've made me feel better. If/when I get a job, I'll have a word with the carers. I've been using the centre for three years so they know I'm not a slackarse generally.

Plus, as a single mum, I do everything for the morning (and evening) routine so really, in the whole scheme of things, I guess having someone change DD2 out of her PJs isn't that big a deal. Astrid, I like the idea of me changing her once we get there, that could be another option too.

[meow]

Especially as a single mum hon, it's okay to lean on your village. I know they're your "paid" village but they're in it for love (lord knows the money aint much) and I'm sure they would be glad to know they were supporting your family xx

[Nai]

An alternative is to let her sleep in leggings and top and then throw a dress or skirt in her bag to throw on when you arrive at CC?

[wysiwyg]

I realised my answer was right but wrong - I have not taken them in PJ's but I have taken them in the clothes they wore to bed :-). Then however I have not required daycare to change them, they are fine to wear them all day. This would have been only prob less than 18 months though as once got to age where would struggle through nappy changes then just as easy to dress them as I wouldn't send in a nappy have worn overnight, as I wouldn't know when they would get the chance to change it and wouldn't want them sat in it that long.

I am a bit torn on older children (e.g three year old kinder equivalent) going in, in PJ's - not the PJ's themselves but in childcare being required to get them dressed (so going in on clothes they slept in is totally fine). Just because I really want at that age for childcare workers to be doing activities/play with them rather than things like dressing. Someone said to me when I asked how childcare coped with some complicated looking shoelaces on their three year old "at the price we pay they should just suck it up and tie their laces" - and that horrified me - I wouldn't want staff spending all time doing laces or all morning dressing kids or persuading them to get dressed, I think the staff have more to offer than that and with the ratio for older children I think getting them dressed not really fair on the group.

For little ones ratios are different and there is a lot of changing them anyway so is a different situation. All centers are different too as are the numbers they have early in the day - I can't imagine it would be great having 14 1.5 to 2.5 year olds turning up needing breakfast plus dressing at 7:30 am.

[Cassius2]

well today was pyjama day at kindy...so today yes lol!

thankfully i am a mostly SAHM these days so DD2 only rocks up once I am good and ready...usually around 9.30-10am, so no need to keep them on. but i reckon with such early starts it's a great idea!

[mrscricket]

I have sisters who work in daycare centres and they don't mind kids getting dropped off in pj's, especially the early morning kids. A lot of the kids tend to let them dress them quite quickly. Or start doing it themselves at home when they see other kids not in pj's. My sisters do hate kids being dropped off still in last night's nappy under the pj's (not saying you would ever do this Fiona!)

[Catastrophic]

I seem to be the minority that does the PJ drop off...

I start work anywhere from 6am to 730am... Which means they go to my day carer anywhere from 530 to 7!

The only thing they have to do in the morning is get up and get into the car. They then get dropped off at my day carers house (she is family day care) and she will dress, feed, hair, teeth then take my youngest to school.

It's super helpful for me and less stress on them at that time in the morning.

[Teeki]

Cat, my Mum did FDC, and the kids that were dropped off before school were the same. My brother and I were usually only just getting out of bed when they got to our place, so why not have us all getting ready at the same time? Somehow having them there getting ready too made us incredibly compliant, and same for them! My Mum had it easy those days lol.

[wysiwyg]

I seem to be the minority that does the PJ drop off...

I start work anywhere from 6am to 730am... Which means they go to my day carer anywhere from 530 to 7!

The only thing they have to do in the morning is get up and get into the car. They then get dropped off at my day carers house (she is family day care) and she will dress, feed, hair, teeth then take my youngest to school.

It's super helpful for me and less stress on them at that time in the morning.

I do think family day care is slightly different though it is a different dynamic, different ratio different feel to daycare is a more individualized service. There should be more availability of it, as there should be more flexibility in daycare hours and more options for in home care (where dressed or not becomes a total non issue). Would be so much better if people had real options to choose a service that reflected their own working environment. The Australian women chamber of commerce and industry recently published a paper called Closing the Gap on Child care in Australia which had interesting options on increasing in home care and childcare - ok is a bit off topic but I think is relevant looking at how many people utilise cc outside of 9-5.

[luna moth]

I had a really memorable case once where we wished a mum would do this for the sake of her relationship with her daughter. Mum would struggle and fight with Kid. Kid just flatly refused to wear a shirt, or pants or whatever. It was often 10am by the time they got there, Kid was half dressed, the struggle would continue. On the one occasion we convinced Mum to bring Kid in her jarmies (and I feel it necessary to point out that she was a bloody good mum too) we just said "okay, put this on, put that on" and it was done. In, like, 20 seconds. It was about the power struggle, not the clothes.

So just do it. Honestly, it's not an issue, and I bet her carers feel the same way we did.

[LimeSlice]

DD2 will often ask herself to go in her pjs! LOL She loves her Dora nightie a bit too much. It's day care, not the symphony. Who cares if she is wearing clothes or pjs? So long as she is comfy and warm enough, send her in whatever you want. The time will come soon enough when she will be needing to be dressed and in uniform or whatever.

[~Kim~]

I used to. I'd pack DD1's brekkie and her clothes in a little extra bag. She's sit down and have her brekkie and get dressed before most of the other kids even got there (I'd have to drop her off just after 6).
I'm a 'pick you battles' type. They were only too happy to help.

[~Kim~]

I used to. I'd pack DD1's brekkie and her clothes in a little extra bag. She's sit down and have her brekkie and get dressed before most of the other kids even got there (I'd have to drop her off just after 6).
I'm a 'pick you battles' type. They were only too happy to help.

[peanutter]

On pyjama day at daycare they do - but we generally still have to change them, because otherwise they'd be wet! So we keep their nicest pyjamas ready to be changed into them in the morning.

I don't see it as being a big deal, but my kids aren't fussed about being changed so it hasn't really come up. Getting them dressed in the morning is the least of our worries. Getting them to use the potty, not put yoghurt in their hair, and to stop riding the vacuum cleaner is more of an issue.

I guess it's like people who take their kids out in their pyjamas - keyhole judge away, or get over it.

As with most everything - whatever works for your family. I don't see how it really affects anyone other than you, your kids, and the daycare staff.

And perhaps all the other parents, if their kids then start wanting to come to daycare in their pyjamas too :P

[Lilly-Pilly]

I worked in child Care for years. Sometimes getting kids dressed in the morning is just a part of our daily job. We are there to care for the kids while parents are at work (or where ever else)
It was never our position to judge, we just were there to do what ever the kids needed, and if that was to find them somewhere to sit and eat breakfast, or get them changed then so be it!

[fionas]

Thanks guys. I think I've gotten over myself. It's really not a question of laziness or not being organised and running out of time, it's the fact that DD2 fights me. I can't actually physically dress her some mornings. I've tried pretty much everything. I think if I'm in this situation, I'll just give the centre the heads up and say that I'll always make the effort to dress her at home (which I will) but if it comes down to a fight and me being late for work, then I'll bring her in her pyjamas.

[hj1981]

I haven't expect for last Tuesday they had a pj day at kindy so got a tad excited and went pj shopping and the girls went to kindy in their pj's hahahaha

In general I don't like the idea of it however each to their own. At least yours is not due to laziness and couldn't be botheredness!
From past experience I have had babies (when I was working in childcare) turn up on opening time in the morning in their pj's, had to give breakfast, have them stay until closing time after we have given dinner, bathed and put into pj's for the night and rock up the next day in the same nappy and pj's we sent them home in (we marked the nappy). That I think is wrong and was very sad!

But anyways... How is trying to get her down earlier of a night time going?