Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Should I send him?

26 replies

whimsy · 09/01/2006 10:30

DS1 was 3 in December and has been offered a place at the local school nursery 5 mornings a week, starting next week. I'm not sure if it will be too much for him, could I remove him until September if it didn't suit him? Or would I have the wag man round .
He also has too wear a uniform, which I'm not overjoyed at (they say it's not compulsory, but when we went to visit every child had one on). I know he'd probably enjoy it, but something keeps telling me he's too small. What do you think?

OP posts:

sparklymieow · 09/01/2006 10:35

My dd1 was at nursery for 5 mornings a week at 3.4 years. She loved it. It was tiring to begin with but she got used to it. She had to wear an uniform, which was just a nursery jumper, and it was fine too (saves their decent clothes getting covered in glue and paint)

XmasPud · 09/01/2006 10:35

Do they really have to attend all five mornings? Seems crazy that they won?t allow you to build it up over a term or so?
I am sure he won?t even notice the uniform that much and if he did will prob like being the same as all the other "big chidlren". I felt the same about our pg having a uniform as they have to wear one all through school life and three seemed so young. However, DD1 loved being the same as the others and felt very grown up. Also made it easy to decide what to wear each day!
I guess all you can do is give it a go and see what happens

BudaBabe · 09/01/2006 10:37

My DS started nursery 5 mornings a week when he was three - loved it so much he never wanted to come home and ended up going full-time!

He loved his uniform too - made him feel part of it ann and very grown up. And it saves on their own clothes.

Tyakit · 09/01/2006 10:43

Is there any way you can start out with, say 3 mornings a week and build up to 5 over the course of a few weeks? My DD also 3 in Dec has just started in the nursery class at her school and will be doing 3 mornings a week this term. She is also in a uniform which she loves - she was soooo proud this morning, going off to school in her 'special school clothes'.

nutcracker · 09/01/2006 10:45

If your not sure about then I would ask if he can start by doing say 3 mornings instead and see how he goes.

As you know, Ds is the same age as your Ds and he started nursery last week and is loving it. He wanted to go on saturday and sunday too.

Mumbojumbo · 09/01/2006 10:51

DS1 has just turned 4 and has been going to nursery 5 mornings a week since September. He too has to have a uniform (sweatshirt, polo shirt, trousers and plimsols), which he loves. He sees the primary school children in the same uniform and comments about how they go the "big school". He had been going to a local pre-school before the summer holidays and was doing 3 sessions a week.

I think initially it was tiring but he really enjoys it now. It would be worth having a chat with his teacher, you can voice your concerns as they will have experience of the little ones starting and can put your mind at ease.

Good luck and I hope it goes well for your ds.
mj

Original poster

whimsy · 09/01/2006 10:54

Thanks for the replies, I did ask if he cold build up but they said no. It would be better for him just to go. The teacher said we could take him to take his coat of for the first week but after that we must leave him buy the door to go in himself
I agree he will probably love the uniform, will save his own clothes and he looks very cute in it, but I worry that once he goes that's it he will be wearing one until he leaves school

OP posts:

Original poster

whimsy · 09/01/2006 10:54

Could {sp)

OP posts:

Original poster

whimsy · 09/01/2006 10:56

I think it's just that I want him to stay my little boy forever

OP posts:

Wallace · 09/01/2006 10:57

I'm sure they can't make you send him 5 mornings, can they? When ds was at nursery the teacher was very keen to ahve all the children going 5 days, but I stuck to my guns and insisted he was only going three mornings. Found out later she had been telling the children it was "naughty" if they didn't come everyday But that's a different story!

Original poster

whimsy · 09/01/2006 11:06

Wallace that's shocking

OP posts:

Orinoco · 09/01/2006 22:24

Message withdrawn

FrannyandZooey · 09/01/2006 22:28

On the understanding that you are just interested in what we personally would do, whimsy, and that this is not a criticism of anyone else's choice, I would not do it. There will be other nurseries around that are more flexible and have a more individualistic approach - not every child will be ready to do this at the age of 3.

julienetmum · 09/01/2006 22:41

The state nurseries in the neighbouring LEA to mine insist that children go 5 full days. It is either that or nothing. A friend is sending her dd private for nursery becasue she feels her dd isn't ready yet. They start the September after they are 3. If they don't go in the September the place is filled by another child so it is too late. (admissions procedure is via the LEA identical to reception class admissions criteria)

My dd goes for 5 sessions to a private nursery (2.5 full days) and I feel that is enough. She would like to go more but I want to spend a bit of time with her whilst I still can. SHe is an October birthday so one of the oldest in her year.

singersgirl · 10/01/2006 14:34

I sent my August born DS2 to a private nursery mainly because of the '5 mornings' ruling at our local primary school nursery. DS2 did 3 mornings a week the term after he turned 3, 4 mornings for the Easter term and 5 mornings from the summer term (from about 3y9months). Having said that, DS1, also born in August, went to nursery 5 mornings a week from the term he turned 3 and loved it - but he has always been very active and sociable, and needed less sleep than DS2.

Stilltrue · 10/01/2006 15:27

If it's the nursery you're after, why not take the place and see how he gets on. You can always keep him off because he's ill/overtired on an ad hoc basis. He's not of statutory school age after all. That said, he may well be fine ! My older 3 all started nursery 5 mornings a week around their 3rd birthdays and haven't looked back. Ime it's more often reception year when it can get a bit much for them in terms of being tired. etc.

dexter · 11/01/2006 09:51

Whimsy, your child doesn't have to go anywhere or do anything! He is three, still a baby!!!!

There is no statutory education provision until the term following his FIFTH birthday. In other words, YOU choose exactly how many sessions he goes for, based on HIS needs. remember the education system is just that, a system. Not there for your particular child's needs - but you are! They should not pressure you to accept any particular number of sessions.

Be strong! good luck

dexter · 11/01/2006 09:55

Oh, and as usual I think of something else to say when I've posted! I've been thinking alot about this issue as my son nears 4 this year, and I know I shall never regret the days we've spent together - I have never felt pressure to send him to pre-school every day because I think the purpose of pre-school is to help him with socialisation. He gets days with me as well which I think are so precious and valuable, and it's the ONLY time in our lives when we have the luxury of time together to have fun, together - school life soon comes along, then it's only weekends and holidays we get, and then it's college or work or whatever. So this time together only comes once and I will not be pressured by education or other mums, to send him off five days a week. I think that's great at school age, but pre-school I just think they can get alot from being at home as well.

hana · 11/01/2006 10:00

think it's awful that the nursery say he has to go 5 mornings or not go at all
I sent dd1 for 3 mornings a week shortly after she turned 3. 3 mornings were just perfect for us

elastamum · 11/01/2006 10:06

You dont have to send your child to school anywhere until he is five. We had our boys at nursery 3 mornings a week until they went to school. We had huge pressure to send them every day but decided not to as they were doing other things like music and swimming that i felt were at least as important. It makes no difference to how they do at school so do what you think is best.

Original poster

whimsy · 11/01/2006 10:09

Thanks for all the advice

I am going to talk to the nursery teacher again and see if I can send him a couple of mornings, if not then keep him at home until Easter.

Dexter it is true, we will never get these days back and we have so much fun together

OP posts:

dexter · 11/01/2006 10:16

good on you whimsy - enjoy your time!! xx

I think it's funny how in a generation things have turned around so completely, with the pressure and expectation on us as mums to send our kids out to others every day. I know this is an economic thing as the govt. wants us out there contributing to the economy. And the pressure won't stop when they get to school either, with schools being given money to run 'wraparound care' from 8 till 6 every day.

I strongly feel this will have an impact on this generation of kids - it'll be interesting to see. But it makes me cross, because there'll be a good proportion of mums out there who just send the kids off every day because it's now the norm, and you are judged to be bringing up a child who'll never make friends if you dare to keep them at home some days!!!!

alibubbles · 11/01/2006 15:17

Message withdrawn

dexter · 11/01/2006 15:44

alibubbles, will they go AT five or before? My son is due to start reception year this september when he will be four years and about three weeks old (August birthday!) I feel pressure to send him then because if I keep him back till the term after his fifth birthday (which legally I know I can do) he would be placed right into year 1, into a group of kids who'd been together since recption year. He'd also miss reception year and all the 'settling in' stuff.

alibubbles · 11/01/2006 17:28

Message withdrawn

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread