Ethan started daycare today!!

[ethansmom]

This is a little OT, but I just had to mention that today is Ethan's first day of daycare...EVER...our e-Bay business is doing well enough that we decided to put in in daycare 3 days per week (only M-W-F from 8-12:30). I will also be starting school again next month and time/stress was becoming a big issue around here. I am excited to feel like a working person, even though I am at home, but I miss him.... I hope he is having fun- I snuck out when they went outside to play, and peeked out the window for a minute- he forgot all about me, lol!!!

[Ling]

Jess, I am so proud of you. I bet Ethan is as happy as can be. Independence is the best thing we can teach our children. Good luck with the silence around the house. Enjoy your new found freedom, you deserve it. The time you now spend together will be quality time with Ethan. I bet you two will even appreciate each other more now. Good luck with all the emotions I am sure you will be feeling. Remember we are all but a keyboard apart. Hope you feel a little better.

Love to you.

[MightyMouse]

Jess, it's always harder on the parents! I can't tell you how many moms and dads used to stand in the hallway crying when the dropped their kids off for the first day of preschool. We had one way glass in all our classrooms and they'd stand there watching their little ones having a fine time.

Try to enjoy the time you have to yourself. Ethan will be learning all sorts of great social skills Nina

[Ernie]

Hi Jessica,

I am proud of you. It's another step to get your life back. Ethan will learn new things and make friends. I am sure that as the days go by you will slowly find it less difficult.

Ernie

[geneva]

Oh, Jessica, I know this is a big step...for YOU! Ethan is at the perfect age to enhance his social skills and will probably love being with other kids. Just remember he will also probably "share" all the germs from his new friends (LOL)!

You are smart to get him adjusted to day care before you start school. good luck to both of you.

[ethansmom]

Oh I know- I am sooo worried that he is going to be sick a lot! Because he has never had anything but an ear infection, and I'd hate for us to start passing stuff around the house all the time (me and my immune system, yikes!!!).

I think I'll wash his and my hands as soon as I pick him up each day...it's all I can do!! This particular daycare is very picky, though- they change diapers standing up to prevent changing table germ transfer, and they use gloves and wash hands after each diaper change. They also teach the kids not to put toys in their mouth, and if they do then they wash it before they give it back to another kid. Can't do much more than that!

[Merrill]

Jess, sounds like they're taking some great precautions! And washing hands right away is another great idea. I agree w/others--it's quite an adjustment for you both, but you'll both grow as a result! Enjoy your time--and developing your business--and look forward to some really great stories when he gets home each day!

m

PS Glad to hear David is feeling better--that was quite a story you shared about your trip w/him to the ER! Uch!

[Sue]

Hi Jess

I am searching for something I can do at home, Can you tell me a little about what you are doing on ebay???

thanks so much

Sue

[blackwolf]

Dear Jess,

As a mom of 2, now 7 and 10, I dreaded the day they left for school and daycare. they started daycare when I was still "well" and working. Even then, I still had a hard time letting my youngest go. I now love the fact that they are both independant and I rejoice them returning to school every fall.

Blackwolf

[MomtoGiuliana]

Jessica

I feel for you--that first day of day care was so very hard for me too--like it is for all parents. It is hard to let go. But, it will get easier for you both, and he will adjust and thrive with it, I am sure. I think part-time day care like you are doing is ideal. Ethan still gets most of his time with you, but he also gets time with other children and caregivers--learning to communicate and cooperate with others is very important, I think, to start developing at this age. It's also good for you to have some time for yourself and adult things to do besides childcare.

Let us know how it went!

Katherine

[ethansmom]

We survived When I picked him up, his teacher said he did wonderful for his first day ever in daycare...and he even had seconds on the cheesy rice with broccoli during lunch He only cried when it was time to come in from outside- since he didn't want to!! I'm glad it went well, I just hope he continues to enjoy it. Tonight when I was laying with him he was falling asleep, and I asked him if he wanted to go back to school and his sleepy little eyes popped open and he said "UH HUH!!". Guess it went over well

[DawnA]

aayyy that's so sweet. I am happy for you. I am glad your business is doing well and you feel productive. That can do wonders for the soul.

Dawn

[calypso]

Jessica,

I am so glad Ethan is enjoying his daycare. It is so hard for me to leave my little girl just two days a week for a half day. I even went so far as to suspect the baby sitter, who is actually the daughter of a colleague, of strange things -- like one time, she was burning incense when I dropped Delaney off, and I thought she was smoking pot -- because I think it was just my way of dealing with the stress of letting go. I finally realized I was being ridiculous and that this woman loved my child so much and loves taking care of her. Of course she does because my daughter is so well behaved and always smiling! And now that I know her better, I know she definitely is not a pot smoker!

I only hope that you receive the same quality of care and that little Ethan stays germ-free! Delaney so far has only gotten chicken pox and a one-day cold. Not bad; of course, she is only around 1 other child.

Also glad to hear your biz is taking off! I just started my massage therapy practice two years ago and know how hard it can be. Be patient and be very good to your existing customers, and they'll keep coming back.

Amy

[Herdswoman]

Jess, good for you! The worst day/ first day is behind you. Even if Ethan pick up germs - and he's going to eventually - it may as well be before he goes to kindergarten.

Sounds like you are doing a great job with him. Kudos to you for the handwashing!

PS I remember peeking around the corner to see what my little one was doing the first day of daycare.

[DancingLight]

hey jess!!

sorry, as you can see i am a bit behind on my posting/responses and am catching up! (i still have a ways to go! i have to learn that i can't reply to everything even though i want to!)

anyway...i figured, day 2 is tomorrow and you will still need a little "help getting through"...so this is for then!

i am sure ethan will do great, b/c he has been given so much love from you, he will be able to go confidently into this new setting...

and it will give you some time for your stuff...

i hear you on the germs...but, well, hopefully the handwashing will help. the daycare sounds really great!

was he pooped out after his first day???

emily

[ethansmom]

Today he cried when I left...uh oh! I figured that would happen eventually, but I guess he has to get used to his new environment- I just hope he is ok now- they are great about letting us call in a lot though to check on the kids. I know what you guys mean about analyzing every little thing that happens there, but I am trying to tell myself that this is all normal behavior- for me and him

On the plus side, I think school will be good for Ethan- we went to the doctor yesterday and they were slightly concerned about his speech- he is 21 months and has only a few words (he says no, that's his main word) but he doesn't really pronounce anything correctly except for NO (he says ma for mama, da for dada, and uh huh for yes- that's about it). The doc seems to think he has a bit of disarticulation (Nina, where are you?!). But she didn't seem worried that it will be a problem once he starts to learn the words and how to say them. It's strange because we work with him sooooo much. I guess it just hasn't clicked yet, but I hope being at school will allow him to communicate his needs more, since they don't know what UH HUH means. LOL

Thanks for your support guys...although a little OT.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Jessica

Try not to worry too much about the speech issue because children vary so much in their rate of development. I agree that day care will help a lot with verbal development. I truly believe that Giuliana would not be as precocious as she is with verbal expression if it weren't for the fact that 3 days a week she is immersed in a bevy of talkative, older little girls at her day care. She picks up so much from them--as much or more than she learns about speech from me. Also, girls are known to develop speech faster than boys. I have several friends with boys the same age as Giuliana and Ethan who are at the same level Ethan is at.

As far as the separation anxiety--I am not surprised! Even though they adjust quickly to a new, caring and stimulating environment, your child is still attached to you, and will not always part willingly. Giuliana has had episodes where she will revert to being clingy to me. Overall, I am sure he is very happy there and expanding his mind as well with these new life experiences!

Katherine