A: It's normal for a 3-year-old to be shy when meeting adults he doesn't know, so this shouldn't worry you. It seems to be that your son has an easier time separating from your husband than from you, so I'd suggest that he continue taking your son to day care, and you can pick him up.

In order to feel confident about leaving your son in daycare you have to feel confident that you have chosen a good daycare center. Here are some steps to find one:

• Ask other parents about daycare centers their children go to so you can determine how satisfied they are.
• Compare at least two daycare programs before you make a choice. Ask for a tour, meet the staff and stay for a while to see how the children and staff interact. If any of the employees discourages you from observing the center, cross it off your list.
• Inquire about the program the daycare center provides. If the kids spend a lot of time watching television and eating doughnuts, move on to another center.
• Finally, trust your intuition. If you're enthusiastic about the center, you will feel like you're doing your son a favor by having him attend rather than feeling like you're abandoning him.

Whatever you do, do not overdo daycare. In my opinion, too many young children spend too many hours in daycare. It's a very long time for children to be away from their parents when they're dropped off at 6:30 in the morning and picked up at 6:30 in the evening. You might consider having your mother-in-law pick up your son early a couple of days a week so he can spend time with Grandma.