3 Lessons I've learned about Child Care

First off, I want to state that this is just my experience and not intended to be guidelines or rules for anyone else.  Child care is one of the most difficult decisions for any parent and should be evaluated based on your personal principles and your kids experience.  Everyone's situation is different.

We recently moved my son to a new preschool while I was on maternity leave. It was closer to our house, had a challenging academic curriculum and was cheaper than the old preschool. Seemed ideal at the time. Needless to say, we ended up moving him back to the original daycare when I went back to work. 

1.  Trust your instincts

At the new school, it felt chaotic no matter when I dropped off or picked up. I understand there are busy times, but that should be the exception, not the rule. 

Although I liked the curriculum at the new school, they did not have much structure outside the 2 academic hours of the day. In the end, it was hard to explain, but it did not feel right. 

2.  Trust your child

My son is a pretty easy going guy. He loves to read and play and is usually excited to go to school. When he started to resist getting his shoes on and break down before we left the house, I knew something was wrong. 

3.  Being a stay at home mom is HARD!

During my maternity leave, my son only attended preschool part time, so I could spend more time with him. I give stay at home moms a lot of respect because it is not easy. Not only do you have to figure out your own plan for the day, you are also coordinating your kids day. Toddlers have a very short attention span, so you have to have several back up plans. You hope the kids nap at the same time so you can get something done (laundry, dishes, dinner). I still wasn't able to clean any of my house, so I do not know how anyone does that.