Does Anyone Take Their Child to Childcare in Pyjamas?

DD2 is a complete nightmare to get dressed in the morning. Tears, tantrums, running up and down the house. No matter how much time I allow it never seems to be enough for the school/childcare run. I get up by 7am every day and we are still touch and go to make school at 9am largely due to DD2 being a complete pain in the mornings.

I'm currently looking for a job. It's likely that my commute will be upwards of an hour each way and ideally, to miss traffic I'd like to leave by about 7.15am.

The thought of coping with DD2 chucking meltdowns at 6.30am about getting dressed is stressing me out a little bit.

I guess the contingency plan could be to take her to childcare in her pyjamas and with a change of clothes obviously. I hate that idea because it looks like I'm too lazy to do it myself and expect the childcare workers to do it. But I know some mornings that would mean the difference between me being late and frazzled or on time and calm.

So is this reasonably common?

I think if you explained to the childcare your reason why she was coming in her pj's it would make a huge difference and they could probably talk her into getting dressed herself in the morning ;)

So no, I don't think there is anything wrong with it, I'm sure lots of people have the same issue. Mine have all been through the stage where they don't want to get dressed - DD1 is nearly 5 and still has her moments!

No. Never.

We used to have some kids turn up in PJs when I worked in child care. I don't know anyone who did it as a regular thing but if you chatted to them about it and they were expecting it it wouldn't be a big deal surely. I never had an issue dressing a child out of their PJs.

I have. DD was flat out refusing to get changed. I had no time left. DS was most distressed because, in his words "but it's not pyjama day mum". But I explained to the carer as soon as we got there & by the time I left, DD was already nodding to the carer who was asking if she wanted to change into her clothes. They told me it happens quite regularly. DD only did it once.

ETA: It's taken a while but we now have our morning routine down pat. Up at 7am. They can only watch TV if they are dressed and it goes off at 7.35. If they don't eat their breakfast, they go hungry. Morning tea is at 9am anyway so it's not for long. We are out the door by 8am. Any later & I'm late for work. I have everything ready the night before. Lunch is packed into lunchboxes and in the fridge. Kindy bags are restocked with nappies and clothes or whatever they need and near the door. All I have to do is get them dressed, fed, clean teeth, sunscreen. If I can get up before them, I get myself ready first otherwise I find it hard as they need me to do just about everything it's hard to get myself ready as well. Sometimes they object but I don't let them get away with it. If they refuse to do something, I give them a chance and if they still refuse, I do it for them regardless of their tantrums. They know what they have to do and I can only be patient for so long. I tried a reward chart with DS but no success.

I have if we have to get there really early - usually because I have a work conference an hour away. On a day like that I let daycare know in advance, I get her up and straight in the car, we get to daycare about 6:30 and they give her breakfast and into a change of clothes. They're the ones who recommended it for days like that.

our child care encourage the mums who do early drop offs to take kids in their pjs.

i, like you, avoid it as much as possible because i feel bad that its one extra thing for them to do when i could do it at home, and i voiced this to our room leader who basically said i was crazy and to bring DD in her pjs every day to make our mornings easier!

occasionally i did drop her off in pjs, but only on mornings when we had slept in or were running late, it was such a big help!

now she is 2.5 and toilet trained she likes to go to the loo before we go so she always gets dressed, but i wouldnt hesitate to do it even now if i needed to

I guess it depends on what time you're taking them there.

I've never done it myself and don't believe it should be the carer's responsibility to get my child ready in the mornings, however I drop DS2 off at 8:30am and he only goes once a week anyway.

I guess if you were dropping your children off between 6:30 and 7:30 then it would be quite reasonable, but any time after that I think it's the parent's job to have their child ready to go in the mornings. If that means getting up half an hour earlier, or putting up with tantrums, then so be it. But that's just me :)

I haven't but I would say that DD 4 always seems to know when really needs to hurry and does but doesn't if not necessary iYKWIM so when I wasn't working or when mum takes can often take from 7:00 to 9:00 to be ready but when I am dropping off can be ready by 7:15. They like having breakfast at daycare so that is an incentive too, earlier they are ready the more foundations, dogs cats etc they get to stop and look at too, which helps.

OK, I think I have a bit of a plan. If DD2 was anything like DD1 this would be easy but she's not. Every single thing is a struggle. Getting her to sleep is a struggle - generally she's not asleep till 9pm which means I'm not getting lunches/bags/uniforms/my stuff ready until the morning. So I get up at 6.30am to do that. DD1 gets up around 7am and we get her sorted before getting DD2 up at 8am. If I get DD2 up earlier she's a complete nightmare. Holding my leg while I'm doing porridge, not eating breakfast, not getting dressed and generally disrupting everything.

So the core problem, I think, is getting DD2 asleep earlier. So today's she's going for a massive walk and we're going to break this cycle.

I'll also start stickers as rewards for getting dressed, letting me brush her hair (another isseeeew) and eating breakfast.

Thanks guys - I'll see if I can get a few of these things sorted out. It will make my life easier whether or not I get a job and have to start dropping her off at childcare at 7am. Eeeeek.

This might sound really bad but it works for us - when I went back to work 4 days a week, dd was 18mths old and I had an hour commute. I would dress her in her clothes for the day before bed and she just had to get jacket & shoes in. When I went back full time 6 months later we continued it. Most nights we still do and she will be 4 next month - if she wanted to wear pjs to bed we talked about getting dressed when mummy says etc. I'm on mat leave now for 12mths and will use this time to work on her ability to get ready in the morning in a timely fashion - but when I go back to work bubba will probably be dressed in the clothes for the next day

tk1999 - don't worry that thought has crossed my mind too! For us, that would just mean a tantrum at bedtime, there's no way DD2 would wear anything other than pyjamas at bedtime. She's ultra fussy. And as for those who say put up with the tantrum, I'm not a pushover but getting a screaming, kicking toddler dressed is impossible and there's only so much I can physically force her to do something given that I'm not meant to lift her (dodgy back, pelvis etc.).

She's just quite tricky. Adorable but tricky. Her latest bedtime trick is to refuse to have covers on her. It's really cold here. She just wants me to get into bed with her so that she can lie on top of me and demands "warm me up".

I haven't done the pjs thing, but one thing that may help is having breakfast there. On days we were running late, or if DD1 slept in I would get her up and dressed and straight in the car and she would eat her breakfast (that I supplied) there. She would be dropped off around 7:20 each morning. There were always tons of kids eating there.

I cheat, cos they go to daycare in comfy play clothes, I will sometimes dress them in their daycare clothes for bed, so in the morning, when they get up, all they have to do is have breakfast, put on their shoes and go.

- Just read the above posts - I am glad I am not the only one who does this!! =D

Well I will upset a lot of people!

I return to work in a few weeks. Dh will be doing drop offs (usually very early) and we will be dropping the baby off in pjs a lot. If he can manage to get her dressed, great. If not, the carers are more than happy to change her after her morning nap. They prefer it if it makes the morning less stressful for dd2 who already has major separation anxiety issues.

Doing this also means maximum sleeping time for dd2 which we all agree is paramount given the issues we have had.

I would prefer he took both girls clothed and ready for the day but dd1 requires you to pretty much stand there and repeat 200 times that she needs to get dressed. So unless dd2 is awake when I leave at 6am, she will most likely arrive in her pjs. For this year anyway.

We have some families do this, especially if they are in really early. We don't mind, especially in winter and the mornings are cold.

I have done so when DD1 was younger. Just went through that stage of her not wanting to get changed. One carer was a bit miffed (I had issues with her anyway) and the others were fine. I suspect it would similar at our current centre, some of those carers can work magic on getting the girls to do things ;)

I have with other times taken DD1 somewhere in her PJ's, then changed her once we got there as it made it all so much easier.

I think as long as the carers are ok with it it should be fine. It's their job to care for the children and if that means changing clothes so be it. When I had trouble getting DS to clean his teeth, they encouraged me to bring his toothbrush in and they would help him there. I would always try at home but sometimes time constraints and unco-operative toddlers meant it was either take it in or go without cleaning his teeth. Having that option is such a sanity saver even if you only use it occassionally. All of the carers at our daycare are incredibly helpful and love the kids to bits. They are always willing to do whatever is needed for each individual child.

Good luck Fiona

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.

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.

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

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?

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.

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!

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 :shakehead: (not saying you would ever do this Fiona!)

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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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?

Another thing I would like to suggest is getting DD2 to pick her clothes for tomorrow the night before? Take her into her room and ask her what she wants to wear tomorrow and put them in her room or maybe out in the loungeroom so when she wakes up in the morning you can say "hey DD do you want to put on those clothes that you picked out last night?" t might make her feel more in control and help with the tantrum?

Hi,
I read this thread yesterday and meant to reply, but didn't get a chance - sleep time was over too quickly! LOL!

I live out of town so have a one hour drive to town / work / day care. We have a rush in the mornings on our work / daycare days.
The night before I pack all bags - my work stuff, their day care bags, and lay everyone's clothes out ready. And I make all the lunches and car snacks, and put them in the fridge.
In the morning, as soon as they wake, I get them dressed, DD2 wakes first and has a BF, then DD1 wakes, and she gets dressed, and they both have a drink of milk in front of the TV for 10 mins while I get dressed. Then it's straight into the car.
In the car, they have a sandwich (made the night before) or some sultanas or some cheese pieces from their "lunch box".
When they get to day care, they have breakfast then, some cereal and/or toast.
I get breakfast at my desk when I get to work (sometimes I pinch a car snack LOL)

I haven't taken them to daycare in their PJs, but have threatened DD1 a couple of times when she hasn't co-operated, and I have been there when some mums have dropped them in their PJs - the daycare staff have been good about it, but then I don't think it's the situation of the "same nappy" that hj1981 described (god I hope not, that sounds awful!). I would do it if I had to, but our little routine works for us. I think if I tried to do breakfast at home, we would struggle with the getting dressed as well.

Having said that, I have taken them to swimming lessons in their PJs though.....
Again, an hour drive. so a bit of the opposite of day care days... (same packing everything the night before though!)
We have breakfast at home and then get in the car, and then drive to the pool, where its a quick change into the swimmers, and then after swimming we put our "nice" clothes on, because we are in town LOL! Generally though, DD1 is a bit more co-operative now, and doesn't want to wear her PJs, so if she puts a tracksuit on herself, then she wears that.

So I'm in practice mode.

Last night I got DD2 to choose her clothes and we put them on a hanger (within her reach) for the morning.

This morning when she woke up, we started getting dressed straight away. And DD1.

I timed it. D'you know how long it took? 25 minutes. That was with the promise of stickers.

That was with me in the same room solely concentrating on getting dressed. I'd done the bags the night before, lunches done etc. etc. so I could give myself as much time as possible to dressing.

Why does it take so long? If I try to help her by holding out the arm of a cardigan - meltdown. If I get something off the hanger that she's having trouble with, meltdown.

If I leave her to it, she messes around and doesn't get dressed.

This morning I tried to make it into a race which led to a meltdown from DD1 because she was losing.

Just. Freaking. Impossible.

We were on time for school but I got up at 6.30am and had done everything the night before.

I need a tether extension.

I have, we were running late, I had an important appointment and just let them know. Easy as. DS1 has had issues with not wanting to go to schooland so will refuse to get into his school clothes (he had actually refused to wear his pjs and get out of his after school clothes as well) so he went in his dirty clothes. The school obviously wasn't impressed until I explained the situation to them and they told me next time to send him as is with a spare set of clothes, same as when he purposely dirties his clothes so he doesn't have to go (3 shirts in one hour. I was not impressed).