From Nursery to a Childminder - what do I do?

[Clixsy]

This is my first post on MN. I'm in a real conumdrum and would love some advice.

My little boy has just turned 3. He has attended nursery since he was 9 months old. Unfortunately we had to move him from an amazing nursery back in August. He is now attending a different nursery 3 days a week with 2 days a week with mum-in-law.

As I'm training to be a teacher this year I have been unable to do the pick-ups and drop-offs to his new nursery - my db has been doing this. Over the last few months he has become increasingly unhappy with the nursery and has submitted notice (3 months). The nursery is an outstanding nursery and I was v happy when I visited it in the summer - however I have to respect both my db and my mum-in-laws concerns.

My db and mil visited another nursery with my boy that they are happy with. As it's half-term this week I went to visit on my own. I came out of there in tears! Given the baby boom in the area it is the only nursery about with vacancies. It is an OFSTED outstanding nursery but it is very big.

I know he isn't a baby anymore, but I'm worried about the size and I just didn't get the "cared for" feel when I went to visit.

My only other option now is to explore Childminders but as he has been in nursery pretty much all his life I wonder whether he would get enough from a Childminder?

Has anyone had to change from nursery to childminder at this age?

Go and meet a few childminders in your area and talk to them. I am a childminder and the children in my care have as much activities as the local nursery and probably more new experiences as we go out and about exploring lots of new places. I also meet up with other CM for playdates etc so they get to socialise a lot too.

Some of the threads on here have been awful about nurseries, go for a childminder.

I am a CM and have had children coming to me from nursery. It's not a problem.

Sorry, that should say dh! I've got myself into a state about this! I chose my first nursery because it was amazing and I really wish we could've stayed there but we had to move. I continued with the second nursery because of my experiences with the first nursery but also because of the social skills aspect, being around other children his own age and the fact that I knew that if someone was having an "off day" or sick, then there would always be other staff on hand. I do worry that going to a CM will mean a far bigger reduction in children to socialise with for him, especially his own age and I think that he is probably too old for toddler groups now that he is pre-school age. I really don't know what to do on this one!

I am a childminder and I have been in daycare, I can see your predicament but have you considered a cm plus a pre-school attached to school, that you would like him to attended. He would make friends and have the excellent care all cm's can give.

Considering he is 3 I would enroll him in to a state nursery so he starts after Easter and use a childminder. So he goes to childminder in morning then from 12 to 3 nursery and childminder picks up.

Plenty of CMs will accommodate taking and collecting a child to/from pre school. Your child can still get to know other children the same age by attending local toddler groups and a good CM will extend their play while they are there, to ensure it is age appropriate.

Shop around and see what is available and what the similarities/differences are.

Thank you to everyone for your replies - I'm going to have a long chat with DH about our options. I'm not certain that my little boy would understand going to pre-school for a session and then returning to be with a CM as he is so used to being in that environment all day long.

Can I suggest you go in late a couple of mornings leave late - i know its not the done thing, but you can cite a couple of doctors appointments. Then you can judge for yourself if you think the nursery is unacceptable.
He need to go to some sort of nursery when he's three.

He doesn't have to go to nursery or preschool at all. He can just go to a CM.

your child is 3, i am sure he will understand being at preschool and childminder, or quickly get used to it, as he will se all the other kids at his nursery doing the same.