Our little one is turning one next month and I have spent my maternity leave plus the vacation. So now it is time to think about our future and the options we have.
As I have mentioned in one of my previous posts, I don't have a job to go back to. I'm of course keeping my eyes and ears open for new opportunities but at the same time I don't want to rush it because I would like to find something more permanent. A place where I could settle into.
We had to apply for a daycare place from the city already last spring and at that point I didn't know that I would not go back to my old job so we were prepared for both of us working from the start of the August. Back then I went through the options we had which were 1) A full time daycare 2) a part time daycare 20h/week 3) family daycare (always full time) or 4) my parents looking after her.
We decided to go with a part time daycare and my parents helping occasionally for a softer start for her. Family daycare sounded good as well but they only take full-time and we didn't want to give her 8 hour days yet.
At the start of the summer, the manager from our daycare called and told us that we were on a line to get a part time place but there was around 60 kids before us. The city couldn't offer us another part-time option so we ended up getting a full time place from another daycare. During the phone call from the manager I got even more sure about not taking the place we were offered. She basically said not to, because our child is still so small. "If there is any other option available, please take it. I know I'm supposed to talk on behalf of early childhood education but I just can't. She can get the benefits of it a bit later."
At the moment the situation is a bit easier for us since I can stay home with her and my parents are prepared to be with her if I will find a job. But soon though, daycare life will start. For some reason it doesn't feel comfortable for me to put her into a big daycare when she can't even yet express herself and still struggles with the food allergies. How on earth would they have time to consider all of these things with her when there is ten other kids in the group?
No doubt there are tons of benefits in early childhood education but maybe it will be more beneficial to stay in a home environment at least for the first year and half?
What do you think?
Hugs, Momone