Daycare Priority: Lowest Baby to Caregiver Ratio, or Less Time in Daycare?

M.,

I worked in a daycare for a little while and in the state of Washington, licensed and accredited daycare facilities may not have more than a 1:4 ratio for infants one year and younger.

As a parent of a 5 year old and a 19 month old I would be concerned that my 8 month old would be in the same room(s) as older children. The younger set really needs to be protected from the walkers and those that are more mobile. They also need more attention than older kids.

I would go with the daycare that is closer to work, it sounds like a safer environment than the one that is closer to home.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

Hi M. - It is so hard to leave your little ones in the care of someone else!
As I read through your request I immediately thought it would be a better choice to leave your son is the first one. It has a seperate area for babies, which is great when they are learning how to walk (older kids aren't plowing over them) and it keeps some of the older kids out of the young kids faces. It would be good for your son to be with more kids that are his own age( or closer to it). AND..you do not want to have two daycare workers for 12 kids! THAT'S CRAZY!!
If your son is having a hard time, which he may when he first starts daycare, you will want him to be able to be cuddled and loved. If there are too many kids, they may not be able to soothe him as he needs to be. Less kids means less noise. Nap times.
The time in the car is really not that big of a deal, I think. It will give you time to talk with him on the way home (granted he wont talk back, but he'll get to hear your voice!) and time for you to decompress before you get home and it's time to get dinner, bathe, laundry, clean up...
I would choose the one a bit farther, but with less kids. That one sounded better to me. BUT, if it's kindercare, I would say NO NO NO NO NO! But that's just me!
Good Luck mama...it's hard
L.
Mama of two boys (3 and 6) and personal nanny of one girl(2)

Hi M.,

As a former daycare provider, I would strongly suggest the daycare with the lower ratio. The lower infant/provider ratio means there is more interaction, and less chance of things going wrong. Also, while it may mean a longer car trip for your little one, it does mean that he is with you during that time. It's a definite advantage that he is so close to you during the day...by taking time to see him over your lunch hour strengthens the bond you have with him.

Hope this help.

I like the protective environment of a "babies only" facility. Much calmer space and babies are more likely to be interacted with regularly, not just when they cry. Also, if you are able to continue breastfeeeding, your baby will probably be less likely to catch colds/virus/illness which translates into mom or dad not working. I vote for the first option.

As a mom of one and a nanny/caregiver for years I would say if you HAVE to do daycare go with the first choice. Daycare is hard enough on kids. Plus, it is SO much safer for babies to be separated from older kids. At least in a daycare environment where there are so many older kids running around. Have you considered a nanny at all? It sounds like if you had in home care you would only need 6 hours a day instead of 8 1/2. Maybe you can take that extra money you would spend in daycare and hire a nanny instead. The great thing about having a nanny is that you're child gets more focused attention. Even in a 1:4 ratio in the best centers, things still get crazy at times. My mother and sister both work at a very high end daycare (my sister teaches preschool and my mother is a program coordinator) and even in their super nice center with a 1:4 baby ratio there are times when babies are just left to cry because one person only has two arms and thats just not enough to tend to four babies. I don't mean to make this any harder on you then it already is but it's something you should think about. If you want to check out some local nannies there is a great website called enannysource.com you can search specifically to your needs. And if your worried about your son having other children to interact with there are lots of nannies who bring their child/children with them. I'm nanny for a baby about your sons age and i bring my one year old with me. They're a little far apart in age but they still interact. My son loves to put on a show for the wee one and she loves to watch. They share and laugh and enjoy being around each other. Another plus is a lot of times nannies who bring their child don't charge quite as much. The best of luck to you!!

I had a dilemma of the same sorts. We narrowed down our choice between two day cares. Both were excellent. We went with the one which we felt the more personal connection with. If both places are really a tie for you, revisit how you felt when you met the care givers. It's more important that you feel comfortable with the person spending hours with your son.
K.