Childcare or no to childcare that is the question??

My wife gave me instructions that she wanted to have a look at the new Childcare Centre for Pyper next year, based 5 minutes drive from home. We were driving passed and so what better opportunity to go in, so she thought. Well I waited in the car with Pyper for 10 minutes and then Renee came out and said "lets go in and have a look." Yay! I couldnt wait – another Overpriced Childcare Centre – HOLD ME back – NOT.

We went in there and the lady didnt know much – couldnt really answer our questions so I was thinking great they must be really great with the kids especially if they cant even answer our questions. So they took us around and said the new centre manager wasnt there and everyone else was away – It seemed like it. I was thinking fantastic Im out the door. The place is brand new and looks great with lots of those exesaucer play centres for the kids.

What was really going on in my head was NO damn way are you taking her off me, I maybe a totally incompetent Stay-at-Home Dad with bad noises, who is also inconsistent with reading to her, and dont forget Super Bubby Girl which is where I put my right arm under her belly up under her chest and with my left arm at right angles to my right arm and hold her arms and head – she loves it. I like my style and she (hopefully fingers crossed) enjoys having me around and looking after her. Besides that really she doesnt have a lot of choices, her mum works and well its back up plan Daddy!

There is this feeling of abandonment of me then taking her to this whole new place and just handing her over, I mean would she like it? Would she make friends? Would she feel happy there? Would it help with her learning? I told a friend of mine that I know it sounds pathetic and I dont want her to go.

Renee thinks it will be such a great idea for her to go there, and perhaps I do understand it will be a great idea for her to go in relation to learning and stimulating her mind which is very active already. But just handing her over is going to take a lot, and I can just see it, on the first day i will probably spend most of my time down there, which I hope doesnt defeat the purpose.

I think im slowly coming around to accepting it and March 2008 is a few months away but it wont take long until she is going there, its like cutting off one of my arms really in relation to letting her go. But im sure I will be over it soon after.

- Scott