@ randoms 2/19

[bk1]

For those with kids in preschool - how many hours/days are your kids in school? What do you do while they are in school? I want to enroll G in preschool for the fall (maybe this summer depending on program) but I am overwhelmed with what program to choose. 

[estrellita]

My answer probably isn't that helpful, but E's daycare has a preschool program so he's there every day from about 8-5:30 right now (based on H's hours, might change a bit when I go back to work). Since I'm on mat leave still, I basically just take care of A and do stuff around the house while he's gone! Or binge watch shows on Netflix.. Lol.

[estrellita]

My little boy is 3! Don't tell him I called him little, lol. He was pretty good and excited this morning but had a minor freak out because he wanted to stay home and play with his new toys, lol. We let him take one in the car and promised he could play with them tonight. I thought about keeping him home but I wanted him to have his day with his friends at daycare, especially since there are 2 more birthdays this week. I love that he seems to understand his birthday this year!

[tacocat]

estrellita Happy Birthday to E! I can't believe how quickly they're all growing!

bk1 DS1 goes on Tuesday and Thursday. I drop him off at 9:30 and pick him up between 1:30-2:00. At our school you can pick 2, 3, or 4 days. I try to schedule mine and DS2's appointments while he's in school. I'll try to get groceries or do other errands. Sometimes I'll meet H for lunch. When I can get my act together, I try to clean the house a little. It's not as much time as I thought it would be to get a whole lot done.

[bk1]

tacocat That sounds very much like the schedule I'm leaning towards. It's a T/Th 9-2 schedule. I feel like it would be enough time to get something done. It's just one of the longer programs available. I wondered if the 3 hour programs really gave enough time to accomplish anything.

[pooh8402]

E isn't in preschool yet, but he is in full-time daycare that has a preschool program. So he's there ~8am to ~5pm most days. I think they do most of the "school" stuff 9am to like 4pm, with breaks for outside, snacks and lunch, and nap.

[amaranth]

M is in pre-k just Tue/Thur from 8:30-Noon. It is one of the longer programs in our area, short of full day care. Most of the others are only 2 hours.

We do plan to increase him to 3 days next year if his SPD can handle it, and hopefully the following he will then be ready for 5 day kindergarten. We are already in conversations with his school about this long term transition so that hopefully it is never too overwhelming for him. Fingers crossed...

It's weird having only him in school because I'm not used to spending time alone with S. On Tuesdays we got to a mothers group where she is in childcare of her own. Thursday I either try to do learning activities on her level at home, errands, or a crazy play area that would overwhelm M.

[luv2rn4fun]

bk1- C just started. He goes weds/fri from 8:45-11:30. Definitely not enough time to get much done. L just dropped to one nap (although his night sleep is a disaster because his nap is late, 12:30ish, for how early he wakes up...6-6:30). When he was doing two naps I would drop C off, being L home to nap, clean while he slept, wake him up and walk down to pick c up (it’s 0.75 mile away and they eat lunch in the stroller on the way home). Now, I drop C off, we usually run, make their lunch, play a little, and then do pick up. I am hoping to catch up with a local friend for some runs before they move this summer (her son is in preschool M/W/F during the same time).

estrellita- happy birthday E!!!

amaranth- I have the same feelings when it’s just me and L. Love the time with him but sometimes it’s hard to entertain him one on one too.

I spent a good part of today doing some sewing projects! I made C a reversible beanie and started a sleep sack for him! I also bought fabric to make L a sleep sack (different than C’s) and at least 3 more hats!

[krystee]

J starts preschool at the start of the school year and will go 8-11. Our daycare provider picks the kids up and they finish the day at her house (her assistant stays home with the younger kids). They offer a full day program, but they said the "school" part is just the morning. Then the afternoon is lunch, nap, some free play and maybe some coloring. I decided to keep him in daycare instead since he does those same things and he'll get to be with his brother (plus he loves his daycare provider).

He is fully potty trained but hates stopping what he's doing to pee. I reminded him that all big boys need to do that and he looked at me and said in this sweet little voice, "But Mommy, I'm your little boy." It was adorable. But I still made him pee.

He is sooooo excited for his birthday party next month! We just picked a dinosaur theme (Three-Rex) and it's at a bowling alley.

[awick14]

estrellita- happy birthday to E!

Dh and I are starting to talk about having a second kid. 😳 We wouldn’t start trying until closer to the summer/fall. (I don’t really want another holiday baby, lol.)

But at the same time I have no idea how a second kid would work into our routine. Dh is struggling to find a job that works within daycares hours as he would have to do drop off and pick up. He does not want to be a stay at home dad, so I have no idea how this would work.

[bk1]

Thanks for the feedback!

I want G in preschool but also want to keep our library activity days clear. I'm thinking with a t/th program I might be able to use Tuesday as a running errands day and sometimes drop C off at my mom's or have MIL watch her so I can have some alone time and use Thursday as one on one time with C. This program also has a summer program I need to look into. I know it will be good for G but I'm nervous about sending her since it is new.

[luv2rn4fun]

Feb 21, 2018 8:25:27 GMT -5 bk1 said:

Thanks for the feedback!

I want G in preschool but also want to keep our library activity days clear. I'm thinking with a t/th program I might be able to use Tuesday as a running errands day and sometimes drop C off at my mom's or have MIL watch her so I can have some alone time and use Thursday as one on one time with C. This program also has a summer program I need to look into. I know it will be good for G but I'm nervous about sending her since it is new.

I had the same feelings. It still is hard sending C because he’s so young (and he will be in preschool for 2.5 years) but it really has been great for him and he loves it! That makes it so much easier. It hasn’t made my life any easier...in some ways it feels harder on school days because it’s just not enough time (I could drop him off at 8 and/or have him stay til 12:45, each segment is an additional $8...but I haven’t wanted to do that yet). G will do great and it will be nice for her to have something that is just for her!

[luv2rn4fun]

bk1 suzv- what are C and J’s sleeping schedules like? I am trying to drop L to one nap (he’s almost 17 months old) but so far it hasn’t been great. He naps well (2-3 hours) but he is up a lot more at night (8:20, 12:45, 2:30, 3:30, 6, up for the day at 6:30). Usually up at least 3x. Not sure if it’s his nap transition or being sick because it’s all at the same time. But he seems ok during the day. I can’t let him cry too much because then he gets his wheeze. The first two he goes back to sleep ok but somewhere around 2:30/3 he keeps waking up screaming...seems like he wants to eat much earlier than before.

[bk1]

luv2rn4fun Yeah the school hang up is totally me. G is super excited to start school. As far as C's schedule - we do bath time then take both girls to G's room to read books by 7:30. 3 books and then I tell G goodnight and DH finishes getting her to bed while I take C to her room, nurse her, and usually have her to sleep in 10-ish minutes. She sleeps until around 7:30am. Naps vary for us. I put her down after lunch. I aim for between 12-12:30 but sometimes it's closer to 1. She will nap anywhere from 1-2 hours usually, once in a while longer. She has never been a great napper. She went to 1 nap at 8 months. G would take 3 hour naps at that age most days.

suzv That is such a hard situation because it is different for everyone. I appreciated a "thinking of you" gesture but I know that isn't what everyone wants.

[Deleted]

awick14: Can you find someone to do in between care? My parents both worked so I had various before & after school caregivers. Depending on how long you would need care for, I imagine you could get a reasonable price.

[Deleted]

A public health nurse recommended putting a large shirt over C's crib mattress that smells like us to help her sleep at night. C associates DH with sleep and was a terrible napper for me yesterday so I took his shirt out of the hamper and put it on her mattress before her morning nap. Either she's a better napper today or it worked. We shall see with time!

[luv2rn4fun]

awick14- what about a nanny? I can imagine it’s hard to find care if you don’t work standard hours (or have two spouses with staggered schedules). I know my friends and family whose spouse work similar schedules as yours either have a lot of family help or a SAH parent. Not helpful, I know 🙁. But if you were to have two in daycare I would think a nanny wouldn’t be too much more??? Hopefully better than your DH having to stay home.

bk1 suzv- thanks ladies. I don’t know what L’s deal is. He’s a much better napper than night sleep. I would prefer it to be reversed at this point. He naps well on one nap but his night sleep is horrible (even worse than normal). No new teeth that I can see (all canines and molars are through). I tried two naps today and had to wake him after an hour this morning and he is taking a decent second nap so far. I am going to try Motrin tonight and see if that helps. He hasn’t had a decent night of sleep in over two weeks now (and has only STTN completely, like 10-12 hours, a handful of times). Before this he was mostly going 7p-4a.

I finished making another hat today and have a third one cut and ready to be sewn together! Feels good to do something crafty and to use my brain...but also a challenge to do it and also keep up on my other chores that need to get done (I only sew during nap time or after bedtime).

[estrellita]

If I had the same amount of time off as I did with E, I'd be going back to work today. I'm so thankful I have 6 more weeks! Part of me wants to get back into my routine but I'm happy to be home a bit longer

A seems like a happier baby than E was too which is nice. She's really smiley and I love that! E was just really chill and neutral about most things so this is different! I hope she stays this happy when she's E's age, lol.

[luv2rn4fun]

Date night tonight!! I told C that Grandma was coming after bedtime so DH and I could go on a date. He said “so mama and dadda can go play!?” LOL. Yes, so we can go play 😀. Excited for time to ourselves, Pizza, and beer!

Preschool had chapel and a parade today. I forgot about chapel and had plans already so didn’t go. Didn’t know about the parade but saw it since I was there for pickup! So fun!

Went for a run and had coffee with a friend!

We let L cry for an hour last night and he just continues to escalate. I finally caved and nursed him. I don’t think he is ever going to STTN consistently 😂. Such a different kiddo than C sleeping wise...I didn’t realize how lucky we were with him until L was about 6 months old. He has always napped better but never been good at night.

[estrellita]

We're going to a wedding in like an hour and I'm not sure what to do with A.. leave her in the car seat? Carrier? Obviously we'll take her out and hold her at some point and not just leave her in the car seat all night, but I don't want to hold her the whole time, lol. I'm thinking we'll leave her in the car seat for the ceremony and hope she just sleeps. We didn't bring E to a wedding until he was almost 18 months so this is new! We're also supposed to get a big snow storm and it just started snowing.. yay..

[bk1]

Feb 24, 2018 16:25:42 GMT -5 estrellita said:

We're going to a wedding in like an hour and I'm not sure what to do with A.. leave her in the car seat? Carrier? Obviously we'll take her out and hold her at some point and not just leave her in the car seat all night, but I don't want to hold her the whole time, lol. I'm thinking we'll leave her in the car seat for the ceremony and hope she just sleeps. We didn't bring E to a wedding until he was almost 18 months so this is new! We're also supposed to get a big snow storm and it just started snowing.. yay..

Hope it goes well. When G was 2 months we took her to a wedding. I snapped her car seat into her stroller and took that. We just sat by a wall so I could park the stroller.

[estrellita]

The wedding went well! We had A in her car seat most of the time because they brought out one of those sling things for it. Everyone just loved her and especially loved that she has the same name as the bride, lol. She was smiling at everyone! E was such a different kid last night than he's been at weddings before. He did NOT want to leave that dance floor! He also wanted to dance by himself. I danced with him a couple times and then he'd tell me he didn't want to dance with me and I could go sit down. Lol. He was so sad when we left but he was exhausted. He could barely form words anymore, lol.

Also the snow made the roads crappy but we were ok. Just took longer and we had to make sure we didn't stop on the back road we took so we didn't get stuck. H had to shovel our way IN to the garage though, lol. I told him I'd help with more shoveling today but my throat is suddenly on fire. Hopefully it's nothing!

[awick14]

Sorry for the late reply.

@opal- we have no family here so we would have to figure it out. I would have to get a third car seat for whoever is watching her. Unless they live close to our current daycare provider. (I’m not comfortable with someone else putting her in and out of her care seat either)

luv2rn4fun- a nanny would be a good option but not something we can afford right now. (As it would double our daycare costs, and We are not sure about how we would like a nanny as we love that dd is socializing with others at daycare, and we would like to have her continue in her current place if possible.)

We would be able to afford a nanny if we got rid of my car payment. (Which will hopefully happen before #2 comes along.)

[Deleted]

awick14: I hadn't thought about the driving. It's too bad daycares don't always have extended hours for parents who don't work 9-5.

[luv2rn4fun]

awick14- if it makes you feel any better, I have met a ton on nannies at our local parks. They don’t like just staying at home. Always easier to have kids playing outside than being home.

Would an in home offer more flexible hours?

I hope you guys figure out a solution that works!