To keep my 3 year old in nursery as well as school

[ihateyoupepapig]

So my ds been in nursery since 7 months old. He adores the teachers and has lots of friends he is very happy there.

However he will be starting to go to the nursery that is in his school that he will be going too.

However when the six weeks holidays come around he will of course be going back to his original nursery.

So I was going to do 4 days in his knew nursery/school. Then one day still in his normal nursery.

This is so when he goes back in the six weeks. He still knows the place and his friends.

My sil thinks I'm being ridiculous and am messing with my child's head.

Can anyone give me so advice please?

Would this be okay for my ds?

Ignore your SIL. You know your child best - if you think that will be best for him then try it. If it doesn’t work then you can always change it - it’s not set in stone.

My son did mornings with his usual Childminder and afternoons at pre-school three days a week. It was perfect for him and he loved it.

Trust your instincts and remember that if anything isn’t working you can revisit it

I had 2 nurseries for my oldest. I work the start of week so he was all day in a private nursery and he went 2 days to the nursery attached to the school he would attend so he could get to know some kids there. The private nursery was quite far from the school so he wouldn't have known anyone starting school at same time as him.
It worked really well. He loved both nurseries and can honestly say it wasn't a problem for him. He was perfectly capable of separating the two nurseries and never got confused or bothered by it. I'm planning the same for my other 2 when they are old enough as lots of my ds's friends are kids he met at the school nursery and it was such a big benefit to him.

I didn't bother with the nursery that was in the school but I think what you are suggesting is fine and better than completely removing him if you are going to use it over the summer. I remember going to different playgroups and had friends at both.

I'm considering doing this. 2 days at private, 2 at school nursery. Problem is I think the school nurseries demand full weeks but I've not looked into it properly.

I think he'll get bored at private nursery cos he's in a room with younger kids. Plus I can see the benefits of him knowing classmates and me knowing other parents.

My DCs went to two nurseries for similar reasons for a few months each. It was fine!

I just didn’t bother with the school Nursery and kept DD in her private nursery until reception but I can’t see any problem with the way you are planning, as long as the school is ok with it as I know some expect you to be full time

Have you checked if the school Nursery will have him for 4 days? School Nurseries only tend to offer 15 hours here, and in their pattern (so might be all mornings or all afternoons or 2.1 full days.

If you love the PVI he is in, then why not keep him there, if you need year round childcare?

Quite common to have 2 nurseries if you need childcare during school holidays, don't listen to sil, or would you consider staying in your private nursery for another year? they should be able to offer you the free funded hours too.

My son went to a private nursery from when he was 12 months, once he was 3 he went to private nursery for 2 days and the school nursery for 3 days. It didn't confuse him at all and he had friends at both of them. My reasoning was similar, I wanted him to have friends that he'd go to school with but also would know some kids when he had to return during school holidays.
He particularly liked it at Christmas time as he got to go to two Christmas parties as they were on days that he was at that nursery, he did miss sports day at both though as they fell on the wrong days.

Yeah that's the reason I what him to start forming friendships for school. In case all the kids make friends then when it comes to reception they have all formed friendships and my d's is the knew kid per say!!

Use have put my mind at ease thank you

That’s really not the case the children form friendships in nursery to reception, any more than they do if they just start in reception.
It honestly makes no difference at all.

I say that as a child psychologist and a mum of 7. I really would not bother with the school nursery unless you have other reasons.

Where I live a place as a school Nursery does not guarantee a place at the primary school to which it is attached, I would assume that’s the same everywhere so you could find your child doesn’t end up at the same school as their friends anyway

Agree it's above. When us your child due to start reception? 2018 or 19? If 19 there us no guarantee your child will be alocated this school, the same goes for the other children. If your main reason for this is to build friendships with children moving from nursery to reception then it might not work out how you expect.

I did this with my DD. Split her place between the private nursery she was attending and the school nursery. It worked out very well and she wasn't at all confused about it.

We did this. DD went to nursery some of the week and school nursery for a day, just so she got used to the school. Was excellent in helping her to transition as she knew the teachers, pupils, building, routine. It didn’t mess with her head!

I’d do it again, definitely.

Yes we did this, totally fine, caused no problems at all.

When our daughter started school we found that hardly any kids knew each other because most of them went to private nursery full time. It's nice to know someone but I don't think it's essential.

You're not condemning him to a life of no mates if you don't send him to the school nursery.

There'll be other new children starting at the school who didn't attend the school nursery. I'd feel I'd be messing my DC about in your shoes.

Also, it's per se. And it's not actually necessary in the sentence you've used :)

Everyone I know who has dc in private nursery are keeping them there until school and skipping school nursery altogether. My two haven't/won't attend the nursery attached to their eventual school because it offers no flexibility, you get offered 5 mornings or afternoons a week .

I moved ds1 from private to school nursery for preschool. Ds2 I kept at private nursery as the school nursery was pretty poor. It made absolutely no difference whatsoever to them settling into reception. I haven’t moved ds3 either. He is already going to be moving to school in a year, why don’t you just let him stay where he is happy for now.

I wouldn't worry too much about friendships at this age.

Also it's "new"

I'm sure it won't cause any problems but just wanted to add, 3 of mine have started reception knowing literally no one. It really makes no difference. That age are so adaptable and reception is such a lovely year. I don't think it's necessary to start forming friendships before this point as they often completely change in the school environment.

I took up the pre-school free funding place so DD did 5 afternoons there but also kept a morning once a week at her private nursery so when the holidays came I had choices. I think it's a great idea and you should ignore your sil and do what you know is best for your child. DD never had any problems and never felt muddled being in two different settings.