WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I'm having some mommy guilt and wanted to hear feedback from some other parents about my situation. DD is 3 and very strong-willed, as I think many kids of that age are. Mornings have gotten increasingly rough, as she wants to sleep in later. We've tried pushing her bedtime up earlier with little to no luck. In the mornings, she's not a "get up and go" kid. Once we wake her up, she likes to sit on the couch for 20-25 minutes and watch something on TV while eating a light snack (fruit, yogurt, mini muffins). After that, she comes back up to get dressed, have her hair done, brush teeth, etc. That process alone is cumbersome and time consuming. She doesn't want to wear the outfit that was picked out, she wants to read a book, she takes out all her Disney stuffed animals to rearrange them, etc. Over the summer, I can deal with this as I'm a teacher and she goes to camp part-time. It doesn't really matter what time I drop her off there because I'm not on a schedule.

I'm trying to plan ahead for the start of the upcoming school year and just envisioning serious issues with getting out of the house in the morning. During the school year, she goes to daycare full time, at a facility about 10 minutes from our house. I teach high school, and while I've been super fortunate the last 2 years in not having a first period class, I teach first period this year so have absolutely no wiggle room in terms of time. My commute is about 30-35 minutes on a good day with no traffics/accidents/etc but as we all know, the LIE is unpredictable. DD would have to be woken up around 6AM to make it work, and even that might be cutting it close depending on her level of cooperation that morning. While DH wants to help in any way he can, the reality is that he can't as he commutes into the city and is usually on a 6:15AM train. So, this has lead me to tossing around the idea of hiring someone in the mornings to come to my house to get DD ready. I'm thinking of having the person from 6:45-8:15AM, 5 days a week, on a teacher's schedule, so no holidays, vacations, snow-days, etc. I'd leave with DD still sleeping, and the person we hire would wake her up, let her chill a bit, get her dressed, and drive her to her daycare to drop off. Money wise we can definitely make it work, although it is money that could be spent towards paying down a credit card or putting more towards our mortgage, but its not a forever situation and it's possible. I'm having mommy guilt about not dropping her off at daycare, and then of course, she's at daycare 9 hours a day. I will continue to pick her up in the afternoons. WWYD? Hire someone in the mornings? Suck it up and try to make it work on your own? I just hate the idea of rushing every single morning, cutting it close in terms of time, and getting to work frustrated and stressed. If you've read this entire post, thanks! I know it was super lengthy.

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I have someone that comes to the house in the am. She also gets him off the bus for an hour in the pm. We tried before/after care and because my son is ASD, it just did not work. This is a game changer. I have no stress in the am. She comes and takes care of everything. She is also my backup on days when he is sick and can not go to school. She just picked him up due to a phone call from the school. Game changer. Life is so much easier not having the added stress in the am. Happy Mommy, Happy Family.

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I understand where you’re coming from but you have to do what you have to do. It’s only when school is in session and being you’re a teacher, you pick her up earlier than the children of non-teachers are picked up.

The alternative would be to run a tight ship in the morning and only allow time to get ready and get out the door, which may be torture in the beginning but she will eventually adjust.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

If you can afford it and its going to make things a lot easier I see no reason to not do this if you can find someone.

The only thing you need to consider is if the morning person is sick or can't work one day for any reason will you be able to drop your DD off at daycare early if need be?

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I would let her pick out her own outfits (maybe the night before if possible), and eat breakfast at daycare.
Maybe try to cut out TV in the morning or use it as a reward if she’s gotten dressed, and do her hair and brush teeth while watching a short show.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

If you can swing it, I'd hire someone for the morning help. It would make things less stressful for everyone.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

Hire someone in the morning! Don't feel guilty at all. You're letting your daughter rest!

My children were in daycare from 7am-6:30pm. My DS complained that the days were so long - and they were! So this year we hired a babysitter to pick the kids up at 4pm a few days a week. She brings them home, gives them dinner, and plays with them until one of us can get home. It was a total game changer! My kids are still tired (we wake them at 6:25am to be out the door by 6:45am) but they are able to relax at home a bit. Plus, I don't have to come home and cook 2 dinners...since the kids never eat what we eat! It's worth every single penny.

Next month DS starts Kindergarten but we're still keeping our babysitter 3 days a week. You do what works best for you!

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I would hire someone for the morning. 6 am is so early for a 3 year old to have to get up and rush out the door. I wake my 3 year old up at 7:30 to get ready for daycare and I even feel bad about that. And I hate rushing in the morning. It's just so stressful and I have lost my temper when he is dragging and I can't be late for work.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

If I could swing it, I would. I'm not a morning person either so one less thing to do in the AM would be glorious!

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I would do it. We used to have the same issue. DH and I were out the door super early and mornings were a nightmare. I worked an hour away so I would have DS at my mom’s at 7:15 AM. We didn’t hire someone, but I wound up accepting a position at a school district with half the commute time and a later start time. That one hour made all the difference in having a better morning.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM

Do it, for sure. I know some mornings when I have to bring DD to school, and then bring myself to work, I am a nut! Stressed, rushing, yelling at her to go go go - we're going to be late, etc...It's a nightmare. I'd feel ok with doing it, knowing that my kid will be ready for the school day without all my added stress on her.

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

If you could afford it then I would hire someone to come in the morning. It will make everyone's life happy.

WWYD - Daycare in the AM

I run a tight ship in the morning. My ds gets to wear what I pick. If he throws a tantrum then there are consequences. It’s always been like this in my house otherwise we would have never left.

Re: WWYD - Daycare in the AM