I’m sitting on the very far corner of the couch as I type this as the rest of our couch is drying from our fourth round of cleaning it. Both my little ones got sick and last night my older one threw up ALL over our couch. Poor girl. They are both napping now and surprisingly have been sleeping pretty good despite not feeling well.
This is the first time my 16-month old has ever had a fever or been sick. She threw up on Tuesday night and now has a lingering cold and fever. She seems to be on the upswing but it still very run down and all she wants to do is cuddle mama. I am more than OK with that 🙂
My 2 1/2 year old threw up yesterday evening and is still under the weather, but has managed to hold all her drinks down since yesterday. She doesn’t have a cold or a fever, so I’m hoping this passes soon. Since this week was their first week at daycare, I expected them to get sick since they’re being exposed to more kids and therefore, more germs.
The cons of daycare
My poor little Maisie
The only downside of daycare is them getting sick. Sick kids make life harder on everyone, but I’m sure their immune systems will be stronger as they get older. I’ve heard if kids don’t go to daycare, they will wind up getting all these illnesses when they start kindergarten. While I don’t want my girls to be sick all the time, I’m thinking that this will pass as soon as their little immune systems adjust.
The pros of daycare
Sickness aside, the girls LOVE daycare, especially Cami (my oldest). She is thriving and learning SO much! In just this one week I’ve noticed changes in her speech and communication abilities for the better. She loves seeing her friends a few times a week, talking to the teachers, playing outside, eating lunches, etc. When I picked her up on Wednesday, she cried for a solid 30 minutes because she didn’t want to leave. So on Thursday, I brought her cookies to bribe her back into liking me, haha. But in all seriousness, I love that she’s learning and getting the chance to socialize with kids her age.
Another huge plus – I get some much-needed alone time to work, clean and rest. This is priceless and I really hope this works out for us in the long-run. I’ll be honest, after their first day I was thinking of upping them from three days a week to five (part-time still) so I could have guaranteed time to work each day. So, we’ll see how it goes. Our plan now is to give it one month and see how they do and then make adjustments if needed.
Is daycare worth it financially?
Absolutely, 100% YES! My girls go part-time (roughly 10 hours per week) and we pay $85/week. Before starting them, I asked myself if I thought I could bring in $85 extra each week to make up for the costs. With certainty, I can. Even if there are certain weeks where work is slow (which is bound to happen), I can then focus more of my time on my blog which I hope to one day make an income from. Plus, if work were to get really slow and I couldn’t make up that additional money, it’s an expense that could easily go. We’re not tied to it like we are to our rent, car loan and other bills.
Posts around the web
Switching topics here, I’ve done a few posts on other personal finance sites if you’d like to check them out:
- See Debt Run: How to budget when your income is all over the place
- Color-Me-Frugal: 4 Powerful ways to pay off your debt faster
- brokeGIRLrich: Change your mindset: Focus on earning more money instead of saving it
- The Frugal Farmer: 5 Reasons I’m choosing to stay out of debt
- Stacking Benjamins: Balancing life and a budget
Do you have little ones in daycare? Do they get sick frequently? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
photo credit: flickr via Taber Andrew Bain
DC @ Young Adult Money says
at$85/week sounds like a great deal! We don’t have kids, but we will have to either have a nanny or send them to daycare because both my wife and I are set on working and not staying home with them. My manager’s kids go to daycare and I know the whole sickness thing can be tough. Parents sometimes have to make judgement calls on whether their kids are “too sick” to go to daycare and that can definitely cause illnesses to spread among the kids.
Sarah Brooks says
atHi DC! Yeah daycare is a breeding ground for germs to say the least, but the benefits seem to outweigh the costs assuming they don’t get sick all the time. I think it’s great you both want to work outside the home! This past week has been glorious having some separation from the little ones, haha. I should have mentioned the $85/week is only for 10 hours though. They go for 3ish hours 3 days a week – perfect for now but assuming they stay healthy I’ll probably have them go 5 days a week for 3 hours.
Jayleen @ How Do The Jones Do It says
atAwww … I hope your girls feel better soon. It’s so sad to see them sick but the cuddles are the best. We did not use daycare but the kids did enjoy the playroom at the gym and then later, preschool. Interestingly enough, my son, 12, has had quite the cold this weekend. He is the one who gets sick the most. My daughter, 14, has had very little sickness. I have heard the thought of they might as well strengthen their immune systems when they are young but I’m not so sure that worked for my son.
Sarah Brooks says
atYeah I’ve heard daycare boosts their immune system, but I’m not quite sure I believe that either! I think some kids have really good immune systems and others don’t. I’m sorry your son is sick – I hope he feels better soon!! Colds are the worst because they just drag on (my little one is on day 6 of this thing!!).
Emily @ Simple Cheap Mom says
atWe don’t do daycare yet. Our two and a half year old has only thrown up when she stuck her fingers down her throat to see what it would do. Not smart. So sorry that you’re dealing with two little sick ones. That must be really draining!
I’ve heard that it’s better to get the sick out of the way early too because if they miss school they miss actual learning instead of playing.
I might start nursery school next year, but we’re still undecided. Glad your girls are loving it!
Sarah Brooks says
atThanks!! My oldest definitely loves it!! The little one I’m sure would prefer to stay with me but it’s only 3 hours 3 days a week so she’ll survive 🙂 I debated daycare since my oldest was 16 months and she’s now 32 months and I just got them enrolled! It’s HARD to do, but I’m so SO happy we are doing it (minus them being sick). I think for me it makes me a better mom to have a little distance hahaha 🙂
Harmony @ creatingmykaleidoscope says
atHope your girls feel better. It’s so hard when they are that little. I wanted to let you know that there is hope . . . while they seem to get sick a lot when first starting daycare, their immune systems will get tougher and they won’t get sick as often as time goes on.
We pay for two in full-time daycare – the cost is almost as much as my husband makes at his job. But you have to consider all of the benefits: socialization, lessons, even the cost of lunches and snacks. Then, I can agree that it’s worth it.
Sarah Brooks says
atThanks for the encouragement!! Paying for two full-time must be expensive!! But you’re right, there are so many benefits to both your kids and you and your husband. While I love working from home, I do miss the socialization factor of having a job outside the home. Best of luck to you!! 🙂
dojo says
atMy 11 month daughter was also ill these days. Throwing up at 4 AM wasn’t pretty, but she’s OK now. I am not considering daycare (at least not for a long time). I have the luxury of working from home, so I can make my schedule ‘around’ hers. Sure, I’m not working as much as I used to, but it’s still going well. I’ll probably have to take her to kindergarten, when she’s 3, which I dread. We’ll see then 😀
Sarah Brooks says
atAwww that’s so sweet!! I will say I considered daycare on and off since my oldest was about 16 months (I also work from home and work was getting busy, plus my second was born around that time) and never did it until now (she’s 32 months!!). By this point, and with two, the time apart is cherished haha!! I miss them but they only go 3 hours 3 days a week, so it works out great!
Grayson @ Debt Roundup says
atOh, I know what you’re talking about. My son is two and has been sick a number of times from daycare. While I know it’s like a little breeding ground for illnesses, I still think daycare is a good move. While he can’t tell me what’s wrong, I typically have a really good idea as he has telltale signs when he isn’t feeling good.
I wish I could pay $85 per week, but our son is full time, so we pay much more (3x). I still think daycare is worth it, especially for the social aspect.
Sarah Brooks says
atYes!! The social aspect is so important and unfortunately they just don’t get that at home (at least not to the same degree). I’m hoping once this illness passes they’ll be healthy for a while. My littlest one (she’s 1) is on day 6 and doesn’t seem to be getting better. I feel so bad for her!! But at the same time I really REALLY don’t want to have to pull her from the program. The alone time is just too good haha.
diane @smartmoneysimplelife says
atI think I must have been lucky! My daughter rarely got sick when she was in daycare.
If they’re throwing up, I’d definitely check back with daycare to see if anyone else is suffering the same symptoms – just in case.
I think *good* daycare adds a great deal to a child’s life, especially now families seem to be so insular. The kids get to learn and play and deal with life surrounded by other children which is especially important if they’re only children.
And don’t worry… my daughter ran into daycare in the morning and I had to drag her out in the afternoon. 🙂
Hang in there! It’s worth it.
Sarah Brooks says
atHahaha good to know your daughter didn’t like leaving daycare either!! Yeah, I’m definitely hoping once this sickness passes that the girls stay healthy for the most part. My little one is going on day 6 🙁
I completely agree about daycare adding to a child’s life! Cami loves seeing her friends and teachers, it’s adorable. Honestly, part of me wishes I started them in something sooner! I feel like I’m a much better mom knowing I have some space haha!
Ashley Brooks says
atSorry to hear about the sick kiddos! I hope they feel better soon. It sounds like you’ve got really affordable daycare in your area! I don’t think I’d have a chance of finding Hadley something in that price range where I live, especially since she’s still considered an infant. Hopefully the sicknesses taper off and you’re able to keep them in the program.
We just hired a nanny to work 10 hours a week, and I’m so excited to see how it goes! I’m a little worried I’ll still be distracted since I’ll be working from my home office and will be able to hear when she cries, but here’s to hoping it leads to more productive worktime. I’m positive I can recoup the cost by the extra articles I’ll be able to write, plus it’s going to be good for my sanity. 🙂
Sarah Brooks says
atHi Ashley! That’s great you got a nanny!! I probably should have mentioned that the $85/week is for part-time (10 hours actually!). That’s for both of them so it seems reasonable. Another place I checked out was $300/week for the both of them part-time, that’s insane!!
Good luck with the nanny – you’ll have to update me on how it goes! From my experience it will totally be worth the money!! I can get 2-3 articles/blogs done in the time the girls are gone (3ish hours each time they go) so as long as I have the work, I’m easily making the extra money to pay for it.
Nadine says
atI am a pre-k teacher in a daycare setting. We go all the way to kindergarten and I teach the oldest pre-k right before they get to kindergarten.
I really appreciate your comment on how much you’ve seen her grow in just her first week, because as a teacher in that setting, I strive really hard daily to bring quality into the classroom both in structured lesson and the resources they have for play and exploration. I strongly believe the first five years are super crucial, so whether you do it at home (like I did with my girl) or send them to a center, I believe the effort is worth it.
Concurrently, because the pay is sooooo low, I am on your site as I’m researching ways to increase my income from home without having to give up on my love of teaching youngsters. I have a blog I started over a year ago, working on updating it to go full throttle. I’m enjoying yours. Keep up the good work.
Oh, the girls will get better soon. It happens to everyone as their immune system comes in contact with all that STUFF! They might, however, get sick as the seasons change. Even tho I have kids in class who NEVER get sick. Good luck and may your experience always be good.
Sarah Brooks says
atThank you for the sweet comment!! Actually, we had scheduled my 2 1/2 year old for a toddler evaluation through the state to make sure she was on track, but just being in daycare (part time) for a week she’s improved leaps and bounds and I cancelled the appointment. I’m going to give it a month and reschedule if I think she still needs it.
Good luck with finding some writing jobs!! There are tonsss out there, so don’t give up!! Let me know if you have any questions! 🙂
Christina @ Embracing Simple says
atI’m sorry to hear the girls got sick, but very happy to hear that daycare is going well otherwise! Thanks for giving us an update; it gives me hope that part-time daycare will go well for us too when the time comes in a year or so. $85 for 10 hours for both girls seems so reasonable! I can only imagine how amazing it is to have some alone time to get a lot accomplished 🙂
Sarah Brooks says
atThanks Christina! I’m definitely to the point where if we DO have to pull them, I’ll have to cut back on work. It was getting to be too much trying to rush through naptimes and wake up early and stay up late. I don’t think we’ll have to pull them though 🙂 (Granted, right now we are all very sick, bleh!).
Erin @ Journey to saving says
atAw, I really hope they start to feel better soon! I don’t have kids, but I absolutely don’t blame you for wanting to put them in daycare to have more time to focus on work. I would make the same choice. $85/week doesn’t sound like a bad deal, either! My cousins have had their daughter in daycare since she was about 8 months, and she’s grown so much from the experience.
Sarah Brooks says
atThe social benefits of daycare to me outweigh being sick!! Assuming we’re not sick ALL the time. We’re currently all sick now which is awful, but it can only go up from here and hopefully our immunities will be stronger!
Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver says
atAww, I hope your girls feel better soon – and don’t take you down with! I don’t have little ones, but my boyfriend is a teacher and he occasionally comes down with things. When he gets something, he gets it bad, too. Kids are walking petri dishes! 🙂 Then again, it’s awesome for their socialization and also for you to get some peace and quiet for work, so it’s worth it 🙂
Also – major props to all your featured posts!!! You’re tearing it up! 🙂
Sarah Brooks says
atThey are totally walking petri dishes lol 🙁 And they brought my husband and I down with them!! Now we are all sick – the girls have colds, I have a stomach bug (kill me now) and John has cold too. I can’t WAIT to be healthy again!!
Mrs. Maroon says
atWhat timing… Yesterday was the first day for Mini Maroon #2 at day care. Both go full time so it is quite an expense for us. We tried to cut costs by going to an in home day care, but they watched TV the whole time. And Mini #1’s behavior took a nose dive. Back to a school setting and he’s doing much better. As far as illness goes, I was the one that got sick more during the first year of Mini #1’s life and day care going…. Never been sick so many times in one year ever. So my advice to you is to sanitize!! Sick babies is no fun, but a sick mommy is so much worse!
Holly@ClubThrifty says
atI definitely wouldn’t blame sickness on daycare. If your kids have been home all this time, their immunity is probably down and their little system’s are probably more sensitive. My kids have been going to daycare since they were 10 weeks old and they are rarely ever sick. (Knock on wood)
Sending my kids to daycare is a financial no-brainer to me. I am the breadwinner over here and make my living writing. My work requires concentration and I wouldn’t do it if my little ones were here.
Sarah Brooks says
atThat’s great to know! Honestly, I don’t think we’ll be able to pull them out. If so, I will HAVE to cut back on work because it was getting to the point of being too much. There’s only so much I can get done during nap time, and that’s never a guarantee. I do also wake up earlier than them but there are times they are up at 5:00am too, so I NEED them gone for a few hours so I can focus. Unfortunately, we are all still sick. Bleh!!! I have the stomach bug now and want to die 🙁 whyyyyy?!?! 🙁
Michaela Mendes says
atGreat post! I’m starting my almost 2 year old next month in daycare one day a week. Your experience has made me feel a lot better about the decision. I’ve avoided the thought of daycare for so long, but with an ever increasing freelance writing workload I have had to make the jump.
Sarah Brooks says
atYou will be SO happy you did it!! It’s hard at first, but I love that I have time set aside each week to work. I’m much less stressed about nap time and bed time since I know I get work time a few mornings a week. Good luck to you both!!