Just looking for opinions please. DH and i are looking at maybe putting ds into occasional care maybe once a fortnight. I am keen to have him in care for a day a week closer to when the next bub arrives but DH isn't sure so this is a compromise for now that we are looking at. We have found an occasional care centre that is linked with a kinder so he would be interacting with older children and we would look at doing it once a fortnight to begin with.
My concern is that the session is only for the morning so he will only be going once a fortnight for 4 or so hours. Im in two minds about whether this would be beneficial for him or just confusing. DS is a very social creature and loves older kids especially so i think he would enjoy that time with them and i dont think he would have an issue being away from us but im worried that doing it just once a fortnight would do him little benefit. Has anyone had any experience with this kind of situation and have they found this to be beneficial for their babies? Ds is 16 months old. Id be interested to hear opinions from people who work in early childhood education also.
A fortnight is a long time for a little, even a week is. I found with DD1 when she was going to OC then long day care that she did not settle in very well until she started 2 days per week. I am finding the same with DD1, she started care at 20 months, she can only go once per week and is having some trouble settling. They have recommend that I send her twice a week.
If you are going to use OC, then it is better to opt for once a week, rather than once a fortnight. Not only with it give your DS some stability, but you will probably find that time beneficial.
Where is Audax - she'll give you the best advice, methinks... however...
I work in a centre, and to be honest, I don't think it would be worthwhile. I find it is difficult for children to settle when it is once or twice a week for full days, let alone four hours over a fortnight.
I could be wrong and your little man could be a trooper - but I just think not really being able to adjust to the idea of being away from mum - and it being a once off every fortnight might be a bit traumatic. I don't think an older child would be so bad, as they grasp time better therfore it would become routine but 2 weeks is a fair gap for a sixteen month old.
Thanks for the advice ladies. I kinda thought this might be the case which is why i was keen for a day of childcare but thats a no go for dh at the mo. DS is very resilient in terms of being away from us, he never sheds a tear when we leave him but in saying that we have never left him with a stranger (usually our parents or a friend who he sees once or twice a week) so he may have a diff reaction if we leave him with people he doesn't know. I guess i can always try and if its a disaster i can always stop or take him more often which is the benefit with occasional care i guess.
I'm with the others on this one, I honestly think once a week would be a better option than just a few short hours once a fortnight I put DD1 in one day a week (from 8:30 till 4:30) at around 18 months and she adjusted very well (she's also a very social creature and loved the interaction and learning that I couldn't provide at home), but she's doing even better now that she's doing two days a week. She's more familiar with the routine and her carers and is more 'in the circle' with the kids who go there, because they tend to leave out the kids who only show up once in a while, kwim? Not that anybody gets picked on or ostracised, they just form stronger bonds when they see each other more often.
I even think a half-day of care is 'too little', really - they get settled and then mum shows up to take them home, kwim? When I pick DD1 up in the afternoon she's still hard at it (playing and enjoying herself) and is full of stories about what she did during the day.
I found that DD1 adjusted just fine to being left with strangers - having all those other kids and new toys and activities tends to distract them from the fact that they don't recognise the grown-ups around them She went through a phase about three or four months after starting daycare when she would cry as I left her in the mornings, but she got over it quickly and the carers always assured me she settled about two minutes after I walked out the door (and I witnessed it myself from the carpark lol, the little miss!).
Best of luck with whatever decision you make, but yes, from my own experience I would say it's more beneficial and easier on the little ones to put them in for a full day or more frequently to allow them time to really get to know the other kids and their carers. DD1 has formed some lovely bonds with her carers and looks forward to seeing them on Mondays and Wednesdays, and they love her, too Good luck!
My boys have all done occ care and it has been great for them I think too a weekly gig might be better than fortnightly only because I found if mine were sick one week and missed a session, they were quite clingy the next week at drop off. I guess all you can do is give it a go and see how it works for him!
From a carers point of view, one day a fortnight makes it incredibly hard to settle any child in. Even one day a week can prove very difficult, because, as mentioned, a week is a very long time in the life of a child.
Also it makes providing that place difficult as you need to find someone who wants to use the off week of care for that day.
Occasional Care, opinions please..
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I put DD1 in one day a week (from 8:30 till 4:30) at around 18 months and she adjusted very well (she's also a very social creature and loved the interaction and learning that I couldn't provide at home), but she's doing even better now that she's doing two days a week. She's more familiar with the routine and her carers and is more 'in the circle' with the kids who go there, because they tend to leave out the kids who only show up once in a while, kwim? Not that anybody gets picked on or ostracised, they just form stronger bonds when they see each other more often. 
She went through a phase about three or four months after starting daycare when she would cry as I left her in the mornings, but she got over it quickly and the carers always assured me she settled about two minutes after I walked out the door (and I witnessed it myself from the carpark lol, the little miss!). 
I think too a weekly gig might be better than fortnightly only because I found if mine were sick one week and missed a session, they were quite clingy the next week at drop off. I guess all you can do is give it a go and see how it works for him!
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