does anyone use childcare when they dont work?

[misdee]

dd2 has been trying to break into dd1 nursery school for ages now. i have been thinking about putting into the daycare facility they offer there for a charge but feel a bit weird about doing it as i dont need to put her there. but she is desperate to go, she sits down at the tables and waves bye to me, as if i'm gonna leave her there. She will be 2 in sept, which is when they take them into the daycare centre. so have a few weeks to decide.

[hoxtonchick]

Loads of my friends have their children in nursery for a couple of days a week & don't work. Sounds like a lovely luxury to me & if I were you I'd definitely go for it.

[iota]

I send ds2 to nursery 3 days a week - he's 2.5. He has been at nursery since he was 6 months old as I was working up to a year ago. I kept him at nursery partly for his benefit and partly for mine - ds1 is at school so I now have child-free time for 15 hrs each week, and it's great.

[misdee]

i was only thinking of 2 session a week, at the same time that dd1 is at nursery. but she is my baby and i dont want to let her go yet!!

[Angeliz]

misdee, i don't work and dd is 3 and a half,(or will be in September when she starts nursery 3 mornings a week). It's exactly the same reasons as you're saying. DD WANTS to go and can't wait.
I DO feel a bit guilty but i just remind myself that i'm doing it for her, she is a little socialite and who am i to stand in her way?

I think all toddlers are different and it sounds like your dd knows what she wants. At the end of the day, if she doesn't like it, you can take her out!

If you're anything like me, you'll spend your free time cleaning or something anyway!!!

Good luck whatever you go with+

[misdee]

dd1 wanted to go from the age of 3, when i living near a school. maybe i'll give it a shot

[Ghosty]

Go for it misdee ... I would if I could! DD is only 4 months old and I would love to have just one morning a week to myself from when she is 6 months ... ho hum ...

[webmum]

If money is not an issue, do it!

I put dd at nursery for 3 sessions a week when she was 13 months and I got back to life again!!

I did all sorts of things, housework, clothes shopping for me, sometimes spent the whole morning on mumsnet.., but after a whole year of caring for her 24/7 with little help from anyone else, I desperately needed the time for myself!!!

One of my favourite activities was to go and have breakfast at a local cafe with a magazine, it felt like luxury!!!

[misdee]

the money thing isnt much of an issue, i can afford it, but it may make me a bit short at times. i think she may be entitled to a free/cheaper place at the nursery in sept 05, but i know she isnt gonna wait that long.

[marialuisa]

I think you should give it a whirl. some kids are ready for that interaction/environment earlier than others, regardless of whether they "need" to be in it. You have nothing to lose by giving it a trial and if it doesn't work out it doesn't matter because she can just stay with you f/t for a bit longer.

[SoupDragon]

DS1 and 2 both went to day care for 2 full days a week from when they were 2. It was/is a break for me and they both loved it.

DS2 (3) is due to start at the nursery attached to DS1s school in September for 3 mornings (in addition to his 2 full days elsewhere!) mainly because I have so much trouble getting him out of DS1s classroom in the morning.

[codswallop]

I do but dont need to really. ds2 (3.5) does three mornings and will so till he goes to school a year in spetmber.
ds3 is starting to do some when I start Jp ing.

I do feel that there are a lot of mums though who do send heir kids to nursery all day every day and even in school hols because they dont reallylike them!

[Janstar]

Some 2 year olds want to be home with mummy, others want to go out every day. Luckily for me ds is the latter. He goes stir-crazy if kept in all day.

I farm him out quite a bit. I don't have regular work but I do bits and bobs at home. Basically small children do my head in and the remaining 6 or 7 hours a day that I am looking after him are enough for me. He's happy, I'm happy, no problem then

[Lonelymum]

My dd used to go to a childminder who happened to be a neighbour one morning a week. She loved it and went to music classes that I would never have bothered with if she had been with me. I used to look forward to my free morning each week with great enthusiasm even though I usually didn't do anything special. If she wants to go and someone will have her and you can afford it, and especially, if you would like some time to yourself, GO FOR IT!

[codswallop]

I agree Lm but some omothers famrthem off and never se them - I was talking tot he owners of ds2's nirsery - iots is very sad actch

dontknowwhey they have them

[geogteach]

DS and DD currently do 3 days a week each when I work, i'm about to give up and we have decided we can afford 3 days between them, the temptation is to let DS have all 3 as he's been there longest and is a pain at home but DH is determined that DD gets some as DS has benefitted so much socially from going and on a purely selfish note the nursery are potty training geniuses and we want her trained there rather than doing it ourselves!

[posyhairdresser]

Codswallop - what's Jp ing?

[codswallop]

magistrate

[posyhairdresser]

Wow