If you would have told me a year ago that I would ever put Arlo into a group child care, I would have said "no, you are crazy, I would quit my job before that ever happened." I don't know what it is I feared so much about it, probably the germs and idea that he would have to eat whatever foods they served. I also was nervous that he wouldn't get the individualized attention that he got at home with a nanny who was there to care for just him. But now that he is over a year old, I can really see the benefits to starting him in this type of program.
We love that at school, Arlo gets to spend lots of time with other boys and girls his age. He loves being around other kids and I know he gets bored when he has to spend a lot of time at home. Even just taking him shopping or out to play in the yard, makes him way happier than trying to entertain him with his indoor toys. As soon as I visited and saw all the toddlers happily playing together, I knew it would be a great fit for our energetic little man. That being said - we certainly will miss Mrs. K. She was an awesome nanny for Arlo these past few months, and he would always smile and go right to her when she arrived. Many evenings when Erik came home from work, Arlo would cling to Mrs. K as if he didn't want her to leave. But now that Arlo is older and more social, putting him in school instead of finding someone else for in-home childcare feels like the right thing to do.
I absolutely love the school that we found for Arlo. Since it is brand new, everything is super clean, the toys are all new and shiny, and the facility has the most up-to-date technology. There are security cameras in every room, outside, and in the parking lot that are monitored throughout the day. The school is not technically considered a Montessori, but it has a similar education-based program. In addition to teaching baby signs, which we are already doing at home, the school also has a Spanish immersion program (although, I am not too worried about him learning another language when he still has yet to really start speaking English, ha!)
Everyday the kids go outside at least once for playtime on the toddler-sized playground equipment, and also spend time playing a huge indoor gymnasium. Their classroom is roomy and filled with lots of age-appropriate toys, little toddler-sized chairs and tables (no high-chairs here!) and low to the ground cots that they take their naps on (no cribs either!) There are no bottles allowed, which I was nervous about at first because Arlo had been used to three bottles of milk a day, but so far he has done quite well drinking his milk out of a sippy cup like the other kids do. There is also no spoon-feeding the toddlers; the teachers let the kids feed themselves however they can, helping with utensils as needed, but not doing everything for them. They read and sing to the kids, do arts & crafts, and have lots of free play time as well. One of the best parts (and reasons that we decided to enroll him here) was the fact that they let us bring in our own food and milk for Arlo. Since we feed him organic, plant-based foods at home, it was important for us to be able to continue this at school. They are also letting us bring in our cloth diapers, which I was really surprised and happy to learn. Disposable diapers and wipes are included in the cost of tuition, however the reasons we choose to use cloth are not just financial, but also for environmental and health, and we are glad they are so accommodating to our request.
So far, Arlo has had three days at school, and with the exception of his third day which was a "fussy day" for him, he has been doing really well. I am not sure what was up the last time he was at school, but it seems to be a new trend these past few days, as he has just not been his usual happy self. He isn't sick and is done with teething for a while (I think) so hopefully he will quickly work through whatever seems to be bothering him lately.
My fear of germs is slowly dissipating, likely because of the cleanliness of the building and strict attention they pay to hand washing and disinfecting the surfaces. That being said, Erik and I agreed that this would be a trial, and if Arlo started to get sick often we would have to reevaluate our plan. I really hope that it works out though, so far we have been extremely happy with his program and feel that he is in a safe and caring environment.
Oh, and one last thing. We are calling it "school" and not "daycare" because the program he is in is much more than just someone taking care of his basic needs. It is an education-based program that seems just as structured as kindergarten, and his teacher has a bachelors degree in early childhood education. Even as early as 12 months old, they start teaching the kids colors, numbers, words, and work on potty training when they show signs of being ready. And we will be attending parent-teacher conferences, so you know, that pretty much makes it official ;) Finally, another plus of calling it such, is that when Arlo does start "pre-school" he will already know what "school" is which should make for an easier transition.
And yes, this backpack is empty. He just loves wearing it :)
