Keeping 3yr old at home from school nursery for a morning

[MrsPringles]

Donning my hard hat just to be on the safe side!

DS was 3 at the very end of August, just started nursery school 5 mornings per week (had previously been at a private nursery 2 full days a week) He gets picked up by a childminder 3 times per week and stays with her til 6 (other kids there and other pick ups so no chance to sleep) and then the other 2 days I am at home and collect him from school.

He is exhausted. Ridiculously exhausted. Comes home and sleeps for 3 hours, pretty much wakes up for an hour or so play before dinner and is back in bed for bedtime at 6.30

I am so tempted to let him have a day off (well 3 hours as it's just the morning) next week to catch up, weekends we have the boring jobs we need to do and then my days off are gone by him sleeping.

So AIBU to keep him at home one morning next week? He's just 3 and it's nursery school.

[Basecamp21]

He is your child - do what feels right for you and him.

[Cath2907]

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me!

[insancerre]

Yanbu
But be aware if you do it regularly you may lose his place

[Pickleshickles]

I keep mine off one morning a week. Feel no guilt :)

[jaseyraex]

Sounds absolutely fine to me. I have done it a few times, my youngest is similar and is always exhausted on nursery days. You spend a lovely day with him instead.

[Lukeandlorelai4Ever]

Of course you're not unreasonable but sounds like he's sleeping a lot? My dd only went for three mornings a week at 3 years.
Is he otherwise healthy?

[PianoThirty]

Seems fine; but a better solution would be to ask the childminder if the children can have a post-lunch nap. That's perfectly normal at the age of 3.

[Angelicinnocent]

Doesn't hurt now and again but don't make it a set pattern or he may continue to expect it as he goes into later years. Not saying you would allow it but why create problems.

[FoofFighter]

It's not compulsory for them to do 5 sessions a week. Speak to nursery, either about the odd morning off, or making it a regular thing if you can.

My own dd does 3 full days while am at uni, then her two mornings, and most weeks I let her have a morning off and nursery are fine with this, they know she does long hours.

[KarateKitten]

Does sound like way more sleep than typically needed by a 3 yr old. Are they getting 11-12 hrs at night?

[KarateKitten]

But in answer to your post you can do what you like.

[RoganJosh]

Sounds reasonable to me. Is there anything you can streamline at the weekend as well though?

[MrsPringles]

He only does the 3 hour nap marathons on the 2 days he's at home with me. Otherwise he's 6.30/7 - 7ish
So 12 hours at night. He's absolutely fine health wise just tired!

The only thing that puts me off is that, the attendance thing. I definitely won't make this a regular occurrence, it was just a big change for him. 3 days at home with either me or DH and 2 days at a nursery to bam, 5 mornings at school and a new childminder.

[RosyPony]

My son is a similar age, 3 mornings a week is exhausting him so he's gone back to 2 hour afternoon naps most days. It's a lot of stimulation for little minds.

Can you rearrange things a bit so he gets more of a chance to catch up on sleep in the week, would he sleep with the childminders?

[AliPfefferman]

Does he have to attend nursery 5 days a week? Mine only did 3 mornings per week until he started reception. If you don't need the childcare I see no reason to put them in so many hours of school at such a young age.

[MrsPringles]

I will speak to the childminder but because he's not the only minder, I doubt very much that'll he'll nap. He won't want to miss out, I know what he's like!

Plus she has other pick ups and plans afternoon activities for them all.

(She is the only childminder that picks up from his school so moving him isn't an option,I researched endlessly by she really is the only one)

[MrsPringles]

And I also didn't realise they didn't have to do 5 mornings, I might look into dropping 1 if that's something I can do.

Selfishly, I miss him terribly when he's gone and would much rather still have a day at home just him and I whilst he's still so little

[waterrat]

Cant believe you are even worrying about it

[Brittbugs80]

Nothing is compulsory until school age. Is he on 15 or 30 hours free?

[G1raffe]

I don't understand the attendance thing. When mine were at pre school I chose how many mornings I sent them. Neither did their full 15 hours ! I used to make sure I had full days available to go adventuring etc. I'd have hated every morning.

[TeenTimesTwo]

When mine was at pre-school nursery attached to primary I started her at 2 mornings and gradually built up, only doing the full 5 in the last term before school. Things may be different now as this was 10 years ago.

[rightnowimpissed]

I don't know about choosing the days thats certainly not something my 3yr would be allowed to do the school are very clear the times are set and your only off if sick, just be careful and read the parents information first.

[MrsPringles]

The nursery is attached to an academy school, its full on uniform and book bag etc.

In all the initial paperwork it stated that if attendance dropped below 97% they would potentially take our place away so that's why I wasn't sure if I should just keep him home (what my heart says) or send him in (what my head says)

In all honesty, I wish I had left him at the private nursery and started all the school stuff next year when he legally had to be there but hindsight is a wonderful thing

I'm pretty sure I'm just going to do it and keep him home with me

[G1raffe]

You can't choose days? I don't mean changing each week but choosing what you put them in for.

ie one of mine did 9-3 Monday and Tuesday so I had full days to play

Other one did 4 mornings and we had Friday to play.

[G1raffe]

Uniform and b9okbag and attendance at 3!?!?!