My daughter is already eight months old. My husband is working full time and I am itching to start working full time again as well. Currently, I wake up at 6 am to work until my daughter, Juliana, wakes up. This varies from day to day, but is between 8 am and 10 am. Most days I can get two to four hours of uninterrupted work accomplished.
She never takes consistent naps. Sometimes I am lucky when she will nap for two or three hours, but then there are days like yesterday when she only slept for 30 minutes. She woke up at 8 am, went to bed at 10 pm, and only slept for 30 minutes during the day – I barely got any work done. My husband usually takes her for three or four hours a day so I can work, however, some days he is too busy. Last night she was up almost every hour (teething really bad), so I was basically useless this morning at 6 am and lucky to get at least a few things accomplished.
We are supposed to have a babysitter come to our home for nine hours a week for free. We are waiting on our application to be approved by CAF. Apparently, our association sent the wrong paperwork so we are having a long delay getting someone here. This is another example of how rarely anything is ever easy in France.
My husband’s cousin told him that they started their daughter in crèche. Their daughter is about a month older than Juliana. I am not ready for her to start crèche, even with my husband insisting on only a few hours each day. To be fair, crèche does not have the same stigma as most daycares in the United States. The people who work in crèche go to school for it and consider this their profession. The focus is supposed to be on allowing the child to discover the world. I have heard many wonderful things about crèche, even in the book Bring Up Bébé.
I love having my daughter here during the day, even if she is a bit disruptive at times. I would feel better if she reached a few more milestones before starting crèche. She has not started crawling yet and I would prefer if she was a bit more independent before going. I have no logical reason why, just an instinct within me that wants this. Am I being overly protective? Should I listen to my husband and let her go for a few hours a day?
I really miss working full time. I am working on two more books right now simultaneously (I am crazy, right?) – another learn French book and a novel. I have another novel that is on the back burner for now, I lost inspiration as soon as the ideas for these other books entered the equation. So the idea of crèche is very tempting. I believe we can qualify for at least three hours a day, five days a week for free. I would have to verify the hourly cost of the crèche to make sure though. There is one in a small village about 15 minutes away. It is only that I do not feel ready to let her go to people I do not know, even if it is only for a few hours per day;
When do you think is a good age for kids to start going to childcare?
Orla says
Lucky you to have a creche where I live I had no choice but to hire a “nounou” as there are no creches! ( Yes, middle of nowhere) I have worked in a creche in France(before I was a mum) and I think she will love, the babies are normally the favourites or as the french call them the chouchou’s. But it will be hardest for you at the start not her, if you leave it much later it may be more diffcult for her, but you will eventually love the you time, even if it is only to clean the house:) Regarding the hourly rate, this should be means tested on you and your hubby’s earnings in the last fiscal year. Good Luck with whatever you decide, it is never easy as we will always question the decisions we make (whether they be wrong or right).
nadia says
my son is 2 and a half years old and i only just started sending him to halte garderie.. since in don’t work, im only allowed twice a week.. my son doesn’t like halte garderie at all.. in fact he doesn’t let go off me and keeps cryin.. this hurts me a lot.. no mother can see her child crying for her.. but this is important for him as he will be starting ecole maternelle this sept.. my suggestion for u is u better start sending your lil girl to creche.. not full days.. just send for half days or may be just for a few hours.. but let her get used to that environment.. it’ll help her later when she goes to school.. it won’t be a big deal for her then..
Megan says
Hello! I am relocating to Paris in the next year and my partner and myself are both Americans. We would like to have children in the next year, and were wondering what requirements are in place for the creche. Must a child be born in France to qualify, or can she be American-born? Is the creche only available to French citizens, or can ex-pats living in France utilize the service?
Thank you~