Is it crazy to put my son in daycare for a few hours maybe a few times a week? He’s 5 and not in school, we’re homeschooling. But he doesn’t get to be around other kids at all and we don’t have many activities around us that he can do. We don’t have family that comes around. He was in a class but it was so fast paced that he didn’t have the chance to sit and talk with any of the kids.I really just want him to be able to make friends and be social. My husband and I both wondered if daycare could be a good idea.
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I would get him into sports quite honestly that way he also learns important life lessons along with making friends. Going to the library. Also daycare (I’m not being mean I’m being realistic here) is a germy place with illnesses coming and going almost weekly and since your son hasn’t really been socializing outside of you and ppl you know he’s going to catch almost everything until his immune system is built up.
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My kids went to kindergarten at 5 and loved it. I personally would never do daycare. But that was years ago and depends on where u live. Or maybe play dates would be cool!
I don’t think it’s necessary to put kids in daycare to learn how to socialize. Teaching them to be empathic, caring humans is enough💕
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sports is great also check with your public library they often have fun kids activities that will let him mingle with others
If you don’t want him in school you definitely don’t want him in daycare. Check your library or even Facebook for local homeschool groups to join and meet up with.
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I mean he would go to school to learn and learn how to socialize lol
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You can look into after school programs in area like. My area has a Foundation For Youth that offered after-school program. Many children of all school age go. They offered veracity of thing even sports. So even though he is homeschooling you can look into that for some “afterschhol” time with other kids.
There’s sports, free classes at libraries, summer programs for kids. Depends on the day care. A lot of people are doing half day school. Go to playgrounds with other kids.
Go to the library. See if there are any youth soccer teams. What about Church friends? Weigh the pros and cons. Daycare can be socializing but also introducing lots of germs.
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He’d be better off in an activity than daycare in my opinion.
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K so quit homeschooling and put him in preschool/KG.
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<3 Library!!! Your local library should have events where they can meet kids 
I personally wouldn’t put him in daycare they just aren’t trustworthy anymore.
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How about just put him in regular school 
orrrrrrrr how about homeschooling him and letting him go to a summer camp during the summer…
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there would be no kids his age at daycare , they would be in school
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I suggest looking for a homeschool network. I’m sure there is one in your area. We homeschool and my grand goes to Shine Homeschool for social time. It’s the best of both worlds.
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I went to a small private school where I never met anyone new, and I had/have the worst social anxiety. Once I hit high school and went to a public school the only way I knew how to deal with my social anxiety was to be under the influence of something. I guess everyone is different. Some people are naturally social. Kudos to you though, if you can homeschool. I need my time away from them. 
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Search home schooling support whatever city/county state you are in. You will find access to homeschool field trips, sports if nothing else meet other homeschool parents for support . I never did daycare, but I was blessed to not have to.
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Yes yes yes! Or something to be around other kiddos… I work in childcare he needs to be socialized… make friends… be a kid
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I homeschool my son. I go to the children’s museums in the area around 4:00 or on the weekends. I put him in sports. Also I have some homeschooling moms so he has friends too
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Schools and daycare’s are petrie dishes!
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I think you really need to consider his age and the ages of the kids in daycare. Personally this is why I’m against home schooling an only child. He could regress if around younger kids
Library, sports, gymnastics, summer camps, swimming lessons etc and he would get something out of it as well as hanging with other kids.
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Having run. Private Daycare for 27 yrs, I would say, absolutely but be sure to be consistent. Socializing with peers is so important. Sports are fine but good old hide-go-seek and tag are priceless
Social interaction with kids his own age is very important plus it provides a certain structure which may be different than the home schooling provides. Sounds like the best of both worlds🙂
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Socializing at that age is good for the child. I would check with the local daycare and see if they have like an after school care program where other kids his age will be around. My son did VPK through a daycare and it was only half a day and then they provided after school care.
When I worked in Daycare we had an afterschool program with part time options we had a set of twins mom brought them T/Th and made all her appts and ran her errands. Dad would get them on the way home from work.
The kids loved it there and we enjoyed having them, they came in the summer as well 2 days and got to do field trips with us.
I say if it’s in your budget go for it.
Also as others have suggested check the library: ours has an afterschool craft or lego building every Monday thru the school year, a monthly Animee meeting (elementary and middle school groups), prek storytime and more. The larger library (part of the smae group) has an afterschool story stretcher as well.
Summer is coming and their are camps available as well.
My kids go to the nieghbors church 2 Sundays a month for a church youth group/Bible study and I love the fellowship and Bible lessons. (If that is something yall do) and will attend a community VBS in the summer
Check your area and find what is best for yall 
My daughter loved after school daycare when she was five. She got to play with all her friends after school and it was always a fight at pick up because she wanted to stay 
.
As someone who has worked in daycare for almost 5 years now, they only offer care for infants to 4 years old. Once a child is 5 they have to go to kindergarten in the fall, some daycares offer before and after school care for school age students but they are all in public school.
Summer camps are great ways to make friends and give you some much needed mommy/daddy time. Maybe also check out the local cub/boy scouts or sports. My little started playing soccer at 5 and made so many friends though our local soccer club.
Also, story time at your local library is a great place to meet others.
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Young one, my family had a daycare- it is fine for your 5 yr old- if it’s a good one - the social interaction are great. In fact, we had a young man who met “the most beautiful girl in the world” - his Mom said he got a lot of his good manners from daycare - anyways - fast forward 22years - this young man and lil’ girl got married- and yes they brought their kids there to - a good daycare - is a part of the village that raises good kids
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Unless it’s going to be during the couple hours prior to or immediately after the local schools release then it won’t do him any good either as he wouldn’t be with kids his own age. If it’s after school most daycares that are any good will be focused on a snack and homework help so the play time interactions will likely be minimal. What might do him better is league sports for the littles, check to see if anywhere near you has a homeschool co-op, or connect with local churches (you don’t need to attend or believe as they do) to try to connect with other homeschool Moms/families to plan joined “field trips”/outings.
We homeschool as well my daughter will be turning 6 in 2 days. Honestly, skip the daycare…your local library may have homeschool groups, sports, there are also Facebook groups that you can find homeschool field trips etc.
You should have a homeschooling co-op close to you. They usually plan “field trips” and social get togethers for the kids. Try posting in your local moms page on Facebook!
Otherwise sports is good option too, if you’re religious find a church with an active children’s program
Most won’t allow it. Since he is school aged. They only do before and after care. So
I put my daughter in the afterschool program at the community center for the same reason. She loves it.
Do you have a park district that offers classes? I have an only child. We only have my husbands parents nearby. My daughter was like a little adult who could hold conversations with adults. She’s been in so many classes at the park district and eventually she settled on softball and art school to socialize. Don’t do daycare.
Children need socialization in early childhood. He needs to be in a pre k setting that he will learn social skills as well as other developmental milestones.
Kids his age are in school. Try an extracurricular.
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See if you can find a homeschooling group in your area! Most kids his age will be in school at day care.
It’s a great way to do socialize and make friends
I would look into sports but also Facebook search homeschooling groups in your city! There are some in my area and they meet up and have the kids do all types of fun stuff
No. I know in Georgia they have home school groups that meet weekly. Daycare isn’t the place.
Why not just do kindergarten?
If you do do that you should put him in it when school lets out so hell be with the school agers, otherwise he’ll be put in a 4 yo class
Daycare is for younger kids maybe just playgroups and stuff would be good.
Not crazy at all. Socializing is super important.
Try sports or reach out to other homeschool moms
Look into homeschool co ops in your area.
YMCA or boys and girls club
Softball or some other sport would be perfect
Join a local co-op or homeschool group
A ohsc (out of hours school care?) be kids his age until his wanting to play sports
Send him to bleeding kindergarten for socialization and to learn to ’ play well with others’.
Its not much different from 'day care '… more beneficial structure with no babies / toddlers & kids all his own age .
You’ve already paid taxes for it - so use it.
Start his home schooling at 1st grade…if you still want to.
By then, child will be starting extracurricular group activities for children to have opportunity to socialize, and have made some local friends his own age.
If its a summer thing, look into age appropriate week long day camps, pee wee sports groups, Red Cross/ YMCA Swim lessons, summer church children’s programs, etc, etc .
There’s plenty out there for the researching vs a few expensive hours at a day care with a bunch of crying babies & toddlers that would be far more beneficial for a 5 year old.
Public libraries have fantastic fun kid events.
Take him to the park after school and on weekends as well as all of the other places already mentioned.
I would get him into sports, if you put him in day care he will be around children younger than him, as school aged children will be in school. You want him around children his age.
Put them in preschool even they you home school. Think it would be better than daycare.
Do a Facebook search with your town name followed by homeschool or homeschoolers of them town name and you’ll likely find other homeschooling families in your area that do meet ups. That’s how I socialize my homeschoolers