Cobbled together childcare - would this be cruel?

[VaselineOnToast]

Would you say that the following childcare scenario was too disjointed and inconsistent for a 3-year-old? This is my only reservation about going back to work 3 days a week.

Day 1: 0930-1730 with grandmother 1
Day 2: 0930-1700 with grandmother 2
Day 3: 0830-1450 preschool nursery; 1450-1800 childminder

I don't want to move my son into a private full-day nursery because he'll be starting school next year and it makes sense for him to stay at the school's nursery. If free childcare hours also covered childminders, that'd be amazing, but unfortunately they don't!

Thanks for any input.

They can cover childminders, if cm is prepared to register.

4 settings over 3 days is probably a bit much. Could he not do mornings at nursery and grandmothers alternate pick ups? That aside, my childminder offers the free hours.

The third day seems a bit too much.
Could he do two mornings in the preschool, with a grandmother picking him up two afternoons (instead of doing one whole day)?

Otherwise I would do the childminder who will let you use the free hours.

Sorry, I phrased that incorrectly: all his free hours are used up by nursery and there are no morning places available. He could do afternoons but there's nobody to drop him off or pick him up... Neither grandmother leaves the house much so I couldn't impose that on them .

It's all a bit shit.

Most settings are not keen on you doing one session, as it’s very hard for the kids to settle. How about 3 mornings at pre school?

Cross post - am confused. How are his hours used up in one session?

My friend has a wee boy who has been doing a very similar since 14 months. He is a happy content wee boy, gets to spend lots of time with people who love him and see other children. He is 2 now. Nothing wrong with it at all.

Teeny, he'll be going to preschool for 2 full days and one afternoon session. Or if he's not happy doing full days,, it'll be 3 afternoons (no mornings available). The days I mentioned above are just the ones when I'd be working.

I think I'd be more worried about a 3yo spending 2 days with grannies who don't leave the house much. He'll need to be burning off energy somehow.

I think that's fine, I'm a childminder and often have children doing similar quite happily.

Why not use the pre school on your working days and pay a childminder to do drop off and collect?

Well if he is already at the setting then that doesn’t seem too bad. Not ideal, but not that bad

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Unfortunately, his days at preschool are fixed, so they wouldn't necessarily correspond with my working days.

It'd be great if I could just work while he was at preschool then pick him up myself, but that'd just be too easy, wouldn't it?

Why not use a Cm for the 30 hours (3 days) what you will be working?

What’s his relationship with grandparents like currently? If close and has spent a lot of time with them then it all looks fine to me.
Also if already at pre school so the childminder is the only extra thing then this is a great way of getting back to work.
Personally I would reduce the preschool on your non working days (just cos it’s free doesn’t mean you have to use the whole time) and spend some time at home but I appreciate that different families want different things so that’s just a suggestion to make the week less busy and build in some relaxation time

I would wonder how much stimulation and activity he's going to get with 2 grandparents who don't go out much children need to be out and physical.
personally I would change to 30 hours or stretched 22 with someone like a cm who works the days you work, get grannies to alternate the odd afternoons if any not paid for and have him to myself when I'm not working to enjoy and spend time with.
Educationally and developmentally there is no need to use a preschool over a good childminder (or yourself if you go out socialise do messy play encourage independence skills etc.) I've had many children who have done better not going to school nursery.

Hi, I'm in Scotland so we don't get 30hrs of free childcare, just 16, unfortunately.

My son has a great relationship with his grandparents, as they cared for him while I was working from age 1 to 2.5. I did dislike the lack of outdoor time and the overuse of TV but I can hardly reprimand them if they're doing it for free and developing loving relationships with their grandson. I left my last job 18m ago and have been looking for work closer to home ever since. There's a chance I might be offered a 3-day position but I'm so anxious about this piecemeal childcare situation.

Jannier, I know just what you mean about preschool not being necessary. However, it's where he spent his ante-pre year too (that is, he's currently there mornings) and he's made friends. They go on trips to the "big school" too to familiarise them with it. I'd be reluctant to take him out, especially since it took him 8 weeks to settle.

If we ever have another child, I'm bypassing the grandparents and going straight for a childminder!!

Thanks for all your opinions and experiences. I just needed some other perspectives.

I think it's fine. It's established childcare. It's not like he doesn't have any experience of it. He'll love being around all of those different people that he loves.

I think it will be fine