I have an 18-month old son who goes to a great daycare center in Ballantyne. We are talking about having #2 but at this point, I would still need to work full-time for financial reasons. I am nervous about putting two in daycare and welcome any tips or advice. All of my working mom friends ended up quitting when #2 arrived (because of the expense) so I cannot ask their advice. I love our daycare - my son has thrived there and has a great disposition. My concerns are more logistical with getting two up and ready for school, etc. My husband is helpful but we all know who does the majority of the work. ;) Thanks for the help! :)
It is tough. I hired a nanny to help with the transportation issues and it is working out great. With a second in daycare, they normally provide some sort of discount. Infants are generally the most expensive however. You may also consider working part-time if you could or hiring another "mom" to take care of your children. Also, you might wantto look into "sharing" a nanny.
I have 2 boys and still work full time. Granted, I am a single mom so there was no choice. (have been since before the 2nd one was born). The hardest part was paying double! They are now 3 and just turned 5 yrs old (they are 16 mos apart) and have done very well in daycare. To help with logistics, I get their outfits out the night before and when they were babies had their bottles/food all set as well. The routine will become easier with time. I think the hardest part is when you arrive at the daycare. Carrying them both in can be a little difficult but you will get used to it.
go to www.enannysource.com
for 100.00 you can put in all your needs, pay someone 300.00 per week to come to YOUR HOME and take care of your kids and do cleaning!!!
i did that, and its a dream.
i wouldnt do it any other way!
baby stays at home, same environment and goes for a walk with the nanny daily, and she really likes her. also shows her mommy will always come home!
Needing to work to make ends meet is reason enough to stay in the workforce. Plus it can be enriching for you to be out there as well. You already state that you love the daycare your son attends, so it should not be too much of a stretch to add another child to the mix. Yes, it will be much harder to manage the morning routine in order to get everyone ready and out the door, but if you have managed with one, which it sounds like you have, you will be able to do the same with a second child. I say as long as you earn more than you are paying out to day care, it is great for the children to spend time with other children. I know when my daughter was growing up I struggled with feeling like I would miss out on things if she were cared for by others, but as a single mom necessity meant I had to work. You are fortunate to have a husband that can lend a hand. I say utilize this resource, and make it work. How wonderful to be in the situation of having a great daycare already and comptemplating adding another angel to your household. There are always reasons not to do something, but there are just as many reasons to go ahead and give it a try. I say "go for it." In the meantime, bring your daycare a bouquet of flowers to show how special you feel about them. Good Luck!
I'm actually on here as an experienced Mom and I'm a 49 year old grandma of four boys under 10. I raised two daughters mostly on my own as I was divorced and had two in daycare - my girls are 5 years apart. Anyway, I think what you need to do is first be thankful you have your husband to share, and also sit down with your husband one night after the kids are in bed and figure out a plan - even if you have to put it on paper. Plan as much as you can the night before, such as lunches packed ahead of time, if you have to pack lunches, absolutely pack the backpacks for each child the night before. My one daughter bought cereal bowls that have a lid and so she gets the cereal ready, in the bowls, the night before so all she needs to do is remove the lid, pour the milk and either feed them or let them eat themselves. If you allow them and if it works for them to eat in front of the TV, get that DVD ready the night before, if there are no cartoons on at that hour. Get the clothes laid out the night before for EVERYONE, including YOU. Preparation and planning is the KEY, believe me - I been there. Your husband and you can take turns at picking out the clothes for the children and also getting the cereal ready and in the bowls with the lids. Communication and preparation. Hope it helps.
S.
