So Anxious Right Now

Maybe you're underestimating the in home day care. Toddlers don't need tons of stimulation. Maybe she's got too much stimulation right now, and that's why she isn't walking. They need peace, and time to focus on all the huge achievements of young toddlerhood. In the long run, the in home might be more comfortable to her, more homey, better for such a huge transition...and what other option do you have, if she's not walking?

If you tell the people you're only going to use them for a month until she can walk, they probably won't accept her...and by not telling them, you are being misleading, and that's not the way to go. So that really isn't an option, in my opinion, unless they're really willing to accept her for such a short time. Doesn't seem like a good idea, though...as soon as she gets used to it there, you put her in montesorri.

And not to knock montessori school, but I don't like it, as a total environment, for young children who are spending so much time away from their parents. It's way too chaotic in how they "teach" (or how they don't teach, but let kids "discover") and forces them to grow up a little too quickly. Although I agree with a few of their practices, I'm just not a fan.

You can put your DD in the home based day care for a year and move her to the Montessori when she is around 2.5 years old. I think she can still benefit from Montessori education. At this point I think she needs more love and attention which she will get in home based day care.

I do think you're over thinking in regards to the future. Place her in the in home day care and see how that goes. It may be a good fit. One day at a time. So much changes over time. Relax. Your anxiety will affect how well your daughter transitions. She will be fine. Kids are really more flexible when changes are handled sensitively than we give them credit for.

Home daycare for now. Montessori later. My son started walking around that age and no worries. She'll catch up soon. Don't worry sounds like you have the perfect plan. No more stress :)

I think the Montessori place would be fine for pre-school, but for now the home care place sounds fine.
My son started Montessori at 3.5 and stayed till the end of kindergarten (was the highest grade they did at this place) and we loved it!
If they had taught beyond kindergarten we would have stayed for as many grades as they offered.

There's nothing wrong with having your children someplace you are comfortable and then moving your older child. I would go for it. We loved the in-home childcare my son attended and were so sad to leave them. You may be pleasantly surprised by how stimulated your child is throughout the day! At 16 months, how much stimulation would you reasonably expect from daycare? She's too young for preschool yet, so it shouldn't make much of a difference.

Kids are adaptable and it's not a massive transition for them- it's massive for us. She'll do fine! You get teary, she'll be a little anxious for the first couple of days, but she'll love being around the other kids!

Is she in physical therapy? If so, make sure to inform the provider that you are changing locations so there is no lapse in services. If she isn't in therapy yet, please have her evaluated.

I put my son in Preschool (just the regular one down the street) for 4 months then transitioned him to a Montessori. He did fine. He had no issues with the transition. He was also older than your daughter (the Montessori would not take him until 2.5 years), but kids are can adapt very quickly. (So I agree with a previous post.) You just have to be excited and not stressed when there is a change. The reason why we switched my son was because we were having another baby and I didn't want him to think that because the new baby was here (So he started school in October and went to Montessori in Feb when he turned 2.5. Had the baby at the end of Dec.) My son's school now has a pre-Montessori room that is 18 mo and up, so I don't think that most 'true' Montessori programs offer infant classrooms (since they want the kids to be mobile so they can get to the learning activities). I personally would not be in a huge rush to get your DD into Montessori. The home daycare may be good for a few months. You can just ask the teachers there to work on walking. Then you can reassess in October if you think she is ready. I can only imagine the stress you feel because none of us wants to leave our kids in a place where they won't benefit (socially or otherwise.)

Just a couple of other comments, I think it is interesting how one previous parent said she didn't like Montessori because of how they let the kids 'discover' not 'teach'. The last time I checked, when you have a baby you put them on the floor with a toy and let them discover how they want to play. You may lead them (show them how to stack cups or click them or pull a string on a toy to make it shake), but if they don't do it right away you let them do what they want with it. That is basically Montessori. Just because the kids don't follow a set curriculum does not mean that the teacher don't teach. They just allow the child to show them what they want to learn about. And as for 'growing up to quickly', every child wants to learn independence. Teaching them to clean up after they are done with an activity and 'practical life' skills does help them to be independent but also gives them the confidences that they can do things by themselves. Confidence is a very hard thing to teach and if they don't learn young to be brave and give it a try, they will always look for someone to be dependent on. Let's face it, it is always easier to have someone else do hard things for us than take the time to do it ourselves. But, those are just my opinions...so I will get off my soap box.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

My daughter didn't walk until 21 months...so she was in the infant room, forever at mother day out and church nursery.

So I would put her in the nice home care and the re-evaluate in a few months.