full days or just mornings - what is best

[lorisparkle]

My DS1 is due to start pre-school in September. I have places arranged for the whole week but don't want him to go full time so what is the best.

Do I send him just mornings for the whole week

or a mixture of mornings and whole days

or just a couple of full days

He will be 3 in July and has been going 2 afternoons a week at playgroup. He was fine once he had got used to going but is tired.

Any ideas welcome

[thecloudhopper]

I would do what is best for you and him but personally I would go for 2 full days or 5 mornings. Hope it works out

[ilovesprouts]

my son whos 2.6 goes 2 mornings a week for the time being maybe more but need to see how that goes first

[castille]

Depends on your DS. Does he still sleep after lunch?

Mine (also 3 next month) still needs a long afternoon nap so full days would be too much. So from Sept he'll be doing 4 mornings including lunch, which will be enough for him, but others are fine with full days.

[crokky]

Depends how tired your DS gets. My DS is in his first term at a school nursery (he's 3.3). He never gets tired and so I send him 3 full days a week (til 3.15pm). This seems to be fine for him and he loves it - I think if your DS gets really tired, do the mornings.

[poshtottie]

I have my ds down for 3 mornings but it starts from 8.15 until 11.30 so I think it will be enough for him to start with.

He is also 3 in July.

[2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven]

My DS was 4 at the end of May and still does 5 mornings only at pre-school. When he started at 2.7 he did 3 mornings a week. Then in Sept last year he went up to 5 mornings. He's the only child in his class not to do any afternoons at all but the other "summer" babies only started 1 extra afternoon a week (on top of 5 mornings) this term. Some of the older ones have been going for more full days a week.
Personally I think that kids are in "full time" way too young in this country and I didn't see any need for DS to go for any full days until he starts school in Sept. I know some of them are fine and others get tired, particulary towards the end of the week. Depends on the individual child.

[HalfMumHalfBiscuit]

My DS is 3 in July (end of July) and has been at nursery full time since October, 08.

He will be going to the local village nursery school in the afternoons from September and he can go to part time pre-school in the mornings (its different here in Wales for some reason). No nursery or pre-school on a Friday so he'll only be there 4 days a week.

He has a nap at nursery so we'll see how he deals with the new routine.

I took him this morning to see how he would get on and he enjoyed it but was really ready for his nap after lunch!

I'll have a new baby in October so we'll see how we get on with the new arrangement. DS1 will have shorter days at school than he is doing at the moment but its the nap issue that could be tricky. I think I will see how he does and play it by ear.

[mamatilly]

DS is booked to do 3 full days in september, this will give him 2 full days at home with lazy mornings, outings, baking with mum, cuddling baby(or fighting x)... its such a difficult decision somehow, 5 mornings also nice but somehow i like him to be home for full days still...

[JennyWren]

I had a slightly different situation as DD was already attending nursery for one full day each week, so I use two childcare vouchers to offset that cost. I then started her at preschool for three half day sessions but I very soon changed that to two full days. Two and a half hours seems so much time, until that is all you have

Working around around a newborn's naps and feeds, there just never seemed to be enough flexibility, so for us the 9.15am-3pm slot was better. She had done two mornings a week since 2.5 years old with me there, so we knew she was happy at preschool, and she had often begged to be allowed to stay for lunch and to keep playing. Now i do all my boring chores whilst she's at preschool and have fun with her when she comes home.

Due to my returning to work after my maternity leave, she has also done breakfast club one morning a week since May half term. DD is starting school in September, and as the breakfast club also has children from the primary school, and all the children go on the 'walking bus' trip to drop them off to school, she was delighted to tell me that she already knew where Mrs X's classroom was, and that she would show me when she went for her first settling in session... Although I didn't anticipate it at all, it has turned out to be a fantastic side effect as she is so enthusiastic and confident now about going to Big School, and I would recommend the idea to anyone who has the opportunity.

[summerparade]

My ds1 who will be 4 in September does 2 full days (9-3) and 1 half day. He gets tiered but he loves it and it was his choice! He started off for a term and a half doing 2 half days a week but I used to have to carry him off home with him crying I want to stay so he started doing just that!

[purepurple]

If you have a full time place and don't send him full time, arn't you denying another child the chance of a place?
Just a thought.
Have you asked the pre-school what they advise?
They will be able to give you the best advice.

[pranma]

dgs will be 3 in September and wll go to reschool 2 half days[mornings].