Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

WWYD

9 replies

BedandCircuses · 16/06/2022 14:46

I was wondering if I could get some advice or different perspectives on what you’d do in this situation. Apologies if this is long and rambling - I have a four week old baby so not firing on all cylinders! I’m also prone to overthinking everything and post pregnancy hormones definitely not helping!

My nearly four year old son currently goes to both a playgroup and a childminder. He loves both but, come August, he’s going to be the oldest child in both settings. He enjoys both but I’m not sure if being 6months - 2 years older than the other kids is best for him. Both settings are excellent, though: the playgroup is small, with plenty of staff who know the kids really well and total free play throughout the day. The childminder is literally Mary Poppins and we love her.

Frustratingly, I did have him on waiting lists for two nurseries but he’s somehow fallen off their system. They’ve admitted their fault in this but can now only offer him one day a week from August.

Would you keep him in his current places or send him a day a week to the nursery in the hope other days would become available? I’m on maternity leave so it’s only for 2/3 days a week for him to have some fun with people who are more entertaining than post-natal me!

For extra context, my son is incredibly outgoing and confident. He loves playing with other children and talks to anyone and everyone. However, he’s also quite sensitive and we have noticed that he’s become more baby like since becoming the oldest at his childminder - suddenly can’t put his own shoes on, for example. Though obviously this could also be because of his new baby sibling too!

Again, apologies for the ramble and thank you if you made it this far!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
jannier · 16/06/2022 16:01

What does your childminder do with them? Today as I do every Thursday I ran my group we did ice cream role play painting soft play building blocks etc. Then 24 children aged 6 months to 4.5 years sat for singing and storytime before playing balls and hoops. We then have lunch club with up to 12 children going in pairs to wash hands waiting their turn sitting to eat together understanding what we eat first howto open lunch boxes etc. The children a meet others their own age every day in activities they move straight to reception able to be independent from self dressing to toileting and meals. Can write their names and have done stage one phonics with some on stage 2 and above.
Ask your cm what she does and if she meets others etc.

BedandCircuses · 16/06/2022 18:47

Thank you for responding!

He’s been with his childminder for nearly three years and she’s amazing. They do lots of different activities - meeting up with other cms at groups (he still is the oldest at these groups, though), going to softplay, a lot of time outdoors, etc.

I suspect I’m being needlessly neurotic and he is and will continue to be absolutely fine.

OP posts:
GrazingSheep · 16/06/2022 18:51

Are you deferring him starting school?

BedandCircuses · 16/06/2022 18:53

We’re in Scotland so he’ll be starting in 2023.

OP posts:
everythingelseisafacade · 16/06/2022 18:55

If he's nearly 4 won't he be starting pre school?

Tanith · 17/06/2022 18:07

I absolutely would not move a settled and happy child, especially at the moment when he's coping with a big change already.
He'll be meeting up with other children his age when your childminder takes him to groups.

If you are happy with the current set up - and it sounds like he is happy - why would you want to move him? Honestly, if it's not broken, don't fix it Smile

underneaththeash · 17/06/2022 21:57

I would find another pre-school, just do a few mornings in a settling close to the school he’ll go to. Very few childminders offer the same scenario as the CMs.

Chocoholic900 · 18/06/2022 14:34

I think the setup you've got now sounds lovely and I also wouldn't think about moving him now as he has just had a new sibling so probably enough change for him for a while, and as you say is quite sensitive.
Being the oldest shouldn't always been seen as a negative, being younger means they can learn from the older ones, but being the eldest means your son will be the 'teacher' to the younger ones, using empathy, being the helpful, understanding, being a leader, having someone for the younger ones to look up to and be a role model... given he'll soon be starting school and will be right back to being the youngest group in an entire school I think it'll be lovely for him to be the 'big kid' for a year.

You could also risk moving him from two lovely places, to a nursery that doesn't live up to them!

JustLyra · 18/06/2022 14:41

I would keep him where he is. Your childminder sounds lovely so I wouldn’t leave that. Continuity is a great thing when they’ve got a new sibling.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread