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try looking up playgroups in your area on meetup.com,
lookup any free programs for kids in your area or recreation centers
or go to places that are for kids... for example here in tampa there are 3 such area that relatively cheap... playpatch, kidz club and kidz city.. for like $100 all your kids can go to play for 10 visits...no expiration at some places |
| posted by roxanne on 09/17/2008 03:56 PM
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| Having worked in a daycare for 3 years, I would recommend you avoid them at all cost! |
| posted by KT on 09/17/2008 04:03 PM
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| I have asked the same question and the answers that I have gotten, even from peditricians, was there is no disadvantage of a child staying home with thier mom with little outside interaction with other children. Iv'e been told that kids don't even start really playing together until they are 3 or older. I have my son in a program close to the town I live in and its one day a week for two hours, I have met other moms this way and set up occasional play dates. My son spends the majority of his time with me and I now think that is the best thing for him and me. I have taught him things that he wouldn't have learned at a daycare, not because they wouldn't have taught it but because he wouldln't have gotten the one on one time like he does with me at home. He is 2 1/2 and knows many things for example beyond his primary colors, he can count to 10 he knows his alphabet and can call them out and tell me an animal that the letter starts with, he knows his basic shapes, he is pre-readaing etc. Not to say there aren't kids who do go to daycare that don't know these things as well, I'm sure there are. But there are a lot that don't etiher. I have come into contact even with kids that stay at home with their moms and still don't know any of these things, So it's all about what you as a parent thinks is important. It's not always about learning either we get a lot of quality time and he would be a different kid I think had he been in a daycare. They have there whole lives to develop social skills, I don't think at such a young age it will effect them that much in socialization. |
| posted by amy on 09/17/2008 04:33 PM
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| I'm a mom of 3 with another on the way. I have stayed home with all of my children. My 7 year old daughter is a social butterfly! All of my children are very well socialized. But I was worried about the same thing when my oldest was younger. We joined a playgroup in the VA area when we lived there. I met up with other moms and kids 2 or 3 times a week. She made great friends and so did I. Now we live in a neighborhood with lots of kids so they are very well socialized! Good luck to you and I'm sure your children will have many social skills! |
| posted by christina on 09/17/2008 04:50 PM
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| I have a daughter who is 8yrs old and a son that is 2 1/2 yrs old and I stayed at home with both of them. Daughter is a social butterfly. My son is just now trying to play with other kids, though so don't really know about him yet. Though, I wouldn't have had it any other way! Plus, you don't have to worry about them getting sick all the time!!! Stay home you will be just fine, and so will the kids!! |
| posted by Suzanne on 09/17/2008 05:36 PM
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| Amy, thanks for the explanation. I have the same thinking like you do. It is the people out there that make us feel fearful if we dont put our young children to day care. Some parents put their children to day care because they have no choice. There is no one to take care of their children and primarily because they cannot go on single income. Therefore, mother has to go back to work. |
| posted by Jane on 09/17/2008 08:54 PM
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| where are you located. I have been having the same issue here in Tenn. We just moved here and I am going a little star crazy. Back in Indiana my girlfriends and I started a moms group. We would have several playdates a month. Some could come others could not. We would have lunch dates at some of the kid friendly places. That way it would give us a chance to chat. WE would also once a month try and set up a Girls Night OUt and then every other month make it a Family Night out with the hubbies. |
| posted by Lisa on 09/17/2008 09:35 PM
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| I just wanted to share the program I am in , I think it is also available in most other states but not sure. Mine is called OPAT or Oklahoma Parents As Teachers. Depending on what state your in it would be Your state name..Parents As Teachers. Call you local school district like maybe the superintendents office and ask them if this program or one like it is available. It is basically a pre pre-school program. Children from newborn to 3 go to what she calls playday once a week and the parents and kids play and interact together, and she has tons of toys and learning toys. When they turn three they go to her (the teachers) Terrific Tuesday class. It is for 3 to 4 year olds and they do preschool lessons and activities and the parent leaves the chlild there. It is for two hours a week. It is a great program. My son is 2 and 1/2 and looks forward every week to going and has made some really good friends as have I. Another part of the program is the teacher does visits to your house once a month. She brings lessons or activities for the age of your child to measure what skills he can do and answers any questions you might have. She also tells you neat inexpensive ways for your child to master skills or learn new things. She is also sort of a resource person and if she doesn't know the answer she finds it out and a lot of the times has a book on the subject and lets a person borrow. For example we were having a really hard time with discipline, we don't like to spank so we were kind of like what do we do because time outs aren't working she let me borrow a great book and that is the what we use now as a method, (what we learned from the book) and it has worked out great for my son and us. Best of luck. |
| posted by amy on 09/18/2008 07:48 AM
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| Well I'm in the same type of situation you're in except my oldest started school last year. I would never suggest that you put your kids in day care with all the bad things I hear about them on the news. Plus they'll start school soon enough and have all the kid interaction they need. But I do agree with taking them to the park and zoos and even to McDonalds every once in a while to the play area there, there are usuall quite a few kids there. But they're not in any danger not getting much interaction with other kids they should be learning social skills just from being with each other and you. Good luck. |
| posted by Kara on 09/18/2008 10:07 AM
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| I thank God that my twins are very socialable without attending the day care centre. Whenever I bring them out for outing, like visitation to friends and relatives' house, to the play ground or sunday school in church, they are the one who break the ice. My husband strongly objected me from putting my children to the day care centre. He said mother is still the best person to take care of their own precious children. In terms of social skill, studies, physical and spiritual needs. |
| posted by Jane on 09/18/2008 08:38 PM
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| I have heard really bad thing about daycare. I have heard that they make your kids behave more badly. While at home they can have better one on one interaction. |
| posted by sheri on 09/19/2008 12:18 PM
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| HI, I was wondering the same thing,so I got a job 2 days/wk. My son is 15 months old & had never been sick one day in his 1st 13 months... In the 1st 3 1/2 weeks at daycare-my son got a double ear infection, pink eye, another ear infection and had a SEIZURE from the fever... I realize some people"have" to work & I totally respect that- but we were doing it for extra $ w/ the main purpose being that it would provide socialization for my son (& adults for me :) I quit my job right after the seizure. I have had 2 Dr's say that my quitting was a wise choice. I can still have him play with others (without being in a room w/ 10 kids for 9 hours). |
| posted by Sandi on 09/21/2008 10:14 PM
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| instead of daycare, how about finding a MOPs or MOMs group? i made a TON of close friends that way and so have my sons. they are now both in pre-school doing well. |
| posted by Christina on 09/22/2008 06:47 AM
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| Thanks so much for everyone's response! I am in Orlando Fl. if anyone knows of any play groups in the area please let me know! |
| posted by Felicity on 09/22/2008 03:42 PM
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