To send DD to nursery on Christmas Eve?

[Iwantquavers]

DD was a year old end of November and she goes to nursery FT. I’m a teacher and because of us being away on holiday for half term and for the first week of January, we haven’t actually had any time where she’s been in nursery and I’m off work - in other words, I’ve either been at work or had DD with me since starting in September.

This year we finish on the 23rd December. We get paid on the 25th, this year that’s a Saturday and Christmas Day anyway, so will be paid on the 24th. I really need to do some last minute shopping and it would be much faster and less stressful to do it without DD. I’m also genuinely wondering if she might prefer to be in nursery than in her pushchair going round the shops.

But I’m worried she’ll be the only baby there and the staff might prefer to be with their own families. Any thoughts?

@Girlonit

That’s been my reasoning but prepare to be flamed. It might be fun and paid for ‘service’ but it doesn’t compare to the much needed parent/child time needed, especially when parents are spending such large amounts of time working, childcare is not a substitution for parental time.

However as in the OP’s case and other cases I completely understand if it’s necessary to send them in.

Send her in, go straight to shops and get everything done as early as possible before it gets crowded, throw everything in car (if driving) or under your feet (if public transport), grab a coffee and breathe.

Collect dd, bring her for a walk while it's bright, go home and make cookies or dance to Christmas tunes on the radio or have a carpet picnic watching a cartoon/movie. Relax with her, get her to bed calm and quiet, get stuck into wrapping etc, drink wine, sleep.

Admittedly, after dd had come to work with me for a couple of hours on Xmas eve (office open, Creche not, loads DCs in), we'd meet Dh on shopping street for last minute shopping and lunch, then fun at home including baking cookies and peeling veg etc before a quiet evening.

Even at 1, dd was helpful with prep. Go get potatoes from the cupboard, get a pot from the drawer, here's a spoon to stir the breadcrumbs for the stuffing. And cookies on Christmas Eve are a simple recipe to do from scratch but also that we do earlier in December so I freeze half the earlier batch to just slice and bake from frozen if the day is too chaotic. But they are Santa's snack so dd has to join us in the kitchen and help a bit (and generally likes being involved - even now at 15 she cooks a lot for herself but wants to do things together at times, and we still must make the cookies).

It must be a area thing @modgepodge. My nursery is 8-6, my children go all year but there’s term time only option which a few of my teacher friends children do. It’s a local authority run centre, but one of my friends children is in a private nursery and also term time only. Although I don’t know if all of them offer that option.

And go to town with a list, putting people you might get in the same shop together and trying to identify the shops you want to get to, the quickest route around and which will get really busy to go to first and which can be left as likely to be quieter.

If you're married why haven't you had any child free time for months though?

No issue to send her Xmas eve, she's 1, but where's your DH in all this?

Oh completely @Tillsforthrills. I know some parents need to or want to, I’ve no problem with either. My role means I sometimes need to work Christmas Day, although I’ve luckily avoided it since having my children. The op asked opinions though and that’s mine.
Although I also couldn’t think of anything worse than going shopping Christmas Eve, so I’d be of the mindset of if I’ve not got it by then I’ll do without. Or if we really needed it I’d send Dp! I do go for a minimal stress Christmas though so much unnecessary stuff gets bought and I’m just not about that.

Our school finish today and I know the teachers are all happy to be getting a few days next week to be able to get organised. I'm sorry you don't have that luxury @Iwantquavers (I hope you get a nice chunk in January to relax and recoup!)

I'd send her in. You won't be the only one and if the nursery is open, the staff will be there. It will be be an early pick up anyway.

Have a lovely break, when it finally comes round.

The service is there to fill a need.

You have a need, they're in the business to fulfill it.

Stop overthinking it!

If I sent my 2 year old he'd probably not even say goodbye he'd just storm in, and if he was the only kid there then it'll be a nice peaceful day for the nursery staff.

Collect her early and don't feel bad. She would probably prefer nursery to the shops

Personally I wouldn't. I never feel like I get enough time with my children and that time is precious (also a teacher) so I would make a nice day of it. Stroll around shops, lunch out etc. I know she is just little but she will love to look at the lights etc surely and have a trip out with you

@Couchbettato

I’m not sure nursery staff are as thrilled as people make out as it means they can’t get home early to their loved ones or catch up on planning/getting things ready for the new year but of course, they aren’t technically entitled to an early finish if people have paid for the day.

@Girlonit, because she is full time she can attend two days a week in school holidays.

However, we were on holiday at half term so I didn’t use it then, and we are on holiday the first week of January, so I won’t be using it then.

I don’t know why you keep using the word ‘odd’. I don’t really see it as odd to sometimes want a bit of a break.

I wouldn't, although our nursery is closed on Christmas Eve so I wouldn't be able to anyway!

I have always sent my DDs in on Christmas Eve, usually because I've been working but nursery closes early, at 2pm on Christmas Eve so it's a short day. It's usually a bit quieter but there's still a few children there.

This year DD1 has started school so we're off with her on Christmas Eve. I'm still sending DD2 in for the morning to her nursery as it's a fun day, we're paying for it anyway and it gives me some one to one time with DD1 which she never gets as DD2 is usually around (I'm off with DD2 two days a week when DD1 is at school.)

I’m a teacher, my children never go to childcare while I’m off work. It does mean I haven’t had a day without them since my eldest was born 5 years ago, but I can’t justify the cost of a childcare on a day when I’m not working!

It’s not about money, though. It is genuinely about what is best for DD.

Where I used to work closed over the Xmas period, so I can’t speak for other nurseries, but the last day we were open was always a very chilled day. We did a few seasonal activities, ate some of the less-than-healthy snacks and just played with the kids.

If the service is open, they’re expecting to work. It might be nice if you can pick her up early, but sending her shouldn’t be an issue.

A morning in the buggy in busy shops with masks/queues/etc is not quality parenting time!
I'd absolutely send her to nursery, bomb round the shops quickly and pick her up early to do something fun.

Needs must but to say children prefer nursery to spending time with their parents doesn’t seem right. If you have the circumstances that require it so be it but don’t use that as an excuse.

Children will always prefer their parents but that’s not the focus, it’s the fact that it’s been paid for and is convenient for the parents. No one seems to mind what’s best for the children?

This is not aimed at OP.

Even at 1, dd was helpful with prep. Go get potatoes from the cupboard, get a pot from the drawer, here's a spoon to stir the breadcrumbs for the stuffing. And cookies on Christmas Eve are a simple recipe to do from scratch but also that we do earlier in December so I freeze half the earlier batch to just slice and bake from frozen if the day is too chaotic. But they are Santa's snack so dd has to join us in the kitchen and help a bit (and generally likes being involved - even now at 15 she cooks a lot for herself but wants to do things together at times, and we still must make the cookies).

At twelve months, seriously? DD can’t walk yet, and she wouldn’t understand if I asked her for potatoes or whatever!

“ I can’t justify the cost of a childcare on a day when I’m not working!”

Neither can we (my husband is the teacher) but the OP isn’t paying for term time only childcare and some people don’t have that option at all

I’m someone who picks up my children early if I finish earlier for whatever reason (eg lunchtime Christmas parties in the past), but many people don’t and that’s fine too.

I absolutely sent my kids to nursery on Christmas Eve. Sometimes I was working, other times I just had stuff to do. There is no law to say you must be working to send your child to nursery.

And now they are at school... they go to after school clubs even though I could collect the directly from
School at 3pm.

Do it and enjoy your freedom OP! I agree with PP you should enjoy a coffee & cake break x

She will not be on her own in Nursery, for a lot of parents that's still a working day. I have to collect mine by 4...I'm hoping for an early kick out at about 2ish and i will not be rushing to collect her.

Use that time for you and do something nice...also you will be amazed how quickly the day goes. It's scary how time speeds up when you get a second to yourself. Enjoy it!

@Pebbledashery

Sorry Xmas eve 😂😂 I'm not that mean

I was thinking.... no judgement... but oh, wow 😆