I have 3 year old DS, 4 in July. We're not in the UK, so I think preschool options are different, but where we live (US) he will start school at Kindergarten at 5 years 2 months.
He has always stayed at home with his dad or my DMIL. I WFH so pop in and out through the day between meetings or during breaks and lunch. That was always important to me and I know how lucky we were to make that work. But I am now worried I've made a mistake.
We don't have any other family where we live (moved for husbands job, works late shift). So no real 'village', which has meant DS has spent almost every minute of his life with 1 of the 3 of us. He has always been a clingier child but lately it is even worse, and I thought it got better around this age!
I'm starting to get really worried about him leaving us for school. Right now on the few occasions we have left him - church and a club - he just cries and cries until they end up calling us to come back and get him. At the church class he was even with someone he knows well enough and still was so upset.
We could try to pay for a private pre school for a year. It would be financially difficult but doable. The US is honestly such a shit place right now I hate the idea of it not being an official place attached to a school. But that may just be me being ridiculous, I know that! I still think he will be a mess the whole time until maybe he would get used to it? I looked into places where I could stay for a few hours each day to help settle but couldn't see anything.
Or is it better to wait until Kindergarten? A year is a long time in their development at this age, will he get better by then? Are Kindergarten teachers used to this? Is he normal or is this age expected to not cry when a parent leaves? He is a sensitive child just by his personality generally.