I have a 10.5 month old and I go back to work mid august. Originally she was going to start nursery in June, 2 mornings a week, and we would ramp up in July to 2 days per week, 3 days per week in August then full time in September. Perfect.
Now with Covid, things have changed. The Nursery can offer 3 days per week in August, but the settling offered in July looks like:
- Wk 1 Half an hour with me and key worker in the garden
- Wk 2 Half an hour without me, just key worker (no babies) in garden
- Wk 3 an hour with key worker and babies in garden
4 Wk 4 - 3 days per week at nursery
I'm really worried about how she is going to handle this. The 2 x half hour a week a part almost feels pointless for her - will she really become familiar? And this is a baby who has had no-one but mum and dad since Lockdown started. We have no family nearby to go an sit in the garden with regularly.
During the last week 2 neighbours have come up to her in the pram to say hello when we left the house and she's had an absolute meltdown. Petrified. She seems fine with people at a distance, but up close, not so sure. I get her out every day, walks, parks, beach, anywhere with people, but they are obviously never that close.
We had some friends round the garden last week, she was scared at first but became comfortable eventually.
I have approx 6 weeks to get her ready. With the current restrictions - do you have any suggestions? Do babies just 'get on with it', am I overly concerned or are my concerns reasonable given the strange circumstances. All I can think of at the moment is selecting a friend or two and asking them to break the 2 meter guidance to regularly spend some time with her.
I feel absolute dread at the thought of leaving a screaming baby behind with a practical stranger, but I have to go back to work and she has to go to nursery.