To put toddler in childcare for half a day a week

[lilyboleyn]

Dd(2) is quite antisocial (like her mum, im afraid). She went on a play date the other day and cried in the other baby's face. I can see a real difference between her (nanny care) and other children who go to nursery. She does go to classes with other kids daily, but I don't think it's doing enough.
Keen to help her learn how to socialise and make friends, I was thinking of putting her in nursery for half a day a week (all we can afford as I'll be going on maternity leave in a few months and we'll lose the nanny then too). Is that a really bad idea? Will she settle with such a low frequency or just be miserable every week? And will it be too disruptive to her to start nursery when she gets a new sibling and loses her nanny? I don't know if aibu or not.

[PerpetualStudent]

On a purely practical level, I'd first check you have a local nursury which would offer half a day a week - when I was looking most would do minimum 2 days a week because of the settling in issue

[lilyboleyn]

Thanks perpetual, yes there are two quite nice ones, albeit a bit pricey.

[RelaxMax]

Very few nurseries would allow that - in our area we only have one that will allow two half days. The others all require at least two days.

Reason being, children don't generally settle if they're only there once a week - especially if they're not that confident socially anyway.

I wouldn't worry - she'll learn to socialise in her own time. She's still really little!

[InDubiousBattle]

Have you looked into local pre schools? They're sometimes cheaper than private nurseries. YANBU at all, I'm a SAHM but ds went to pre school 2 mornings a week at 2 years old and dd will be starring in September. They did specify 2 sessions though as they've found that dc who only do 1 struggle to settle.

[RelaxMax]

Wait till she's 3 and you can get some free (or at least subsidised) hours, and she can be there long enough to settle in.

[Groupie123]

Does it have to be a nursery? Why not a class or a group? I agree with others - have to be in nursery for much longer than half a day a week to get any real social benefit from it. (The one I used to use mandated three half day minimum).

[coddiwomple]

2 or 3 half-days would be better.
Playgroups and classes are great, but because you are there, it's a totally different environment for the child, still a good practice to start socialising, learning to share toys etc.

Don't wait for the "free" 15 hours, do some research. The amount paid to the childcare providers are so low that many refused to take children at all, or demand at least 20 hours a week, and/or charge you for extra such as food. The 15 "free" hours can end up being quite costly for parents.