Just wondering if anyone else has experienced difficulties with finding a nursery for their LO during Covid etc? Would love to hear some supportive advice and / or experiences similar as I'm a FTM and it's all a bit scary.
Basically my lovely chilled baby has had a complete and total meltdown on the three occasions I've taken him to look around a nursery. All we've done is walk through the door and they've asked me to get him out of his buggy and he's just been in floods of years. He's generally not a tearful baby unless hungry or something definitive, so he's definitely not liking some aspect. The way he cried each time was really distressed and frightened. He's 10 months and has only ever properly met DH and I due to no support bubble. Have had a few walks with other mums recently but not much, and lots of zooms of course but no big groups.
I'm worried about him starting nursery and feel really anxious about it now. I know babies often need settling in but at the moment they won't allow mums to go in, you have to just hand the baby over at the door. This is NOT going to work for me based on how upset he's been each time we have looked around. Also I really don't like the idea of upsetting him this much and although I know it's always hard for a mum to wave goodbye to DC at nursery, this feels worse somehow.
I am incredibly fortunate in that we could afford for me to delay my return to work for a few months longer (I work for myself). Not ideal but could try. I'm thinking should I just wait until Covid is much better and after 21st June when I'll hopefully be able to go along to settling in sessions with him?
I don't want him to be disadvantaged either way. I'm worried the pandemic situation will affect his socialisation in the long run. Does anyone have a view on this? At home with us he seems a pretty content little boy and confident to explore, laughs a lot etc. It's heartbreaking to see him so distraught. Also not even be able to kiss him because of the mask.
Finally - and I'm sort of ranting now - is it just me or are nurseries quite depressing places? I live in london and have looked at 3 so far across a range of prices, all popular chains with a waiting list. They were really depressing places I felt - but I don't know if I'd feel differently if my baby wasn't crying or if times were normal. The rooms looked bleak and toys looked tatty and some of the workers looked bored. Has anyone else found this? I always assumed the nursery thing would be fine. I'm seriously questioning the whole thing now but I don't know if I'm just reacting to his response. Wondering if nanny would be a better option, but then he wouldn't have the benefit of other children.
Can anyone handhold or advise me please?
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Confused about nursery, Covid, and childcare in general! Please help
45 replies
Radial5737 · 04/05/2021 11:07
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