Take 1 year or 2 years off?

[snadaska]

I am in need of some help. I have to make a big decision about when to go back to school. I have been accepted to a pharmacy program for fall 2010. AT that time dd will be 1 year old. I have read that this is around the time that stranger anxiety sets in and naturally I am concerned about her starting day care then.

My question is should I start school then or take an extra year off (i have the option of doing so)?

If I do take the extra year will she have a harder time adapting to day care after spending so much time with me? What would you do?

Thanks!!

[meemee]

soooo depends on the personality of the child.

i started working full time when dd was 2. she struggled to be in dc. a lot. she woudl have been more ready at 3.

however her friend started at the same time, same age - loooooooooved it. had no problem adjusting.

[~pi]

If you can afford to take the extra year and aren't itching to go back, I would do that.

IME, both ages are tricky, but 1 year is a tougher age to start daycare. 2 is still tough, but better. (DS started at a dayhome at age 1; it was rough. Then he moved to a daycare center at age 2; also rough, but better.)

ETA: Congrats on your acceptance!!

[Hey Mama!]

Here is my personal experience. I took some time off after I had my dd in my senior year in college. That turned into 8 years working dead end jobs. I am just now enrolled in college again to finish my almost completed degree. What was only about 18 hours left to finish has turned into 40 because of lost credit, etc. I have worked in a daycare with infants and toddlers and honestly we did not have much problems with the newly turned one year olds having stranger anxiety. A good care provider will have the tools necessary to deal with it.

[Carita]

1 year old is a great time to go back. My son started making friends in his toddler room right around that time, and by the time he moved up to the next room at 16 months, they were already making BFF. He truely enjoyed the social time with the other kids - much more so than when he was in the infant room. I wish everyone could take a year off with their babes if they wanted.

I wouldn't worry much about him starting DC at one - unless you don't need to go back to school and don't want to. But the more you put off school, the more like jello your brain will become - only half joking