Consulting - get serious!

I've just made an appointment with a career coach who specializes in working with consultant for next week, and I'm on my way to a session on how to set up a business in Mississauga. I guess I'm really going to give this consulting thing a try! I'll let you know how it goes.....

On the other hand, I've been painfully ambivilent about child care for lil'ReRe. I know I'm going to need to have someone else take care of him if I'm going to be able to get a home-based business going. I just have a hard time thinking about being away from him for so much time. On the other hand, having someone else in my house taking care of him has actually been a bit of a pain - I won't get into it, but we're letting our babysitter go. She's been taking care of lil'ReRe for about 6-7 hours one day a week so I can get things done, but having her in the house while I try to work has not worked out entirely, a bit of a personality clash, let's say. And as soon as lil'ReRe sees me he falls on the floor crying, like I've just come back to remind him that yes, I have definitely abandoned him. A minute later he's fine, but the drama gets to me, and I end up hiding in my room and missing lunch. So I'm thinking that taking him to a part-time day care might be best. Any advice?

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Random thoughts
Have you tried him in day-care before? I was always set to never let my children never go to nursery/creche...they would stay at home with me until they started school but life and the need to earn money for your family or whatever your reasons; in our case, Jack wasn't talking at 3 and the health visitor thought sometime without me would help him talk as he would HAVE to make himself understood to other people.
Anyway, begrudgingly we put him in day care one half day a week and he loved it. Lou started the day of her second birthday and she has a blast.
I would go and have a look at your local ones, take lil'ReRe, he will either have fun or not, instantly and you will know a good one when you see it.
Good luck!
x
margotinto
I took him to see a daycare (we're on the wait list now) and you are right, he seemed quite interested in what was going on, it was me that couldn't imagine taking him there and leaving by myself. There is an open house at the local Montessori on Saturday, I'll take him by and see how he reacts.
Lex
Woo hoo! (about the consulting not the babysitter thing.)

langleymummy
I was very against sending my kids to daycare and even though I still don't like to do it (can't find quality daycare) I have to. Luckily, it's only part time. That being said, I have decided to send Gabe to Preschool twice a week in the fall. I feel that he too young but he definitley needs to learn how to play with other kids. Preschool for Benny has been great. It has totally brought her out of her shell. My advice? Try to find a daycare that has a preschool feel. Structure, circle time, play time, craft time, snack. If he has structure at daycare hopefully(fingers crossed) he won't feel overwhelmed when he gets home.
margotinto
Ya, I think you are right, ReRe would benefit from some structured activities. I actually think that, a lot of the time when he's complaining and hanging off my leg, he's actually bored. I've tried to put some structure into our days/weeks, but there have been so many things going on, especially to do with the house, and if I'm exhausted, then I'm not much use as an early childhood educator. I think it's time to turn to the professionals, if only on a part-time basis.
Enter the Greenhouse
I don't know how it is in Ontario, but in B.C. there are many different kinds of childcare, all with differing degrees of education / licensing / age limits. We had to go with "family daycare" in the beginning (thank God for Sarah!), because the "group daycares" could not take any children under 30 months. "Family daycares" can take infant-age on up. With the "Family" ones though, you are not guaranteed that the childcare providers are educated in child development or early childhood education, where group daycares and preschools have staff with those sorts of credentials. We ended up leaving one of our daycares due to too much "playtime" and not enough structure or routine. The younger kids just got shuffled around with the other children coming and going to school, and Maddy couldn't handle it. Also, there was WAY too much TV viewing, since there was not enough time to get a quality activity going with the transportation of the school-aged kids. We can't wait for preschool in the fall, which is actually a daycare housed in a school, and organized into school-like routines. I am thrilled that Maddy will be so busy with learning and socializing with others her own age.

I just remembered...try calling your local health unit. Our health unit out here emailed me a list of all the different kinds of childcare available, and where they were located. It sucked having to call everyone and ask the same "interview-type" questions, but at least I didn't have to do ALL the research.
margotinto

Thanks Beck, that's good advice. There was just a big 'bust' on a home daycare here in Toronto, where none of the caregivers had any training, and there was like 10 children per caregiver. I'm assuming that the 'Montessori' schools are more structured, altho I know that anyone can use that name. Maybe I should ask for references from other parents?

Kate Green
Hi Margot, first off - try and FIND part time places - lots don't even do it, but there are some out there. We were very lucky with Mothercraft. I'd go for the centre type of places. Wallace was really wanting home-based but I worked in one of those as a teen and you know what when it is just one fabulous person with a few little kids - what happens when that one fabulous person has a bad day???a headache, cramps etc etc??? that changed Wallace's mind. at a centre there are lots of personalities and people to go around. Amare will enjoy the toys and kids and hustel and bustle. Stick with a routine with it if you can, every drop off the same etc. I am sure he will make a scene the first 4 times he is dropped off and then be done with it. I have a million stories about this with other friends kids and it is always 4 times - after that it is pure performance. He will love it!. Visit many places, get on lists, and be as cool and fun and excited as possible - he will pick up the vibe- then go and freak out where he can't see you ! When Fiona started Mothercraft, and school and Miranda at Mothercraft - I put my foot down and would not let Wallace cry in their presence - he HAD to wait til we were out of the building - man I am the hard hearted one !!!!
jjv
hey tinto,

certainly, talk to the child care people in your region: <http://www.region.peel.on.ca/childcar/index.htm>. they should be the group that licenses the facilities; the facilities have to post their license. also, if you're keen have a look at the day nurseries act <http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/900262_e.htm> because that governs day nurseries and private-home day care agencies and details the educational requirements for people at the facilities. i'd certainly expect to find ECEs at the facilities and that they have scheduled programming and scheduled meals. depending ont he structure of the facilities management, you could talk to people on the board. paintin' place is a co-op so parents comprise the board.

i'm sure you and the re will find a routine and care that works. mind you, as KG notes, some of the drop offs will be hard. several times i've been handed that kids-are-machiavelian-and-out-to-get-you explanation: no matter how many times i'm told that, it's usually non by the primary care giver. they'll be hard and after a while it'll be just for show, but who's show? maybe it's just a way for the barely speaking to express feelinng that can't compose in speach. you child misses or will miss you: but it doesn't mean that they won't have a good time at day care. aurora's always been in a good mood at pick-up time. even when it was her first month of care.

KG's also right that part-time care is harder to find that full-time care. but, after watching aurora and four kids others start part-time in the toddler room (16-30 mo) i think the ECEs are right when they told us that it takes longer for part-time kids to adjust to the day care routine than full-time kids.

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