Daycares

I started looking at Daycares this week, and my first visit wasn’t what I expected. But I’m also not sure what I expected. I’ve never been in a daycare before, so I guess I had this ideal dream-like place in my head. I thought it would be quiet (Not sure how I thought a daycare with tons of kids would be quiet) and beautiful, with better amenities than what I could ever have. I know, crazy right?

Well, here is what I got. I pulled in to find no parking, not sure why, since there were only 2 parents dropping off and 7 people working. . .but whatever. I go to open the door, but noticed there is a security code. Well, that’s a plus! D sees me and opens the door to let me know she will be right with me. Immediately, I am almost knocked over by parents and kids trying to get through their morning routine. It’s crowded, I have nowhere to go, and it’s loud! Oh, so very loud! I thought it was going to be set up more like a doctor’s office, a waiting room, with a receptionist. You sign in your little one and off they go with their keeper for the day. Once again, not sure why I thought it would be that way.

D comes back to get me and we go to the infant room, which is small. It reminds me of what an orphanage would look like. Cheap cribs all lined up, a small place for them to crawl, a rocking chair. You have to remove your shoes to go back, so you don’t track dirt back there. Again, a plus. But the whole time she is talking, I am thinking, can I really drop my baby off here?

After all is said and done, they are more than qualified to take care of my baby. Probably, more so then I am. It’s clean, it seems to be well organized, and the people seem to be great. It came highly recommended. But I can’t shake the feeling that that place is not where he is supposed to be. The cost for what I am getting, seems to be a little much. It’s half of my weekly paycheck. And even as I write this, that is a hard pill to swallow. I know we can’t afford to have me not working, but can we even afford for him to go here, to a place that I don’t even love? I can’t imagine a place that I would love being cheaper. . .

I guess, we will keep looking for now. I have another appointment for next week. And I’m really excited about this place, but I have a feeling we won’t be able to afford it. I just don’t know how people do it that have less than we do. I guess it’s just a balancing act, and it will work out in the end.