No nursery settling session

[frillseeking]

My 2 year old is due to start at a nursery for a few mornings a week soon and there are no settling sessions due to Covid. I've spoken to other mums whose children have recently started at other nurseries and one stayed in the garden for the first few sessions and another was allowed in wearing a mask etc. My LO is confident being left with family but hasn't been to a nursery before and I am anxious about sending her somewhere new and not being able to go in at all. Has anyone else's nursery had the same policy?

Hey OP, my DD started nursery a month ago and I was also told there would be no settling in sessions. I worried about this for a couple of days and then called them, saying I had concerns about how my DD might settle in a completely alien environment without anyone familiar there. I was worried about the long term issues this may cause.

They were understanding and said I could go in for a 30 min session . I got the impression lots of parents raised similar concerns.

Might be worth calling them and discussing this.

My kids are adults, but when they started nursery you weren't allowed in. They said kids settled quicker if they didn't expect to find a parent there. It was an inclusive setting because dd1 has sen

Well before lockdown in 2018, my DD's nursery discouraged long 'settling in' sessions. I stayed for about 10 minutes her first day, and that was it. It worked fine and I'm not really sure even 10 minutes was needed. They also encouraged parents to stand or sit quietly to one side rather than engaging (which would be more doable for social distance). The rationale was that it's actually easier on a child if it's all brisk and cheerful, and I have to say it worked very well.

Hey rachel thanks for replying. It's good to hear of similar experiences. I did ask them over email about settling sessions and they said they can't offer any but can offer a zoom session but it's the thought of just leaving her at the gate that worries me. I'd be happy to wear PPE and just take her in and leave shortly afterwards but they're saying that's not possible so I'm having second thoughts

Do they have an outdoor area you could have an initial session in? I agree with others that long settling in sessions aren't always a good idea, but I was exactly the same as you, the thought of just dropping them off somewhere they don't know bothered me.