Centre care or Home daycare?

[Spixie33]

My story was almost the same as Sunnydays.

I told myself even before we conceived that my child would go to a daycare centre where there would be multiple sets of eyes on our child. I maintained that opinion all the way through my pregnancy and after his birth.

I was 110% sure that was what I would do and the only way our child would be safe and not abused in any way etc.

Then we went to the centre when my son was around 9 months old and I was getting ready to go back to work. We researched centres and went to see the best that came with high reviews and looked modern and nice.

Well....the infant room was a basic line up of exersaucers, high chairs and play pens. It seemed cold and like the child would be moved from one to the other. It was a room about the size of a large living room.

Then we were told that each age has its own room so there were rooms for the 2 year olds, 3 year olds etc....and each year the child would just move from one room to the other like an assembly.

It seemed totally like pigs in a pen just moving around.

They did get some time in a larger gym-type room once a day as well as outdoor time but the majority of the time they would be confined to 1 room.

It didn't sound good or look good no matter how modern it was, clean and supervised.

I left and was in tears in the car thinking I couldn't do this to my child but what alternative did I have? I really did not trust a stranger at home daycare to look after my child.

So I talked to anyone and everyone - lots of other moms and asked for what worked for them.

Someone recommended wee watch was a godo compromise between home and centre care because it was licensed and supervised and we went and met 4 of these providers. We did not get a good feeling from any of that either.

Now I was feeling like I was really hopeless and went on some home daycare providers. I read some reviews, looked at their pictures and found an ad that just really spoke to me and contacted the lady and we met.

It was a great fit for our family. In the end I was sooooooo positive I would never use home care but it was what worked for my family and I was so wrong about it.

I ended up using two different home daycares while I needed daycare for my kids and until I eventually opened up my own. Both were great women and I always keep them in mind and try to live up to the care they give my kids and how they were in dealing with their own daycares.

Parents might have their mind set on a centre just like I did and then realize it is too cold.

I can see why those parents would change their mind I would never recommend centre care personally after what I saw/felt touring the places I am sure they are great at what they do but it would not be my choice for sure