Starting nursery...

[lindsaygii]

My nearly-seven-month son is starting nursery next week. He'll be there four days a week, all day from about 8.30 till about 4.00pm. On the fifth day he'll be with my mum. so basically, five days a week away from me. So far it's mostly just been the two of us, so it's a big change.

I'm worried that the only time of day I'll get with him will be the witching hour. He currently goes to bed between six and seven, usually at the earlier end of that. So by the time we get home it'll be time to make his tea, then feed him, then get him into bed.

All I'm going to get of him will be tired, moany stuff. Meanwhile, nursery will be getting all the lovely daytime things, learning to crawl (if he ever does!), walk, etc etc.

How do you cope with losing the whole of the day, and just getting that horrible bit at the end?

It's tough isnt it? How about getting up earlier with him so you can get an hour before the day starts with him. Are you able to maybe compact your hours at work so you can leave earlier one day a week?

I have a similar set up to you only it's nursery 3 days and my Mum one day, I get Mondays off with DS. I went back to work when DS was 9 months and at first it broke my heart, I cried loads the week before and for the first week I had to leave him. I remember dropping him off and leaving him for the first time the day before going back to work, I went straight to Tesco to do some shopping. He always used to come with me and I felt so empty and alone, I cried the whole way round Tesco. Luckily it was early in the morning so not many shoppers, the ones that did see me must have thought I was a mentalist though.
It is very hard at first but I bet once he has settled in and you get back into a work routine it will be fine. It makes you make the most of your weekends and those couple of hours before bedtime, you will be so pleased to see him it won't seem so bad if he is a bit grouchy.
Good luck going back to work, hope it goes well

It's a course I'm going back to, and since it's teacher training (and pays a bursary) I've got to be there all the time. No bunking off early!

I will try early mornings. Hard at this time of year! And to be honest, I suspect I'm going to join the 'Tesco Mentalist' club before too long..

Just typing this is making me start to cry. Next week is going to be hellish...

I feel for you, this was me 9 months ago, it does get better I promise.