When to get my little one into part time nursery.

[debbie1412]

Hiya

I have a 11 month old ds, im a stay at home mum but i find it a struggle entertaining him through the working week as alot of the baby group activities for his age are in the morning while he is napping (1.30-2HRS long) so normally its afternoon shopping, park or swimming for us i was thinking about letting him go to nursery for 2 afternoons a week. It wont be for a few months yet maybe november when the weather turns and our social activity will be limited to indoors he'l be 14 months. I know babies got to nurseries at a much younger age and for longer periods but what i want to know if people dont have too would they send there child at 14 months or would they wait abit longer.
Bit long winded lol

[vicki2010]

I would say go for it! it'll give him something constructive to do and yourself a break,their hard work at that age even if they are 'well behaved' babies!

[An0therName]

Hi - if you think it would work for you why not -i think 2 1/2 days works well - and it would be nice for you to have a break -
He may start having a nap in the afternoons though in a bit

[Ophicleide]

I wouldn't consider it for a single second if you don't have to. Could you try gently shifting his nap time so that he naps after lunch rather than before? Mine used to nap from about 12.30-2, then would go to bed at 6. That way, you can do things with him in the morning and not feel that he 'should' be at nursery in the afternoon.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

You might find it difficult to find a nursery that will accept him for just 2 half day sessions.

Also it won't be long and he'll be having one long nap after lunch, so your morning options will increase a lot and his nursery time will mainly be spent sleeping.

[supadupapupascupa]

By the age of 14 months you might find his nap has moved to the afternoon. My DS (nearly 2) still sleeps from 1:30pm to about 4pm every day.
That would make afternoon nursery sessions a waste of time....

[Ophicleide]

To go back to your OP, OP, I wouldn't bother with nursery at all until 3 at the earliest, unless you have no choice.

[fivegomadindorset]

It won't do him any harm whatsoever, and will give you a chance to do stuff that you need to do, therefore enabling you two to have some more quality time together.

[TrompetteMilitaire]

Disagree. There's no such thing as 'quality time' with small children. They want (and need) your time. All your time. Full stop.

[An0therName]

Trompette, are really you saying no parent should ever leave their child in childcare - if the op was saying shall I leave my DC with grandparent would you have an issue?
-that said I do think that sometime people confort themselves that the time they have with their DC's is quality time - I am not sure that it makes up for very limited time with your kids - mother or father- but this isn't the case with this thread - sounds like she has plenty of time with her DC

[An0therName]

sorry op some preschool would take children from 2 - would be probably cheaper than nursery - if you think that might be an opition have a look round and some have waiting lists so maybe think about that

[inmysparetime]

How about playgroup? They usually run more sessionally than nurseries. If you wish there was an afternoon tots session, perhaps others are too. Maybe you could get together with some other mums and start your own, as halls often find afternoons hard to fill. Sure start may be able to help you with start up information.

[TrompetteMilitaire]

AnOtherName: no, I wouldn't have an issue with that. I have an issue (if you want to call it that) with small children not getting one-to-one care from someone who thinks they're the most brilliant little person on the planet. Grandparents would definitely fall into this category. If my or DH's parents had been local, I'd have been very happy to leave the DCs with them. Sadly, they are miles away!

[fivegomadindorset]

Now Trompwtte, can I coerce you to come look at the real world, or in other words fuck off.

[TrompetteMilitaire]

Fivegomad: ooh. Nice.
If the real world if full of people telling one another to fuck off, I think I'll give it a miss.
(Strangely, I don't know of any such people in my own real life. Fortunately.)