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After seeking the infant care branch director's advice, we decided to send Rou to the infant care a week earlier before I start work. This is something like an orientation for her and also if anything happens, mommy is ready to pick her up any time.
Mommy has a sleepless night the day before sending Rou to infant care.
7.00 a.m. sharp - wake everyone up ( Yes I am the alarm clock in the family, can never count on hubby as he can switch off the alarm clock and continue his sleep)After checking all items are in the bag ( diapers, clothes, milk bottle, milk powder, pacifier....etc) and off we go...
Apparently we are the first few to arrive at the infant care. According to the teachers the toddlers normally come in after 8.00 am. (O, we the most cruel parent to wake the child up so early in the morning, but when I start work, this will be the actual timing, so we have to act real, right?)
Rou was still a bit blur on what is going on. Not to frighten her, the teacher led us to the infant care room. The room for infants is separated from the toddlers to minimize the risk of the infant catching the germs from the older kids.
At the beginning, Rou was a bit scared and just sit like a stone and observe what I was doing. I tried to amuse her with the toys and pointing her to some of her favourite cartoon features, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet but nothing seems to catch her interest. After a good 10 minutes, she started to explore around and started to play with the toys. Phew! Mommy relief a little...
The caregiver came in at 8.00 am and while we were talking, all of a sudden, Rou stopped playing with the toy and start crying. Was that because we mentioned the word " cry" in our conversation ?
Mommy then carried a crying baby and walked around trying every little trick to cheer her up and finally settled with a pool of balls in the play pen.
The care giver suggested to hand over Rou to her and we have to do it without saying good bye as not to make it too emotional. So I slipped off the room quietly and make a peep from the window. The caregiver fed her milk and she seemed to be quite ok with the caregiver. I can hardly hold my tears anymore and left the centre the moment my tears start rolling down my cheeks.
It was the longest hours in my life waiting to fetch her back from the infant care. Hubby was even worse, he was trying to speed as fast as he could to reach there.
My poor baby, she was wailing when we stepped out off the car and before I could reach her, hubby already "snatched" the baby into his arms...
That was the first day and I think there would be another few more days of crying before she could get use to it.
After seeking the infant care branch director's advice, we decided to send Rou to the infant care a week earlier before I start work. This is something like an orientation for her and also if anything happens, mommy is ready to pick her up any time.
Mommy has a sleepless night the day before sending Rou to infant care.
7.00 a.m. sharp - wake everyone up ( Yes I am the alarm clock in the family, can never count on hubby as he can switch off the alarm clock and continue his sleep)After checking all items are in the bag ( diapers, clothes, milk bottle, milk powder, pacifier....etc) and off we go...
Apparently we are the first few to arrive at the infant care. According to the teachers the toddlers normally come in after 8.00 am. (O, we the most cruel parent to wake the child up so early in the morning, but when I start work, this will be the actual timing, so we have to act real, right?)
Rou was still a bit blur on what is going on. Not to frighten her, the teacher led us to the infant care room. The room for infants is separated from the toddlers to minimize the risk of the infant catching the germs from the older kids.
At the beginning, Rou was a bit scared and just sit like a stone and observe what I was doing. I tried to amuse her with the toys and pointing her to some of her favourite cartoon features, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet but nothing seems to catch her interest. After a good 10 minutes, she started to explore around and started to play with the toys. Phew! Mommy relief a little...
The caregiver came in at 8.00 am and while we were talking, all of a sudden, Rou stopped playing with the toy and start crying. Was that because we mentioned the word " cry" in our conversation ?
Mommy then carried a crying baby and walked around trying every little trick to cheer her up and finally settled with a pool of balls in the play pen.
The care giver suggested to hand over Rou to her and we have to do it without saying good bye as not to make it too emotional. So I slipped off the room quietly and make a peep from the window. The caregiver fed her milk and she seemed to be quite ok with the caregiver. I can hardly hold my tears anymore and left the centre the moment my tears start rolling down my cheeks.
It was the longest hours in my life waiting to fetch her back from the infant care. Hubby was even worse, he was trying to speed as fast as he could to reach there.
My poor baby, she was wailing when we stepped out off the car and before I could reach her, hubby already "snatched" the baby into his arms...
That was the first day and I think there would be another few more days of crying before she could get use to it.
6 comments:
getting used to it...that's the toughest part but so far the first day experience seemed quite good to me, cos she was willing to explore.
many kids just cling onto their parents like Koala bears.
mummy and daddy must be heartbroken. dont worry, it is just a matter of time to get use to the new place :)
yes..the initial stage is really heart wrenching..even for me who had send 2 kids to childcare before Nicholas, I still feel the pain to see him cry.
I usually stay with my kids for 2-3 days before totally handling over so that they can familize themselves with the centre and the teachers..never had i "disappear" on the very first day.. You are strong.
i guess it must have been hard on you..to part with Rou. She will get used to it..but try to make it up to her by spending more time with her at night and during weekends!...She misses you alot but is not able to express it in words just yet.
don't worry, every kids the same, she sure loves her new environment in no time.
hi there, would like to invite you to share your experience of being a mother at the Working Mothers Forum on the afternoon of 11 Oct. Would you be available by any chance? pls email me at jacinta.m.paul@gmail.com. Thanks.
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