DS wants to go to nursery more- god I must be bad!

[cheekymonk]

My DS is 4 in Jan and currently goes to nursery 3 days a week 9 to 5. He now tells me he wants to go more so he can see his friends more mainly. He says he is not bothered about having tea there so I am planning to sort of adjust him to school type hours, going to nursery Mon to Fri 8 until 3. I will up my working hours from 20 to 30 which I am fine with as we need extra money.
I just feel a bit crestfallen about it really in some ways. He seems to be unhappy and angry at home at the moment. I have put this down to knowing his dad is going away for 7 months (navy) but he shouted in the shops on tues "I don't want to go home". He is as loving with dh and I as normal but his bahaviour is difficult to say the least, arguing, shouting, answering back. He wants his own way constantly.
Is is that he is ready for school and sick of being babyified?? I try and be extra attentive etc knowing his dad is going away and am scared putting him in nursery could be worst thing to do as then is he kind of losing both of us?
I had hoped to try and enjoy our together before school but it seems ds has other ideas!
any advice??

whoops posted that when everyone is doing school run-will try again!

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Could he go 4 days a week - school hours - giving you a long weekend together.

What kind of activities do you do with him when he's not at nursery?

Have you read the thread on Raising Boys?

Don't see him liking nursery as bad! It means you have something good in finding him a good nursery where he's happy. It sounds like is making friends there as well which is also be something you should be pleased about, and pat yourself on the back for bringing up a child who has the skills of making friends!

I know it hurts when your child would rather be at nursery than with you though - mine have both gone through phases of it! Currently ds (nearly 2) is always fetching his shoes at odd times and saying hopefully 'Nursey?'

Yes Twims, have spoken to nursery and they can only accommodate 4 days in any case so that seems the way ahead. I was a bit annoyed that he must stay until 4 instead of 3 but they won't budge.
As for activities we do, well library, park, playing cars etc in bedroom. I admit to not much crafty stuff but nursery do loads. I feel I do entertain him but it is never enough, he likes 1 to 1 constant attention like many kids.
Will look at thread about raising boys, thanks AnnaVR.
Yes Kathy I am glad he loves nursery so much and am relieved he is so sociable/confident when I always had trouble at school. It just felt like a rejection;him wanting more nursery but I need to swallow my pride and get over it and do what is best for him, I know!
Thanks for your supportive comments

dont feel you have done badly, it is a good thing he likes nursery and when everyone else is having an awful transition to school you will be smug knowing that your ds will be adapting just fine!
but it's interesting that you mention it seems to coincide with your dh's going away - is it possible he is rejecting home partly as a way of dealing with the fact that it may seem to him his dad is rejecting him by going away (sorry dont mean to upset you, i know that's not what it is - but if you are four maybe it feels a bit like it).
i have a good friend whose dh is also in the navy and their little boy, who is a bit older, always plays up when his dad is away on a posting - seems to affect him more than his sister altho perhaps because she is older.
you might get some good ideas if you post on the forces' wives thread whatever it's called?

DD loves nursery as she is very sociable, she is disappointed at the weekends as there is no nursery! TBH I think its a good thing as DS at the same age didn't like nursery (much shyer) which is far harder to cope with.

Sociable children like to be with their peers.

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Don't look at it as a rejection, it is just pretty common for many children to enjoy going to nursery at 4. With my ds I noticed that he started to need peers at exactly that age.
As for his behaviour at home, it is perfectly possible that he finds it very difficult to be parted from his dad for such a long time. Perhaps you could try and involve him in a project like collecting mementos of all the things he does while daddy's away? (a scrap book, or a memory box, etc?)

DD was 4 in Sept missed school by 18days! (They only have one intake in my area). I have increases her hrs days to 4 as she is so ready for school and loves being with her friends and all the activities they do.
I wouldnt worry it sounds like he will settle very quickly when he goes to school.

DS1 loved nursery too. He's very energetic and liked being in a room full of children, and I could never be a crowd for him. We used to hang around the playground looking for kids, but he was and is a sociable being and it was much better for me to go to work and pay for him to have fun than for us both to end up frustrated.

(Home only ever became appealing once I had provided a baby brother for him, but that's a bit of a drastic step to take!) He's 8 now and loves school still, but has started, at last, to enjoy chilling out at home with me.

Thanks everyone for your comments. Good to know that I'm not just an awful mum that he wants to escape from!!!