Wel, my maternity leave is coming to a close and irishbaby will be going to a childminder at the start of February.
She’ll be 7 months then.
I’m wondering what to send with her every day.
Obviously my list includes:
nappies and wipes
food and drink
spare clothes
favourite toy
comfort item
car seat
coat, hat, mittens in cold weather
sunscreen and hat in hot weather
What else should I think about?
Is this to a center with lots of other kids or just one or two others? In either case I don’t think I’d be taking a favorite toy, or any toys at all as I would think they already have them. You’ll risk losing them or just leaving them there when you’re in a hurry.
“comfort item”
Again I’d leave it at home, they will either find something else to latch on to, or someone else may want to latch on to it. Kids love to take things away from one another.
“car seat”
I haven’t a clue as both our kids are in places where they wouldn’t ever need a car seat. You’ll have to ask about that one.
I think the biggest thing you’ll have to worry about is leaving them. More for you then them. They’ll cry and scream and it’ll break your heart, but you just have to leave them. They will get over it. Hell I was just told my oldest didn’t want to go back to school after two weeks off, though I’m sure that 10 minutes later she’s all good.
Assuming it is a daycare with a bunch of other kids, I would also drop car seat, the favorite toy, and the comfort item. I would add in a cream for diaper rash.
She’s going to a registered childminder- that’s someone who looks after kids in their own home (and who has to pass annual inspections and has done a course on childcare, CPR and first aid etc).
Some days it’ll be her, 2 days a week it’ll be her and two others.
The carseat is for trips out in the childminder’s car (obviously that’ll include trips to the supermarket and picking up other kids from nursery school as well as educational and fun excursions) and so that either her dad or I can pick her up (depending on if one of us is runing late from work).
The childminder was the one who suggested it might be a good idea for her to bring her favourite toy and blankie so that she has something that smells familiar and to help settle her for naps.
In that case then it probably will not be as big of a deal with the toys and such. I know in our center there’s 6-9 kids in a room. I know they take stuff from each other all the time, and we’ve lost a few things, some a bit more expensive then we’d like.
Again that’s different as I’ve never heard of anyone doing that here in the states, though I’m sure there are people who do.
Honestly, I can’t think of anything else, though I don’t do much of the drop off for the kids so I don’t really remember all that much. I’m sure if the provider told you those items then that’s pretty much all you need. Though if the little one likes binkies to take a couple, and maybe a sippy cup as I know there is one at the center for our youngest. They are all marked with tape so they don’t get confused. I don’t think we take any more then you have listed so you should be good.
One extra bottle more than you’d normally need. There have been certain occasions in which my day care has accidentally spilled a bottle, or one leaked, and it was good we had that extra.
The daycare our children go to also asks for bibs, and for a towel - sometimes it is easier to wash a filthy bottom than deal with wetwipes!
We also send the pushchair, our youngest naps in it in the mornings.
It might be worth asking whether you need to need to supply plate and eating utensils.
Write her name on everything with a permanent pen! Laundry markers are cheaply available all over, I know Mothercare have them.
And do remember, it is harder on you than them when you say goodbye!
I’d say sunscreen all the time. The sun shines even when it’s not hot out.
Does she get medicine for anything? (Including teething?)
We’re having a sit down with the childminder to discuss medicines and emergecy scenarios next week.
You know- when the childminder can give her calpol without calling me first, when she should call me first to check, and when she just needs to call me full-stop.
Do you have childminders at all in the US?
For us it is ideal- cheaper and more flexible than a daycare, with the advantage of a home environment. Of course, if your childminder is sick or has a family emergency you’re in trouble, but at least one of us could take an unpaid carer’s day if necessary.
This is Ireland- SPF 15 is really not necessary anytime between September and April- and probably for only about 10 days in the summer.
We do have the equivalent of childminders in the US, although I’ve usually heard them called “Home Daycare” or something along those lines. Both of my sisters-in-law ran home daycares for a while. Sometimes it was one or two kids, besides their own. Sometimes it was 5 or so. From what I’ve read, the US version isn’t as strictly policed though.
Daycare is generally regulated by the state, so it depends where in the US you live. I know the home daycare provider we used (and were very happy with) for 8 years/3 kids got written up once for having one extra child present during an unannounced inspection, because her assistant was late that day.