Baby won't stay in the childcare at the gym

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hsnider29
hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this isn't directly related to diet and weightloss does anyone have problems with their child staying in the gym daycare? We joined one week ago and the first 3 days my 23 month old was fine. Every day that we have gone to the gym since then she has cried and we have had to pick her up 15-30 minutes after we drop her off. I've tried staying in there with her and showing her the toys and other kids but it doesn't work.

My husband and I would like to go to the gym together most days and because of schedule conflicts aren't always able to go seperately. If this keeps up, I may have to cancel my membership. I also pay $10 extra a month for her to go there. Does anyone have any tips or advice?

Replies

  • lsjd2000
    lsjd2000 Posts: 287 Member
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    Are they coming to get you to let you know that she is crying and needs picked up or are you checking on her 15 mins later and she is still crying? Does she stay anywhere else without you or is she with you at home most of the time
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    No they are calling us over the intercom. One day she did stay 45 minutes and then started crying and they called me. It's frustrating because then my workout gets cut short. I only want to stay at the gym an hour, I just wish she would get used to it!
  • Love_cup
    Love_cup Posts: 20 Member
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    Sounds just like my gym. They call us 10-15 minutes later as well. My daughter was fine the first few times than she got to be the same way. So now what they do is they take her and show her the computer they checked her in at as my husband and I are leaving. This way she is distracted and eventually forgets why she was sad. When we go to pick her up they say she played just fine and we've been using this tactic since.
  • kendah
    kendah Posts: 17 Member
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    take her when she is hungry and let her eat there.
    only give her a certain toy that she really likes when she goes there- bring it from home.
    give her something that smells like you to hold or wear while she is there.
    ask them to let her cry for x minutes before they come to get you.

    at 23 months children have separation anxiety and do not realize that just because you are out of sight does not mean that you are gone forever. she will outgrow this stage.

    my daughter had an awful time and we had to come up with methods that worked for her. Letting her cry it out for awhile worked the best as long as she had a comfort item.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Wow, not great from the childcare provider. Is it the first time you leave her in any kind of daycare?
  • thinby40
    thinby40 Posts: 113
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    My kids always did that to me and I always felt guilty and couldn't enjoy my workout. I kept bringing them back w/ a favorite toy or stuffed animal and snack and tried to distract them w/ the kids. When they got older, I always bribed them w/ munchkins from Dunkin Donuts which worked too but it probaby wasn't the best thing! Keep bringing her...she'll get used to it and you'll feel great after a workout! You owe it to yourself!! :wink:
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    No they are calling us over the intercom. One day she did stay 45 minutes and then started crying and they called me. It's frustrating because then my workout gets cut short. I only want to stay at the gym an hour, I just wish she would get used to it!

    She's never going to get used to it if they keep calling you. I would talk to them about their policies. I used to work in a gym daycare. I had moms who wanted to be called when their babies cried and moms who didn't. If they don't have a policy in place you can try giving them a time limit you are comfortable with.
  • Silvercivic
    Silvercivic Posts: 156 Member
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    My son really hated the Y daycare when I first took him there. And then he got over it, and then he went through it again... he kinda went back and forth for a while. (I started taking him when he was 11 months- he is 26 months now)
    For the last, I don't know, 9 months or so he has been an ANGEL. He LOVES going to the Y. We go every morning.

    Kids go through separation anxiety. And it might last a few weeks, go away, and then come back again. It is totally normal.

    The crappy part is that your gym is taking you away from your workout when he is crying! They should figure out how to deal with it better... Also it sucks that you have to pay extra for the childcare. Is there a YMCA by you? I get 2 free hours of daycare a day with my membership.

    Anyway, my advice is to keep going and eventually your baby will learn to love it.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    Wow, not great from the childcare provider. Is it the first time you leave her in any kind of daycare?

    Yeah, she has stayed with my mom and a friend of mine but I work nights and hubby works days so she is always with one of us. It is just weird to me that she was fine the first few days.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
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    yeah she will never get used to being there if they keep calling you. It will get better but they need to able to handle this a little better in smoothing her.
    Does she have a special stuffed animal or blanket she can take with her?
    Don't make leaving a big deal, have them help distract her when you leave. The longer you stay when dropping her off the more she will cry. If you do it short and sweet she will be better off while there.
  • lsjd2000
    lsjd2000 Posts: 287 Member
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    Then like other have said i would check there policy and see if they can let her cry for x number of min before call you.
    Also i did the food or special toy with my youngest when we would drop her off at daycare at the Y and it helped also having the childcare worker hold her when i left and distract her with a toy or activity helped.
  • adrian_indy
    adrian_indy Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I sort of went through this with both my kids (3 and 1 years old). Every kid is different and they have had their ups and downs, but all I can say is what worked for me was making a quick drop off. I tried lingering for a while and the kids freaked when I left them. I just walk in, give them each a toy and walk out without looking back. My 3 year old now enjoys it and the 1 year old is a lot better.
  • JennW130
    JennW130 Posts: 460 Member
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    im about to go to bed so i didnt have time to read through the other replies, but after 15 minutes our child care area comes to get the parents if your child is still crying. My friend had this issue with her little girl crying for her. She was just consistent, kept taking her kid, and about 2 weeks into it, she was fine.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    Thanks everyone, I think if we stay conistent she will eventfually be fine. It has just been frustrating!
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
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    My daughter did the same thing because she didn't know the providers. Once she got to know them (after several trips) she did fine. The first time she was crying so hard she couldn't catch her breath. I
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    i would definately talk to the daycare. Do they just not want to deal with crying kids? If you keep going to get her, shes going to go "aha! Screaming=mom comes back!" and she'll keep doing it.
  • newbeetler
    newbeetler Posts: 194 Member
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    I can understand your frustrations.

    I have twins and they are like chalk and cheese.

    I would drop them off at Nursery and M would get all tearful and run back to me for a cuddle but E would just go straight in and sit down for breakfast.

    The Nursery staff were great. We would take M's teddy with her and the first day I told her to go and introduce teddy to the other children and staff.

    She was a little older at 3 but you can do this by saying lets show the staff teddy and give her to the staff. While little one was distracted I would make a quick exit and there were no more problems.

    M was off and on upset for 18 months but would always calm down when I was gone. She would show teddy was there then go and sit for breakfast.

    The day care should be used to these types of anxieties and have a range of distraction techniques.

    If they tannoy you can you come back and say mummy is here I am just in that room there and go back for your workout. Not Ideal but you will get more done. Or show little one the room you are in so they know you are not far away? Even if it is just looking through the window.
  • SarabellPlus3
    SarabellPlus3 Posts: 496 Member
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    I agree with the others, you just have to give it time. My kids each had to build up the time, and they all love it now. Talk to the teachers, see if they have any suggestions or ideas.
    I don't know that I'd say the daycare was lacking in any way. Confused? We've been at 3 different gyms, and all 3 will call parents after 5-10 minutes of crying. I think that's pretty typical. My babies all just had to get used to it.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    I agree with the others, you just have to give it time. My kids each had to build up the time, and they all love it now. Talk to the teachers, see if they have any suggestions or ideas.
    I don't know that I'd say the daycare was lacking in any way. Confused? We've been at 3 different gyms, and all 3 will call parents after 5-10 minutes of crying. I think that's pretty typical. My babies all just had to get used to it.

    I'm not upset that they call at all. The girls seem to really engage the kids and play with them so I'm happy about that.

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