Daycare

Who knew this would be the hardest part about having a baby?  Probably everybody that ever put their kid in daycare, but still, I didn't know.

I always thought I wanted to teach and be a mom.  I felt that it was important to do both.  Now I am confused.

My son was born in September.  I started looking for care in October.  I knew I should I have been looking much earlier, but I truly believed that you could enroll a child after they were born. (And I was kind of in denial about leaving him.)  I quickly learned this is not the case and had many conversations about how "we enroll in the spring for the fall semester.  You can apply in March, but there is already a waiting list."  I started to feel kind of sick over the whole thing.  I kept calling and I kept getting those same responses.  I found a few places that had an opening and I found fewer places that I could afford.  In fact, I found one place that fit our criteria.

My husband took the morning off work and we went to check it out-a commercial daycare that had flexible hours for drop off and pick-up, was in our price range, and less than ten miles from home.  (+3).  The staff members were really nice and some kids hugged me as I made my way through(+2).

The infant room was small(-1), but we were greeted by a kind teacher(+1), who picked up our little man right away and started talking to him (+1). So far, so good.  I asked all the usual questions and got the usual responses.  But I couldn't shake the sadness of leaving my son there (-1), but I think I would have felt that way anywhere I left him.

If you've been keeping score, this daycare came in at a 5.  It might not sound like much, but its a positive number.  And therefore, we paid the fees and little man was enrolled.  I was back to work 2 weeks later.

After a FOREVER (in my Squints voice) day at work, I raced up the highway to meet my kiddo.  I speed-walked through the facility and quick stopped to put on my protective shoe covers just outside of the nursery.  Then, I peaked through the door to find my son on the changing table. His eyes were locked on the face of his teacher above him.  He was talking and smiling as she changed him and she was talking and smiling back at him (+ a million).

Moral of the story?  Other people can love and care for your children, too.  And your children can love and care for them back.  And it is okay.