Hello nursery experts! Hoping you can share some advice / experiences.
Our son will be going to nursery in August aged 12 months (10.5 corrected for prem). We have a choice of two and are struggling to decide which is the better option. WWYD?
Option 1: very close to my work
Pros:
- Easy drop off and pick up (for me)
- Open all year
- Open 8-6 and I can flex my hours around his timings
- Baby room staff seem lovely
- Take children from 3 months so his prematurity won't be a problem
- They provide all meals
- I'm right there to pick up if he's not well
- He can start a couple of weeks before I go back to work so he can settle
Cons:
- Hassle (45 min drive out of town) for DH or my parents to drop off or collect if I can't for any reason
- DS will probably fall asleep on journey home
- Baby room is small and was stuffy on the day I visited (nicer areas for older kids)
- Tiny outside space, no grass, feel like they prob stay in one room for most of the day.
- thinking of the future, what if e.g. we have another child and I'm on mat leave but still have to drive him 45min to & fro? Or if I change jobs? (Though I'm unlikely to want to unless they make that decision for me!)
Option 2: very near home
Pros:
- Much more spacious - bigger baby room and also have soft play room and separate room for additional activities
- Large and nice outside space with AstroTurf
- DH or my parents can easily do drop off / pick up.
- 5 minute walk home
Cons:
- Open 8.30-5.30 so DH would have to drop off so I can pick up (harder for him to flex his hours than for me)
- Closed 5 weeks a year including a 3 week chunk in the summer. We normally wouldn't take holiday in August until DS is at school
- Accept kids from 12 months so he'd be a bit behind as he was prem
- He can almost certainly only start in September so I would have to take an extra week or so's holiday and go back to work later
- They only provide snacks so packed lunch required (not a deal breaker obviously)
All thoughts, tips and experiences welcome! Thank you