Would I be the worst mum to drop a day at nursery for 1 year old?

[ShadowK]

Hi everyone,

DD is 20 months old and goes to nursery 3 days a week but money is tight and if I drop her down to 2 days then we'll have an extra £300 a month which obviously makes a big difference but I feel guilty for dropping a day when she loves it.

I'm planning on putting her back to 3 days when the 15 free hours kicks in for her in January but I don't know what to do really.

Is two days enough for her to still enjoy herself and learn?

Thanks

Talk to the nursery about renewing the space when the funded hours start so that you are confident they have spaces for when you need them again. Otherwise two days is a nice amount, enough to keep them used to the staff and routines without risk of needing to resettle them when you increase hours again.

Children learn plenty from being at home. Chores we find boring are all learning for toddlers. Helping with washing, counting out veg when you go shopping etc. Stirring the pans when you’re cooking. This is real life learning, at nursery it is all toys and child led activities but they don’t see real life so much. Both are beneficial for learning.

Yeah that’s absolutely fine. Maybe ask what they do at the nursery each day and pick the two days that have something special going on like forest school, messy play or external teachers.

Look out for free things to do on the extra day you have her - lots of churches and libraries run playgroups / music clubs / story time etc. DD will still learn and develop plus children get massive benefits from being with their parents.

Well done for finding a nursery your DD loves - not easy!!

have we just stepped out of the 1950s? You sound very judgemental. I put my son in nursery a day a week from 1 so I could have a day to myself and get things done. I don’t feel the slightest bit guilty, he loves it and I was better on the other days.

I agree. There’s a lot of pressure on parents to only use childcare when they are at work or not at all if they are a “stay at home parent” (must be a better name for this now). It’s too much - it’s exhausting.

Plus children get a lot out of going to nursery - socialising, playing with loads of toys, messy play (on a scale often not possible at home!) 🏡

Would the free 15 hours not be from September rather than Jan? It’s 9m+ from September this year - I’ve just applied for my 1yo

Can apply for it now.

Hi @ShadowK

Your 15 hours will kick in from September. The old way went off the age didn't it. Anyway, if you can manage and your little one loves it I would say keep her in. Me and my siblings have used the same nursery for ten consecutive years for our children and due to the new funding I am unable to get my youngest a space come January. I'm so upset about it.

Are you a carer in that you receive carers allowance? I am also a carer to my older child and have a just turned 2 year old in nursery. Because we are carers we are entitled to the 15 free hours from 9 months. You need to go onto the childcare choices website and apply! My little boy will be starting to use his free hours in September.

Both options are good options - you can't make a "bad" decision here! She enjoys going to nursery, so you're not at all selfish sending her an extra day so that you have some time and space to sort the house. Equally, she'd be perfectly happy pottering around with you for that extra day.

My son didn't start preschool until he got his free hours at age 3. I taught him the alphabet, counting to 20, colours, animals, foods, vehicles.... he is shy and I totally get that nursery may be good for little ones socially but in terms of learning there is so much you can teach them yourself plus free days out or cheap toddler groups to keep them stimulated. And I love that I had all that time with him while he was tiny.

I know OP would have to work very hard to look after her eldest child but the 15 hours from September is for those in paid employment.
Im assuming OP is referring to the 15 hours for a 2 year old that you don’t have to be in employment to receive.

If she is in receipt of carers allowance she is also entitled to the free hours from 2. I am in the exact situation myself.

Yes I know she will be entitled from 2 but others were saying that she will be entitled from September due to the 9 months, but that’s only if you are in paid employment I believe.

If she get carers allowance she will be entitled from September.

She's one. Unless you're planning to take her out of nursery, stick her in front of the TV all day and basically ignore her, she'll be fine. Some children don't go to nursery at all and they are fine too. I honestly think whatever makes you happy - like if you want a day with neither child to catch up on stuff that's fine, if you want a day to do some things with your little one that you couldn't do with the big one, that's fine too.

There’s no way my nursery could keep the space for us if we dropped and then picked it back up, they are so busy and busier with the hours coming in. It’s September though for 15 hours, not January. It’s 30 hours in April I believe.