Will this be too much for DS?

[Shefliesonherownwings]

I am currently on maternity leave with DS and will be going back to work in January. I’ve agreed with work that I will work 4 days a week and have one NWD. I have to be in the office specific days due to how busy we get on those days.

DS is registered to start with a local nursery when I go back but this week they have told me they cant have DS for two mornings I’ll be at work, they’re not consecutive days. My MIL will have DS two afternoons a week. Now we’re trying to work out what to do for those two mornings the nursery can’t have him and are looking at childminders.

If we find a childminder to have him it’ll mean he goes between nursery, childminder and my MIL over the four days. One morning here and one afternoon there. Am I wrong to be worried about how DS will cope with all the chopping and changing and going to different people all the time? I’m worried he won’t know what’s going on and it’ll be too much instability. Are kids ok with these sorts of set ups?

Personally id find a childminder to do the hours nursery were booked for and cancel the contract on the grounds that they are not able to fulfil it. A childminder is registered and inspected to the same standards as nursery and provides the same education and care but will also work along side you and granny and typically be able to step in should she need time off.

I wouldn’t do that. One childcare is better usually, two at a push. Three no way.
For secure attachment they really need consistency.
A childminder that can do the lot or a different nursery that can do the lot is far better. Family childcare is never a good idea.

I'd go with childminder OR nursery, not both. Isn't there a different nursery you can send him to?

I’ve rung other nurseries nearby but they can’t do all the days we need either. They all get booked up really early round here. We put DS on the nursery waiting list when he was tiny but they have a backlog from last year so they’re already full up on those two mornings.

That’s what I was worried about with the inconsistency and instability. @Megan2018 why is family childcare never a good idea?

I’d definitely go for 2 childcare settings max. Can MIL swap to whatever nursery can’t cover?

@BeaBeaBuzz unfortunately not. She has those two afternoons off as she has my nephew on those days as well and they work best for DB and DSIL so I can’t ask her to change for us as it would be a problem for my nephew.

I would definitely recommend full days only, especially if he’s still young and still napping. I wouldn’t be happy moving settings at lunchtime etc

I would cancel the nursery on the grounds they can’t fulfil the contract, and go with childminder and MIL.

I think he will get used to whatever childcare he is given, but you might find he prefers one to the other !

Thanks all, I appreciate the replies. @BeaBeaBuzz MIL has to be in her office every day, which is why she does 2 afternoons instead of one full day. I agree it would be better but she has changed her hours specifically to help out me and DSIL which is very kind of her and helps us out a lot.

I’m already anxious about DS going to nursery so I’ll see what local childminders can offer us instead and hope we can get one of them to take him for all the hours we need.