Looking to Meet Other Mom's in Bartlett; Also Need Home Day-care Option Recs.

There is a great Mom's group in Bartlett through meetup.com. I am a member and they are a wonderful group of women. I used to live right by Villa Olivia off Lambert. Bartlett is a wonderful town and everyone there is so friendly.

I can't help about childcare, but I do know there is a place off 59 in Bartlett next to Bannerman's at the corner of 59 and Sterns.

I am a licensed family childcare provider in Streamwood, so a little out of the area you are searching in, plus I currently have no openings. I do network with other providers in the area however. If you would like to contact me, we could send out an e-mail to other providers. Someone might be along your route with an opening.

In terms of encouragement, have faith that God will you give you strength for the moment, each and every one of them. The only one who loves this child more than you ever will is God, and He will be looking out for him/her. As for your husband, he may just come around...I've seen situations before where the father was less than thrilled throughout the pregnancy, but once the child arrived, it was like children were invented w this child, and a close and loving relationship ensued. If you are already caring for elderly parents in your home, working outside the home, and a new baby is in your future, you do indeed need some additional support. I will be praying for that for you.
K.
____@____.com

Step By Step PTA is a non-profit group that I've belonged to for over a year now. The President is a Bartlett resident and most are in northern DuPage & Cook Counties. View stepbysteppta.com for details. Several gatherings are during the day, however we also have fun afternoon, evening and weekend events as well all year.

I don't know of a in-home daycare but we used Chesterbrook Academy for several years before they started school (Rt. 59 & Schick)
Angela is the principal (private school) and the teachers/care givers are exceptional! They're really great people and awesome with the kids/babies.

Try local elementary schools to see if they know of an in-home daycare or ask for the PTA president help. Also, read the Bartlett Examiner newspaper. It's .50 and is printed every Wed. Rt 59/Schick 7-11 usually has it. It has tons of information about Bartlett's happenings and classifieds in the back.
Good luck to you!
p.s. I was 34 when I had my twins...much more patient and wiser!!! You'll be fine!

C. - I was an older first-time mom also. I had a supportive husband, but didn't have my mom living, so there were times I felt all alone and clueless. There is a wonderful program called Parents as Teachers. Here's a link for the U-46 school district where you live http://www.u-46.org/reading/ParentsasTeachers.htm. (I am involved with the DuPage County program as I'm in Carol Stream district 93.) It is free and a parent educator comes to your house once a month to provide you with developmental advice and age-appropriate activities. Sometimes I just needed the educator to tell me I was doing a good job as a parent. I think we can all use that reassurance sometimes. The program also provides screenings at different stages so you feel reassured your child is on track or can find out if they are delayed, which is how both of my sons' speech delays were identified.

I also am in Step by Step PTA and think it's a great organization. Glad to see Alison told you about it!

This website is also wonderful so keep using it. Not only will you get great advice, you'll get understanding and compassion.

Now I am an even older SAHM of a 7 and 2 year-old, so feel free to contact me with questions or support (____@____.com).

Good luck and have faith in yourself!

Hi C. -

First of all CONGRATS :) your not alone. There are tons of other new moms going thru the same experiences. It is a lot to deal with...your hormones and emotions are crazy, getting things ready and trying to figure out what happens when the baby comes and how to deal with everything. My advise is take one thing at a time. There are alot of classes out there that can help as well. I took one at St. Alexius or Alexian Brothers not sure what it's called but it's on Barrington Rd. I think it was $40 bucks or something.(We took the Parenting and CPR Class) It made my husband and I feel better. I also just got involved in a group via meetup.com. It's great because there are a bunch of moms looking to meet other moms and kids for playdates and advice. I live at 59 and Irving Park Rd. not far from you at all. Feel free to email me. I would be happy to help. Sorry I don't have any daycare ideas going that direction on 59, but will keep my ears open.

Hi C.,
You've received some great encouragement already. Have you connected yet with a local church? Getting connected there could provide a natural support system as well. In case you have not yet, a little South of you, along Route 64 is Community Fellowship, a great church that we've attended for about a year and a half now. Also on North Ave. just a little bit further down is Wheaton Bible Church (actually located in West Chicago now as of just weeks ago when their new beautiful building was completed). Community Fellowship is pretty medium sized, while Wheaton Bible is a larger church both with excellent programs and such. Both are solid churches with great Bible teaching and great fellowship/social opportunities as well.
As far as child care goes, I am a licensed home day care provider and live a mile East of Route 59 just off of Route 64, so just a mile (or maybe a little less than a mile) off your route. If you know where Sonny Acres Farm is (having their big fall festival now), we are right next to there on the West side. I have 2 boys of our own and 4 children who come for home day care. I would LOVE to meet you if you would want to come visit and receive an information packet about my home day care. As far as an opening, I may possibly have an opening come up as one family is planning to possibly move out of state and another (who is here just 2 days a week) begins full day kindergarten in the fall in Naperville, so she would no longer be with me. So, it's hard to tell this far in advance, but an opening at that time is possible. I would love to meet you if you are interested. My email is ____@____.com and my phone number is ###-###-####.
As far as centers, Chesterbrook is one of the better ones as somebody mentioned. I used to be a teacher there before starting the home day care after my second son was born. Another great center is Greentree, which is a Knowledge Beginnings center, but it is pretty East, so likely too far out of your way.
For home day care provider contacts, you could check with the Warrenville Home Day Care Association. I am a part of the Carol Stream Home Day Care Association, which I think only myself and one other may be close to your route and the other I know rarely has openings like myself, but those would be some other options too to try. YWCA has a Resource and Referral, though I think there might be a cost for parents to use the service.
Best wishes as you continue to rely on God through these stressful times. As stressful as it feels, there is nothing more amazing than the miracle of a little baby being knitted together within you. Hang in there!! It looks like you have a lot on your plate right now! You'll get through it...
C.

Tell your husband to "get on the stick"! He helped make this little love you're carrying. He'll fall in love with baby after the birth. He won't be able to help himself unless he's a selfish jerk in which case YOUR BABY ALWAYS COMES 1st! If motherhood becomes overwhelming, the inlaws can go into a home...you don't need the extra burden. You and the child are his family. His parents come after you and the child, just like yours do.

C., congrats on your pregnancy! I can't help you with the day care issue, but I certainly can offer some general info. Before I got pregnant I also knew nothing about caring for young children. First, enjoy your pregnancy, it will be over before you know it. I had a somewhat difficult pregnancy but I loved every stage of it and even missed it after the delivery. Second, the first few months will be a HUGE transition in your life but don't get discouraged, things will get easier as you develop your new routines. We don't have any family locally which made it more difficult. I think it is important to find the support of people who have been through the experience recently. I also found a local lactation consultant who helped me through my breastfeeding issues and also helped dispel a lot of the breastfeeding "myths" I was hearing. As far as your husband, don't automatically assume that he will become a changed person getting up to share late night feedings or changing diapers at the drop of a hat. It might not happen. It is a really good idea to sit down and discuss each others basic expectations before the baby arrives. One thing is for certain, it will be impossible to resist the wonderful child you've both created. There is no better feeling than looking at your child and seeing yourself and your husband in them. What a miracle you have created! Feel free to contact me if you'd like more info about preparing for your new arrival. My baby's a year old now but those first few weeks are still fresh in my head.