Child care

About a month ago, I went driving around Mudgeeraba looking for a C&K child care centre that I knew was around there somewhere, with the intention of speaking to the staff about putting Jimmy into daycare next year for a couple of days a week.

For some reason, the centre wasn't on the street that the website said it was. On my way back home, I spotted a Montessori one and thought, "What the heck? I may as well have a look". I emerged 45 mintues later, not only having decided that this was the centre for us, but that I would like to send Jimmy right now, and not next year as I'd originally planned.

The staff were fantastic, and watching them interact with the children was really interesting. It was great to observe the children being responsible for everything from washing their own cup (even the tiny toddlers) to putting their 'work' back to where they got it from.

Over the next couple of weeks, Jimmy and I visited 3 times. The first time, we stayed for about 40 minutes. He had some play time outside and as is his way, he did his own thing and didn't really pay any attention to the other children. Then it was time for morning tea. He finished his before everybody else and then decided it was time to get off his chair. The teacher told him that he needed to sit at the table until his friends had finished and he wasn't too happy about that! Afterwards, the teacher showed him how to wash his cup, which he enjoyed. Then it was 'circle time'- sitting in a circle and singing songs, talking about colours, numbers, etc.

The second time he was in a bit of a funny mood. I stayed outside with him for a while then went inside and watched him from behind the glass door. I thought things were going great until he looked up and realised I wasn't with him...the next thing I knew, a red, distressed face was pressed up against the door, crying, "Want a mummy cuddlllllllllle!" :( That was the end of that visit.

The third time, I set him up with an activity outside and told the teacher I was going nextdoor to Aldi. I gave Jimmy a kiss and he started crying as soon as I walked away. The teacher picked him up and walked around with him. As I walked to Aldi, I looked through the fence and saw he was still in her arms. I came back ten minutes later and he was sitting in the lap of another teacher, sobbing "Mummy, I want mummy." I ran to him and scooped him up and hugged him so hard.

The week after that I had planned to go for another visit, but suddenly I decided that neither he nor I are ready for this. Everyone has been telling me, "Oh, they all cry, but they get used to it." Well, I'm not ready to 'force' him to get used to it. In my opinion, he is too little and too attached to his mummy. I don't NEED to send him. I only wanted to send him because Elizabeth takes up so much of my time and I feel really bad that Jimmy has to just bum around watching TV or playing on his own for most of the day. Thankfully, E seems to be getting less needy, and I've been making an effort to go to playdates and take Jimmy oustide at least twice a day.

In a couple of months, we will go back to the centre and have a few more visits and then see what happens.