Somehow my baby, Oliver, is days away from being a one-year-old. While this first year has felt like the slowest/fastest year of my life, I’m so proud of how big he’s gotten. I cried when he clapped for the first time, and I’ve tried for days now to get a picture of him standing without holding on to anything. I love staying at home with him and his older brother, 2.5-year-old Elliot, and I never really thought much about paying for childcare until my oldest was about a year old.
He was a pandemic baby in NYC, and his entire life revolved around like four people: us and our neighbor friends. That was until we moved to Tennessee when he was 10-months-old. He would cry at almost any family gathering, he’d swat away my mom’s attempt to pick him up, and he’d sit quietly with us at church just to avoid being left in the nursery. He was in major need of socialization. I saw a local mom ask about Mother’s Day Out and I thought maybe that would be good for Elliot. We’d never even left him with a babysitter at this point, so I was really reluctant, but we found a place and he started in August of last year at about 18-months-old. Baby number two arrived just after he started and his two days a week at MDO helped mom deal with all that new baby business and occasionally get a nap in.
This past Tuesday, I dropped that baby off at MDO with his older brother. This time a little more tearfully. I almost backed out, but then considered why. Why are programs like Mother’s Day Out important? How is this benefiting me and my babies?
Why is it important for our kids?
- Babies and kids need socialization. Elliot always had a hard time in groups and being around other kids. He needed to see that being with other kids on a regular basis was important. It teaches him the values of sharing, kindness, patience, and more. Oliver is now discovering there are kids out there other than his big brother. They are both learning about friendship and how to play with groups.
- It teaches them about authority. I’m constantly trying to help my toddler understand why he isn’t in charge. I lovingly explain to him that “mommy and daddy are your authority.” My hopes are it’s teaching him respect and helping him understand throughout his life he will have many others leading him. A teacher at MDO is just that: someone they can learn from, look up to, and follow. They can learn at a young age the importance of other adults in their lives.
- Kids thrive off structure. I love structure, and most days with a baby and a toddler can be chaotic, so MDO provides a little structure in our week. It gives them comfort to know they go somewhere weekly where they are loved and cared for by others and engrains in them a sense of normalcy. This will help as they start school in the future.
Why is it important for us?
- It gives us, as moms, time to accomplish tasks that need our full attention. Nine hours of freedom is how I’d like to view it, but in reality it’s usually nine hours of getting things done. Part-time work, more complex house projects, errands that you need both hands for, and I could go on. MDO allows me more freedom to expand my circle of influence. This fall, I’ll lead a women’s small group at my church while they are at MDO.
- It’s good for our mental health. This may seem selfish, but it’s really not. So much of motherhood is about giving, so when we have a couple moments to let others give to our children, it frees our minds in a refreshing sort of way. Knowing my kids are in good hands while I get my hair cut and dyed helps me relax and enjoy the moment. Seeing their faces light up when I come to pick them up after 4 1/2 hours apart gives me a sense of joy I wasn’t feeling the day before as they climbed all over me. Being able to contribute to our family’s income empowers me to be an even better mom. I could go on and on, but just know that I strongly believe Mother’s Day Out will benefit you!
While I know it’s not possible in all situations, when given the option, I hope you too will benefit from a Mother’s Day Out or other part-time childcare situation.
