Because I had to take an exam for Japanese daycare provider license, and because my husband couldn’t take a whole day off before the Obon holidays to take care of Pineapple, we decided that we would ask a daycare to watch her for a few hours. Some facilities in our neighborhood won’t offer one-time service a unless there is a specific reason, such as parent seeing a doctor, having new baby, etc. I found a municipal daycare where we could bring her without any specific reason.
Before my exam, I decided that I would take her to the daycare a few times so that she would get used to it. Over the last few months, she has had a hard time without my husband or me. And this was the very first time for her to be with someone we don’t know. We were a little anxious about how she would do, but it was a good way for me to have time for myself to study for the exam.
As soon as I handed her to a daycare provider at the door, she started to cry. I told her that I would come back in a few hours and said good bye when I left. I felt like I should turn around and go check on her. However, I knew that it wouldn’t help at all. From my experience as a daycare provider, a child tends to cry more when parent hesitates to leave.
When she saw me after a few hours, she cried and crawled to me very fast! She must have been so relieved when I picked her up. The provider said that Pineapple did play even as she cried on and off. I think it was a good experience for us, but it’s too bad that we don’t have a regular schedule to take her to a daycare. If that’s the case, she’d probably get more comfortable to be away from my husband and me.
私が日本の保育士試験を受けるため、また旦那がお盆休み前でパイナップルの世話をするために丸一日休む事は無理だったため、ある託児所に娘を数時間預かってもらう事にしました。うちのすぐそばの施設では、親の通院やお産など特別な理由でなければ託児をお願いする事はできなかったのですが、特別な理由がなくても預かってくれるところを見つけたのです。
試験前に、娘に託児所に慣れてもらうために何度か連れて行く事にしました。ここ数ヶ月、娘は私か旦那がいないとよくぐずっていました。しかも、私達が知らない人に娘を預けるのは初めてのことです。娘の事は少し心配でしたが、私にとっては試験勉強をする時間ができて良かったです。
入り口で娘を保育士さんにお願いするやいなや、娘は泣き始めてしまいました。「数時間で戻ってくるよ。バイバイ。」と言ってその場を去りました。戻って様子を見に行こうかと思いましたが、そんな事をしても何にもならないのは分かっていました。自分の保育士としての経験から、親が行きにくい様子をすると子どもは余計泣くところをよく見ていたからです。
数時間後私の顔をみた娘は、泣きながらとても早いハイハイで私のもとにやって来ました。私が抱き上げたときはそうとうほっとしたのでしょう。保育士さんが言うにはパイナップルは時々泣きながらも、遊んでいたそうです。親子共にいい経験にはなったと思いますが、決まったスケジュールで託児所に連れて行けないのは残念です。もしそうできたら、娘も旦那と私の手元から離れるのがそれほど苦ではなくなると思うのですが・・・
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