Childcare or no Childcare?

[MLR]

Hiya


I m one of those"heartless" parent that sent DS to infant care since he bearly turned 4 mths old. Financial situation requires duo income contribution and my mom wasn’t in the pink of health at that time. My ILs are 20k miles away, so infant care was our choice over nanny. Domestic help is not an option at all, cos in our opinion, they are not trained/equipped to be taking care of babies.

It took us about 2 months of and numerous visits to different centres b4 we decide on the one that is near my mom’s place. It was the best arrangement at that time, DH sent DS in the on the way to work, I picked him up after work and went over to parents’ place for dinner and goes back home. So, weekends were totally our own family time.

DS had a great time at the IFC, he found his passion for animals at the tender age of 13 mths old. He surprises lots of people with his knowledge of the animal kingdom. His 1st love - dinosaurs is a great learning tool that we use lots. Crocodiles, lions and tigers comes next, now his fav are hippos and birds.

He has no problem starting at the current cc when we moved last year, cos to him going to cc every morning is norm. Most days, he wakes up chirpy and bright ready to go school, its a breeze. I m the one who suffers from separation anxiety. For the 6 mths that we sent him to IFC, i couldn’t get myself to bring him there. The couple of time that I had to do it instead of DH, I would left feeling sad and guilty, even teary the 1st time.

He is quite independent as compared to our friends’ kids around the same age. Although hes the only child, hes very sociable and would sometimes talk to strangers in public places. Other than the occasional tantrums, I would say that he is quite a easy child to handle. I think its also b’cos he goes to cc that set him in a routine, so its much more manageable for us parents to set a routine for him at home.

Of course there are stuff that he picks up st the cc which :!: us too. Some utter of bad words, baby language (we don’t speak baby language to him, weel not since he is 3 mths old) and by far the worst is learning to snatch things.

Just my personal experience.

[VRossi]

Hi,dear mummies,


if child falls sick and cannot go the childcare, or if childcare sends child home due to sudden fever or if centre closed due to HFMD, what is your contigency plan.Am offered a job starting end July but I have 2 kids 6 and 3 and no maid, mum does not stay close by, so thought to send to childcare.Just wondering what should be our back up plan when child is sick.

[buds]

VRossi:

Hi,dear mummies,


if child falls sick and cannot go the childcare, or if childcare sends child home due to sudden fever or if centre closed due to HFMD, what is your contigency plan.Am offered a job starting end July but I have 2 kids 6 and 3 and no maid, mum does not stay close by, so thought to send to childcare.Just wondering what should be our back up plan when child is sick.

A relative, a neighbour or a paid nanny/babysitter that you are in
acquaintance of.

Its never easy to go to work and to be tied down with kids taken ill, but
its good that you have back up plan. Its just not HFMD you should think
about really, cos when the kids first start out in childcare, their body may
not be used to or be immune to the different viruses in the air (of all the
other friends in the centre), so should anticipate that as well. There are
centres that may allow mildly ill children into the centre and parents can
bring the prescribed medications for the teachers to assist you in the
meds feed (ie. during lunch or tea break) but this policy varies from
childcare to childcare, hence it wud be good to find out the details on
their protocol for such cases.

Its understandable that you will not be able or be entitled to leave to
care for them in such event, but the childcare also needs to have the
other children's health concerns to consider. It is a shared responsibilty
to prevent outbreaks of any kind, for the parent and the centre..

[MLR]

Hiya VRossi


The gov't has now increased child sick leave to 6 days per year (3 days paid for by co, 3 days by gov't) for both parents. This is for children up to age of 6 (K2).

The cc that DS is attending will let him attend as long as theres a lettter from doctor certifying him fit, parents can bring the prescribed medications for the teachers to assist you in the meds feed (ie. during lunch or tea break).

You may want to start a couple of months b4 you start work, so as to let your children get used to the routine. If you have been SAHM all this time, if would take some time for them to get over separation anxieties, adjusting to different routine and as buds mentioned getting exposed to the contaminants in the cc environment.

Theres lots of discussion on childcare facilities on this portal, you can start by going thru forum index on the childcare section and check out the area of your residence to read parents comments on the ctrs
they have tried out or which have been recommended.

Hope this helps.

[sunny]

would you all rather send the kids to the childcare than hearing the caregiver’s constantly complaints about how ‘kpo’ (i interpret as curious) the kids are and keep asking whys during the day and when she’s busy is preparing meals for the family?


sometimes, the caregiver who is my mil will say things to the kids like if they don’t keep quiet, she will send one of them away, when both kids are fighting for toys. i don’t know her tone when she spoke that ‘cos i wasnt’ around.

[MLR]

sunny:

would you all rather send the kids to the childcare than hearing the caregiver's constantly complaints about how 'kpo' (i interpret as curious) the kids are and keep asking whys during the day and when she's busy is preparing meals for the family?


sometimes, the caregiver who is my mil will say things to the kids like if they don't keep quiet, she will send one of them away, when both kids are fighting for toys. i don't know her tone when she spoke that 'cos i wasnt' around.

That's a common issue when parents/in-laws/relatives are the caregivers.

They tend to be more emotional when they are hving a hard time, the complaints can be ignored, but what they say/teach your children is quite beyond your control. Not saying that caregivers at centres don't hv their bad days, just that theres always other eyes watching and they are paid employee to perform their duties, they are better at coping. Also, your voice will be better heard in the centre than parents/in-laws/relatives situation. But theres always the situation where the child falls ill and the centre policy is not to take in sick child, then you must hv contigency plan. There is also the problem of bad habits/language that your children can pick up at the centre. :shock:

As always theres pros and cons of each arrangement, you just hv to weigh each out and pick one that suits you best.

:celebrate:

:celebrate:

[hairuliza]

I’ve been scouting around for childcare centres and I’ve to say my stamina is running low.

The good ones are too far, the ones near to my parents’ place (they are the main caregivers to my son) are not that great either.
My mom had surgery when I just gave birth to my son & thus we got a maid to help her out with the chores but my parents do the main caring for my boy.
Our maid is the 3rd one, we had to change maids twice and this is the last one (no more free exchanges).
Finding a good maid is not easy…
However, our current maid is not that great either, so we want to send our boy to halfday care so that my parents won’t be so taxed looking after him and let go of our maid.
Sigh, sometimes I think he’s too young to be sent to childcare, and that he’ll probably benefit more by going to parent-accompanied classes.

[titank]

Hi All,


I’m also considering whether to transfer the child from Kindergarten to a Childcare Centre. Is it really true that the Language at Childcare (CC) not able to fight with Kindergarten?

Anyone can share the pros & cons of a Kindergarten & Childcare.

[Sefina]

titank:

Hi All,


I’m also considering whether to transfer the child from Kindergarten to a Childcare Centre. Is it really true that the Language at Childcare (CC) not able to fight with Kindergarten?

Anyone can share the pros & cons of a Kindergarten & Childcare.

Titank, i also facing same problem.. whether to transfer the child from Kindergarten to a CCC.. cos current maid no that good( previous one follow me almost 5 year, last year Sept went back)

[titank]

Sefina:

titank:

Hi All,


I’m also considering whether to transfer the child from Kindergarten to a Childcare Centre. Is it really true that the Language at Childcare (CC) not able to fight with Kindergarten?

Anyone can share the pros & cons of a Kindergarten & Childcare.

Titank, i also facing same problem.. whether to transfer the child from Kindergarten to a CCC.. cos current maid no that good( previous one follow me almost 5 year, last year Sept went back)

Hi Pal,

I’m also having the same problem. Just get a new Indonesia Maid instead of a Filipino Maid. New maid maybe does not understand English well where MIL getting frustrated in training her.
:stupid:
Maybe would see how the performance of the maid for the next few weeks or so. :idea:

Either I get back Filipino Maid where can understands & listen English well. If worst then maybe have to terminate maid service & send my child from Kindergarten to Childcare Centre. I don’t have to face the nagging comments from the MIL all day long. :
:x

Is your maid Indonesia or Filipino type?