Anyone use gym daycare?

[kikimezz]

I am a full time SAHM, no one ever babysits my son unless its family. He is 16 months old, hasnt been to any sort of daycare type facility so far. I decided to join a gym this morning. I stayed an extra few minutes and walkk on the treadmill a few minutes after signing up,The very second I was finishing up I hear over the speakers "Zach's mom please come to childcare". He apparently wanted to be picked up and didnt want to be put down or kept running to the door wanting out. So I am hoping if I keep going it will just take him some time to get accustomed to it. Does anyone have experience with this?

[Sasha's Mama]

My son wasn't too into the gym daycare at that age, but the closer he got to two, the more fun he had. They have this obstacle course/ballpit/slide thing that takes up the majority of the play space and he was just too little to enjoy it and wasn't really socializing with the other todders/babies yet. Also, I've found that there are some attendants that are really friendly with the kids and will hold the younger ones and help them play, and other attendants that just want to sit back in the chair and tell your kid what to do or not do. So then I just try to go at the times the friendlier ones are working, and that seems to work out well.

[chirp]

my kids go...2 years and 3.5 months.

i am a full time sahm.

the two year old likes it for the most part. tries to escape at times as well, and will occassionally cry for me.

the three month old just goes along with it.

honestly...just remind the attendant that it was your kid's first time.

you need this time for you. this is important. you'll regret NOT doing this for yourself. so unless your kid is screaming crying kicking drooling DYING--DO NOT give this up. just ease into it. 10 minutes. then 15. then 20. you get it.

[kikimezz]

Thanks so much for the encouragement chirp

[nola79]

I do. The first few times, they did come out to get me beacause the baby was fussy. She got used to it, though, and now she does great, very smiley when we get there. I am also a SAHM and I would not get to the gym often enough if I did not take advantage of their childcare.
I will admit, though, the first time I went, I brought 7 y/o ds as a "spy" to check in on the baby.
He also enjoys going, he says it's fun.

[kikimezz]

So I went back to the gym this morning, took my ds, it took 24 minutes for the overhead call instead of 14 minutes like yesterday. I went in he just looked SO overwhelmed. THere are a lot of children there. He isnt used to being around other children, he doesnt really know how to interact with them just yet. He would rather play with the adults, since thats probably what he knows. I sat with him a few minutes then left for maybe 10 minutes at most until the 2nd overhead call came in. He truely just looked so overwhelmed. SO I left him there, gathered up my things, attempted a quick sneak on the treadmill, I got 1/4 mile until the call came overhead again. He was just crying and so upset. As soon as we got to the car he was his normal happy self. My husband says not to take a day off from taking him (I was planning on going 4-5 times a week on weekdays) he thinks ds needs to learn and get accostomed.

[chirp]

Originally Posted by kikimezz

So I went back to the gym this morning, took my ds, it took 24 minutes for the overhead call instead of 14 minutes like yesterday. I went in he just looked SO overwhelmed. THere are a lot of children there. He isnt used to being around other children, he doesnt really know how to interact with them just yet. He would rather play with the adults, since thats probably what he knows. I sat with him a few minutes then left for maybe 10 minutes at most until the 2nd overhead call came in. He truely just looked so overwhelmed. SO I left him there, gathered up my things, attempted a quick sneak on the treadmill, I got 1/4 mile until the call came overhead again. He was just crying and so upset. As soon as we got to the car he was his normal happy self. My husband says not to take a day off from taking him (I was planning on going 4-5 times a week on weekdays) he thinks ds needs to learn and get accostomed.

i agree with your husband. i would give it two weeks (actual weeks, not number of days you actually go.) if you go for five days, two weeks in a row and he's still not adjusting well, then you may want to look for an alternative.

optimistically, i think your ds will probably be okay with everything after this first bout of five days.

also...did you try sitting with him for a few minutes from the beginning? i always nurse my younger ds for fifteen minutes, just so I KNOW he's not hungry. now that i think about it this prolly gives some transition time to the 2 year old as well.

also TALK to the caregivers. Get to know them. the more comfy you are maybe the more comfy he'll be.

[leavemealone]

If it's really crowded when you are taking him now, try going at a less crowded time when there are less kids in the childwatch. We used to belong to the Y and the mornings were definitely more crowded than the late afternoon/early evening times. My now 3.5 year old wasn't thrilled about the childwatch at first and now he is practically pushing his way back to the area while I'm checking him in.

[kikimezz]

Thanks for the idea sandcastle, the gym has another location the same driving distance away just in another direction. I called up to see if they knew the average amount of kids there in the morning time, I am going to try and give that location a try tomorrow, see if he does any better.

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by kikimezz

Thanks for the idea sandcastle, the gym has another location the same driving distance away just in another direction. I called up to see if they knew the average amount of kids there in the morning time, I am going to try and give that location a try tomorrow, see if he does any better.

I was going to say this too. My DS is 6 and STILL is VERY sensitive to where/who he is with even if he can see me. Something about having a divider/anything to say "mom isn't 100% available on a whim" is just uncomfortable for him.

I would find SOME way to workout though if I didn't have my mom to watch them when I go tot he gym. It's really important to be able to have that little bit of time.

I still think someone would make a fortune if they had a huge jungle gym type thing for kids while mom works out. Not just a silly little play house thing like a kids gym....though maybe the liability etc woulnd't make it worth it.

[MsBirdie]

I agree with going at off times. I go at lunch time when it is almost dead or at 3pm . We now just have lunch earlier so they are fed and content. I have to say that, at peak hours at my gym, I would cry if I was around that many kids also. I also noticed that once my kids hit 2 they were easier going as well. Just keep it up and he will get used to it. I am a SAHM also and the gym is my only time without the kiddos as well.

[nola79]

Well, 24 min is an improvment on 14 minutes, so that is a good thing! If he's never been in any type of care before, he will just need to adjust.
I would talk with the workers and let them know your situation and maybe they can give him a little extra TLC.
Going on off times is also a good idea, there have been a few times I have gone in the afternoon and my baby was the only baby there.

[kikimezz]

So today I tried out the other gym location. Its a LOT smaller than the previous one, you have to walk in the middle of a ton of ladies doing step aerobics to get to the childcare room, lol. There was only one worker in this place, but only 8 other children (as opposed to 2 daycare workers and atleast 20 kids). I explained my situation and figured I would only stay about 20 minutes or so just to see how he does. I came back she was sitting with him in her lap and he was upset crying, boogers flowing and everything. Poor thing, She says she doesnt call the parent the second something happens (like the previous location does) she will try to console them for a few minutes and if she cant calm them down she'll then call the parent. The newer location is sooo much smaller than the other one, both have good things and bad things, If I have to think of ds first I'd probably choose the smaller gym.

[Bobbys]

So funny this was brought up: I just tried a Zumba class yesterday and used the daycare facilities for my DS. I was sure he was going to scream and cry and I kept looking at the door waiting for the lady to come and get me. But she never did. When I went into the room, he was asleep in his carseat. One of the little girls in her care was rocking him to sleep. How freakin' precious! And I enjoyed my workout.

Sometimes they totally surprise you.

[nola79]

Originally Posted by Bobbys

So funny this was brought up: I just tried a Zumba class yesterday and used the daycare facilities for my DS. I was sure he was going to scream and cry and I kept looking at the door waiting for the lady to come and get me. But she never did. When I went into the room, he was asleep in his carseat. One of the little girls in her care was rocking him to sleep. How freakin' precious! And I enjoyed my workout.

Sometimes they totally surprise you.

Cute! (I love Zumba)

To the OP, it sounds like the smaller gym is a better fit for now. Maybe when he adjusts, you can go to the larger gym a few days a week.

[newcastlemama]

Originally Posted by chirp

my kids go...2 years and 3.5 months.

i am a full time sahm.

the two year old likes it for the most part. tries to escape at times as well, and will occassionally cry for me.

the three month old just goes along with it.

honestly...just remind the attendant that it was your kid's first time.

you need this time for you. this is important. you'll regret NOT doing this for yourself. so unless your kid is screaming crying kicking drooling DYING--DO NOT give this up. just ease into it. 10 minutes. then 15. then 20. you get it.

Yep!
My 5 yo and 2yo go. My 2yo was VERY clingy at your child's age. Sometimes she still wants me but I get her involved with an activity and then she is fine. I wish that I had joined a gym earlier into mommyhood! It helps soooo much!