Operation Carebear

We are (unfortunately) at the stage of considering who looks after Emily when I go back to work and so we are in the throes of visiting both daycare centres and home-based care providers.  

It is a funny day when you realise that nothing, no matter how good it is, will actually be good enough for your little poppet, that is for sure! 

I have met with 2 home based carers from different companies and am not convinced on the model they use.  The carers often have their own children, and so, school drop offs and picks are included in the general day - all while taking all of their own children along for the ride, but of course the children they are looking after too; plus they usually go to an activity provided by the company a few times a week (some go out to these most days).  And so it means a lengthy car ride for Emily from our home to the carers' home, and then a lot of to-ing and fro-ing during the day too, and then that same lengthy car ride home at the end of the day.

We have been pretty home-based while I have been on leave, hang, the first time I did the grocery shopping with Emily was when she was almost 6 months old!  And we went away overnight for the first time when she was 5 months old!  And there are many days (in a row even!) where I don't drive, and so Emily doesn't travel in the car very much at all, only when necessary.  

So you can see the reluctance we have with all the driving she may do, while at a home based carer. 

So we are also thinking about daycares.  Something we thought of ages ago and then discovered the home based care option, so we went off daycare and all the little bugs that the children generously pass onto each other!  But it seems we are back to daycare now just to keep our options open.

I have visited 2 so far, and plan to see another one next week to be able to compare properly.  It has been a very interesting experience, not having ventured into a daycare before! 

So watch this space for an update!