Center care; must walk @ 18 month?

I have a little one (she will be 18 months old) who I have had for the last 10 months and took on as a temporary contract until March (when I have a DCB & his baby sister returning from mat. leave for full time care). Parents are concerned as she still is not walking anything beyond a few steps, then crawls (I have seen no development beyond just a few steps in 4 months). The parents are concerned because apparently it is a requirement for her to walk in the 18 month room that she is going into @ the new Daycare center in March. Is this so? I'm just not familiar with center care guidelines at all. She's been home with Mom for the last 3 weeks, I was hoping with the one on one and quiet of home she'd be walking up a storm, but, no change. It's so tough at this stage...you just can't force walking. Really, at this point it is out of my hands; parents have been begging me to keep her on until she's fully walking (nope!).

I find it very rude that they want you to keep her until she's okay to go to the centre. Talk about using someone. Parents dont appreciate that this is where home daycare shines above centres. We dont have hard set rules about the developmental milestones that children have to achieve at specific ages or they cant come. I dont know about many center rules but I suspect that they dont want to be lifting kids. The parent should perhaps be more concerned with why the child isnt walking yet.

I've heard that about centres as well, though it wasn't like that when I was in them many moons ago. I think it's more of a safety issue...not having crawlers in a room with a bunch of exuberant walkers/runners - risk getting stepped on, etc. Also, they want kids to be as autonomous as possible, even as toddlers. I wouldn't keep them on in your shoes. If they wish to move to daycare centre, that's their call, but you have your own business to think about. They want big daycare centre, they get all the not so awesome parts of it too :)

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Originally Posted by gramma

The parent should perhaps be more concerned with why the child isnt walking yet.

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I had suggested they consult a Doctor as well, but beyond that we as daycare providers are pretty powerless. @ 8 months when this little girl came to me she wasn't even sitting up on her own yet (parents admittedly would sit her in exersaucer at home in front of Disney channel for hours because " she loves TV"!!!). So, with a lot of work on trunk control/strength exercises I got her sitting up in no time etc. With time, she will walk well. She is a very bright but naturally very cautious child & very 'solid', which makes it more difficult, I think?

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Originally Posted by cfred

I wouldn't keep them on in your shoes.

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Oh, don't worry, not in a million years;). Child is a dream, but I have had so many issues with these parents...and, with a pick up time of 6pm (all of my others are 4pm), it will be fantastic to have some relief @ dinner/after school time when chaos seems to reign it's ugly head in our house;)

I had a little one (14 months) that would shuffle along on her knees and I just kept standing her up and when she dropped back down again I stood her up .... Didn't take long .... But I have never known a healthy child that didn't walk by 15 months at the latest ..... I would be going to a dr if I was the parent.

My oldest son didn't start walking until 17 months and he was and still is very healthy. We worked with him very day, so did the daycare, he just didn't want to walk. It just depends on the child.

Wow I've never experienced that !!

I have heard that rule before - some centres won't take a child unless they're walking. If it is a private centre, then it's completely their choice.

I don't think it's rude at all, or using someone. Their agreement was to end in March. They both decided on this.

It has to do with the criteria per room. The mom is expecting to not pay the infant rate and to have the child in the toddler room which will be cheaper but yes the child has to be walking to get into that room and there will be guidelines for moving from there to the preschool room. That is pretty standard in any daycare centre.

Most children walk by 16 months but have until 16-18 months before the doctors will even consider assessments. The fact the child is at home would be more reason for her not to walk because that is the expectation there. At daycare you are more likely to push her to progress and she is more likely to accept that she should at least try.

I currently have one in care that is 16 months and only now pulling up to a stand and cruising. His legs still buckle under him when he does. It will be awhile yet before he has the strength to let go. He is a very cautious type child so it takes a long time for him to feel it is ok to try something too. I am keeping a watch on him because he rarely babbles and has absolutely no words other than a few meaningful grunts.