Nursery 1 day/2 mornings a week...too unsettling to be a good idea?

[NinkyNonker]

We're thinking of putting dd into nursery either one whole day, or 2 half days per week in a couple of months time. She'll be about 16 months, has never been to nursery but is a confident, sociable little girl.

I'm a SAHM but am pregnant and we think that it'll be good for me to have a break both when big and with a littley around...and that she'll enjoy some sociable time with her age group.

My worry is whether it is too little time a week, whether she will be unsettled and unhappy each time? Is it too little time for it to become a familiar environment or will she be able to remember it and the people/children etc do you think?

We couldn't afford much more time without being excessive, but I'd rather keep her with me than have her upset.

Does anyone have experience of this sort of thing?

[crispface]

I think that 2 mornings per week, as against one whole day per week would be much les unsettling for her - have you spoken to the manager of the nursery? What does she say?

Have you been to look around and see how your daughter reacts to the place? what are your gut instincts?

[hermionestranger]

I started DS1 on 1 half day a week, then upped it to one day, the one and a half, then two, then two and a half from the age of 20 months to 4.10. So no I don't think it's too short a time it's a nice amount of "break away from Mummy" time. It helped my DS no end, he came on leaps and bounds.

[TheGhoulsAreJewelled]

Dd will be going to nursery two mornings a week when she's one. I considered a full day instead, but nursery manager advised against it - she'd 'forget' from one week to the next and need to be resettled.

[CareerChangeWanted]

I think you might find the settling in period takes longer than if she was in more time/week but other than that I think either option is completely fine. She'll love having the playmates and gaining a bit of independence and you'll be less knackered the rest of the time. My DS does 2 days/week and has THE best time at nursery. He can do so many things there that he can't (or I won't) do at home - painting and lots of messy play that I don't want to have to deal with at home with a baby around too for example! And he has some really good friends now who he talks about constantly at home. It's one of the great joys I have how happy he is when he runs down the corridor to the nursery room the morning with a massive grin on his face and not taking a look back at me.

[RitaMorgan]

Two mornings will be fine. A full day is a lot for a little one to deal with though, and one day a week is too little for them to get the hang of it.

[ronshar]

I have started all of my children in nursery with half days. 2 at first then three when I thought they were ready.
It is a bit easier for them to handle a morning than a whole day. Also it is so lovely for you to have a bit of time to yourself and when baby arrives you can sit and stare for hours without a toddler demanding your attention

[NinkyNonker]

Thanks all, I feel really wobbly about it, she is still my baby!

I have 2 in mind, one that a couple of her little friends go to (my friends speak highly of it) and a Montessori nursery that I have had good reviews of but don't know anyone there at the moment.

I think DH and I will arrange to go and see them both and have a chat, with a view to look at 2 half days. I know I'll enjoy the time once I'm confident she's happy somewhere, but it feels weird to think of her not here...

[Justonecheese]

I would definitely recommend 2 half days rather than 1 full day and also not doing two consecutive days, ie better to do a tues and thurs rather than a weds and thurs.

Our DD goes on two consecutive days and then has 5 days with me/DH (I work pt) and by the time it is nursery day again she has forgotten it exists and is very upset when we drop her off :( Having said that she cheers up almost immediately and has a ball whilst she's there, not to mention the social skills she has developed since being there.

[BrandyAlexander]

I agree with justonecheese. We started dd on 2 non-consecutive mornings and that worked well.

[liesandmorelies]

whatever you do dont do one full day a week on a monday. i did this starting at easter i think and with all bank holidays ds never settled as such a long time between each visit. would recommend 2 half days too.

[An0therName]

def 2 half days - its a good idea - saying that my DS2 who is 20 months goes to his childminder only 1 morning a week and is fine with it - but he was going to another childminder more often before that
I would make sure you start at the nursey well before-a month/6weeks your new baby arrives as in my experience more than one big change can be unsettling

[JessieEssex]

My 14mo DD goes to the childminder on Mon and Tues from 10-3 and she's really happy with it. She was briefly going to a different one for one full day a week (on a Monday like liesandmorelies)and never settled there. I didn't think that this would be a problem at first, and in hindsight I'm a bit surprised that the childminder never suggested it as a potential problem when we started (she was only 10mo). The change in her when we started at the new one was pretty much instant. Two days is enough for her to feel that it's part of her routine and the shorter hours are much more manageable for her.