I’ve stayed home with my son for almost 3 years now. Im a student working from home but lately working from home has not been going well. I’m considering working normal in person job 5 days a week but it makes me sad to think about putting my son in daycare. I also may be pregnant so not sure what things look like if I am. How do you guys navigate your feelings about daycare? When do you make time for your children? I will still have school work so I just am unsure how to balance it.
He’s ready for playmates.
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It’s hard on us, but it’s the best thing for them. They get to play all day, make friends, and learn too! They develop such bonds with their teachers and the environment is so nurturing. At 3 years old, they are at preschool age and have so much to explore. I cried when I first sent my children to day care, but I it was best for everyone. Talk to people you know to get recommendations for local day cares and preschools near you. Check them out in person and you will see which one just feels right to you. Good luck!
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Daycares are brilliant for kids to socialise and they learn so much. Downside is that they pick up every bug going around and the rest of the family get sick as well. I would love to say it builds their immune system ready for school. All I know is my grandson had been going to daycare for 3.5 years and I’ve been sick one way or another for 3.5 years. lol
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You think about what is best for your child and in my opinion day care is because the social participation is necessary for natural development and gives them a head start for kindergarten
My kids are now all teenagers. I will say that as life gets crazy, make sure to “plan” family time. I work til 6 every night and my kids are leaving for school at 630 every morning. So what works for us is that when I get home from work in the evening, we cook dinner together and eat together. Than we spend an hour doing clean up together and that gives us about another hour or so to hang out, watch tv, play a game, etc.
If you choose to put kiddo in daycare (which is highly beneficial for everyone), you’ll find a routine that balances work, household responsibilities and family time. It’s not so much how much time you spend together but the way you spend your time together.
My son loved day care, I just went around my area and checked out different places and found one I was comfortable with. They had out door and indoor cameras, had a strict sign in/out procedure and automatic locks and alarms on all doors … I worked from 7-2 so I would drop him off at 6:45 and pick him up at 2:20… We would go home and I would straighten up and start dinner while he watched his show, then we would walk down to the park in our apartment complex and I would bring my laptop and get my homework done while he played with our neighbor kids… Then we would go home and greet dad, do dinner, bath, family movie or game… He was in bed by 8. Dad and I went to bed around 10.
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If he’s three you should find a headstart, not just a daycare. His speech will develop faster and they will teach classroom etiquette, it’s really good for kids to do before pre-k. The only downside is that you will 100% get sick, my kid caught covid on his 3rd day but he has loved the rest of the time he’s been there. 
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If you don’t want to put your child in day care, don’t do it. Lots of other ways for “ socialization” & you can teach all the skills at home that daycare would.