To feel like I’ve messed up ds’ childcare?

[Wantingtosleep]

Ds attended a private day nursery 3 days a week, seemed happy and settled. Then I went on maternity leave. I kept him there for three days and it was nice, it gave me a chance to have a break and kept his place open. Then he seemed to be struggling a bit. I decided to take him out for one day (so two days a week) and enrolled him in a preschool for two mornings attached to his future primary school.

But now my return to work is imminent. I wanted two days but it will have to be three. So I’ll have to either have him do three days nursery two mornings preschool which is a lot or withdraw him from preschool which also feels disruptive! I feel like I’ve messed up a bit … help!

Are you worried that “it’s a lot” to keep him in both from a cost perspective or from whether it’s too much for him to cope with?

If it’s the latter, and if he’s going into reception class in September then I’d think that it’s a good time to increase his hours so that he can be ready for full time school in a few months time.

If it’s a cost issue then obviously only you can say!

Does it have to be 3 days and 2 mornings? Could you drop pre school to one morning?

FWIW I don't think it is a lot when you think that they will be in full time school soon.

I would keep him in the pre school and send him to nursery 3 days. He is likely to have got used to it now so where he was struggling before then maybe he will be ok now. The preschool is important for future bonds at primary school

I'd start building up his hours at nursery if they let you - it's not a lot they will be at school before you know it

I had a similar situation except the pre school had to be five mornings. I used a childminder for the three afternoons I was working. Could that work for you? It was more ‘homely’ and less full on for him that having two ‘schools’. It worked well for DS2 as well who also went to the childminder rather than nursery.

Three days and one at pre school.

Or a childminder to collect from pre school.

What is the plan from September?

I think three days at nursery while you work and two mornings at preschool when you're off sounds great.

Thank you for the replies.

@ditzzy I mean more from it being a lot for him to cope with … feels disruptive. But I suppose he’ll be going from September 25 anyway.

It is very rural. So no childminders and I’m not sure Ds would suit that setup either if I’m honest.

If he's already settled at both then I'm sure he'll be fine OP. A five day week isn't far off for him anyway. Mine was always in nursery FT and did a year in quite a formal preschool too but she was SHATTERED when she started school. Upping his hours now would probably do no harm.

It's the norm here for nurseries to do pick up and drop off at the local preschools, it's a shame you can't do that.