How old was your child when they started?

[Mum2Romone]

and why?
Did you go to work? feel that they needed the extra stimulation etc.

[Chocaholic]

DS1 was 8 weeks old when he went to daycare. I needed to go back to work for me. I love my son but I am not the stay at home type. It is my personality type!!

DS2 was 4 months old when he went to daycare. We had moved towns (about 1000kms between them) when I was pregnant and I waited until the house was sorted and my sons where settled in the new location (oh, and I found a job too!) before I sent them to daycare.

I think it has worked to my boys advantage as they are both very curious and very active. I do not think I could have given them the stimulation that daycare has on a daily basis. I have made sure that I was 100% happy with the centres before I sent them. I also make sure I jump on situations I am not happy with immediately and demand action. I have been fortunate that the daycares I have found are great places with wonderful people working there.

[Lolli]

Ds was 19 motnths old. i was very pg and stressed, so we started swending him one day a week so i could have a break, as recommended by my shrink

[HarveyBub'sMum]

DS was 10 months when he started with my mum 2 days per week and has just started 1 day per week at Childcare now he is 20 months. He's also home with my husband one day per week and one day with me.

I quite happily went back to work when he was ten months three days per week, I just always wanted to go back, plus DH has an ongoing illness so I need to make sure I keep my career up so I can afford to support us if he gets sick again.

Recently went from three days to four days per week so DS started 1 day per week at CC, very happy with the centre but it has been a real tug, nothing like leaving him with Mum!

[AliBaby]

5 months when she started being looked after by MIL 2 days a week.

10.5mths at child care centre. I was so nervous at first but I really like it now. She goes 2 days a week and is learning so much there from teh interaction with other children and the things they do there like music, painting, play dough, stories, play with all their cool toys.

[mrsmac]

DD1 was 7 months when i went back to work FT, she was minded by my mum though so it was much easier to leave her. DD2 was with mum 3 days a week from 4 months but I went on leave when she was 1 as mum was sick and it was all a bit mixed up with carers for her. After mum died she was with 1 lady on a monday, FDC Tuesday and Thursday, my brother wednesdays and a friend on Fridays, that changed a bit until she went to preschool but my fabulous brother who had no kids at the time had her every wednesday until she started school. In retrospect it was a bad way to deal with CC for her as now even at 10 she is my most clingy child and i think it partly stems from her lack of stability as a little child. (sorry hijacking here, its just made me think)

DS went to FDC 3 days a week from 8 months then at nearly 2 went 4 days and from 2 1/2 went 4 days FDC and 1 day with my dad. This year he has 3 days FDC and 2 days of preschool which he is really ready for as its more stimulating than FDC (although he still loves FDC and his carer)