Now this is what I was really going to write about today before my mind went blank! I need some more advice again, and you moms who have blazed this trail before me seem to have some great ideas, so bring them on!
The church where my MOPS group meets has a great reputation for their Mother's Day Out/preschool program. A lot of the moms in this group currently have one or more of their kids enrolled in the weekday ministries program (their umbrella term for MDO/preschool) and just rave about the teachers and how much their kids enjoy their time there. The church is currently registering kids for next fall.
Jack is 15 months right now, so in September he'll be near the 21 month old mark. They offer a 2 day a week, 9am to 1pm option for kids under 2 years. The way I see it, here are the possible reasons I (or another mom) might come up with for utilizing something like this: I feel I need a break, I feel like Jack needs more "socializing" opportunities since he's currently without siblings, and/or I feel like there is something he'd be missing out on learning-wise if he didn't attend.
If I'm honest in evaluating these reasons for our situation, I just don't see how any of them warrant me putting him into Mother's Day Out at this point. As much as a 4 hour block of time free from changing a diaper, slipping on toys on the kitchen floor, and crying when I leave the room sounds absolutely fantastic, I'd miss my buddy!! I have a hard enough time leaving him up at my church for a 2 hour break for bible study even though I know he's very well looked after. Plus, I do feel like I have other outlets like this bible study and my MOPS group to give him time away from me and around other kids. And, he's only 15 months, how much "socializing" does he really need? Finally, after chatting with my sister who works up at a daycare, there's nothing a 2 year old (or less) can learn for a few hours away from mom that he/she can't learn staying at home with good old mom. I guess I just don't want to get sucked into that my-child-knew-swahili-by-the-time-he-could-walk stuff, but I admit it's hard not too.
Anyway, after thinking about this for a few days, I just don't think it's a good fit for Jack for the above reasons. Maybe we'll evaluate again for the following year.
How about you ladies (or gents)? Did you start your kids early into any kind of scheduled Mother's Day out or preschool program? Why or why not?
