We’ve had a few different experiences with childcare over the years. Finding people that you trust your precious little ones with is no small task. In some areas there are waitlists for months!
I did NOT know that when we were pregnant with Ted. So we were right up to the wire trying to find a place. We looked into a local daycare center, but it smelled of mothballs and we were not impressed. So we reached out on Front Porch Forum (a local message board email list) for anyone who could recommend a trusted facility. (Local recommendations are KEY to finding a good place.) The owner/operator of a soon-to-open in-home play school reached out to us, and we went to check it out.
We arrived at the walkout basement that was the daycare area of the house, and we’re greeted by big windowed doors and wagging tails. We immediately felt at home & the more we talked with Ms. Jessie, the more comfortable we felt. Ted started at 4 months old, and continued there until we moved in October 2020. I can’t tell you how many times over the last year I wish we could have brought them with us, or not moved so that he could stay there.
When we moved to Houston, it took a few months before we were looking for a preschool program for Ted. After reaching out to friends/family the programs they recommended weren’t accepting new students until the new school year. That wasn’t going work for us (it was February). So I reached out to other programs and private schools to find some that did have openings.
When I toured the schools the questions that I asked were mainly focused around developmental and emotional expectations. We had a lot of big changes that year (COVID, little brother, moving, deployment) and I wanted to be sure that the environment I was sending my child to was aware of the potential causes of big emotions. Both schools were understanding and had programs that allowed for free play and physical movement.
The deciding factor for me was their approaches to potty training. Potty training is a huge step and brings its own challenges. I am a huge proponent of picking your battles, and forcing potty training is a battle I didn’t want to fight. So I went with the program with a ‘follow the child’ policy for potty training.
As Ted is finishing his time there, and we plan our next move, I am grateful for the care and compassion that they have shown Ted during the hardest year of all of our lives.
My biggest advice is trust your gut. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Living in Plaid 