This Bites!

We got in! Little Red has been on a daycare waiting list for what seems like forevah (more like a year and a half). Apparently a good daycare is harder to get into than college.

LR has been going to his current babysitter for almost a year. She keeps him in her home. It is quite convenient, I must say. She lives less than 2 miles from us and has always been willing to keep him late and meet me at the doctor to pick him up from appointments, so I can get back to work. Every thing has been just peachy. Lately, LR has been asking to "go pway wiff his friends" and has told me that he is "weady to go to school." I am guessing he is just bored? I mean, how can an almost 3 year old already be ready to go to school? The sitter has a one year old little girl, but doesn't keep any other kids, so he doesn't get alot of social interaction. She has also mentioned the possibility of going back to work at some point and I have this overwhelming fear that she is going to call one day and tell me she can't keep LR anymore because she is starting work the next day. Seriously- I have nightmares about this!

Background story-
LR started daycare when he was 6 weeks old. We had no problems and it was a surprisingly easy transition. When he turned one, we switched to a larger church daycare where his biting problem emerged. He continued to bite until he was asked to leave. We then found another daycare that was certain they could break the biting habit. Yeah, right! A few months later, the problem had gotten worse and he was asked to leave once again. Yep, my sweet little angel was kicked out of not one, but two daycares for biting. This was not from lack of trying at home. Mr. Sass and I tried everything to stop it: books, movies, soap, vinegar, hot sauce, biting back, etc. Now, don't get your panties in a wad- we were totally desperate and besides, none of it even phased him. He now loves hot sauce & vinegar and I am pretty sure he isn't scarred for life. I read every book and website I could get my hands on. I continuously drove his pediatrician crazy. I kept getting the same answer. "He will grow out of it." I heard that so many times that I wanted to puke. As a final resort I found our current sitter and the biting problem stopped quickly.

Wow, just thinking back on it makes me nauseated. I used to feel like a kid going to the principals office when I picked him up each day, wondering whether or not I was going to get in trouble for his biting habit. Being the parent of a biter is horrible. I really think a Biter's Anonymous group should be formed. The biting now seems to be behind us. LR is finally old enough to know better and is much easier to discipline.

Back to the present-
So, I know he needs more social interaction and this daycare has a 3 year old preschool program, but what if I give up my sitter and start him in daycare and he hates it? He isn't used to alot of structure and schedules and I just don't know how he will respond. Where is the crystal ball when you need one?

Being a mom is so tough! I can only imagine what else I will have to deal with before he turns 18.