WWYD- DS very distraught going to pre-school

[Inedit]

DS is 4.5
He has been fulltime at wonderful private nursery since I went back to work when he was 3.
He loves it, he is very outgoing, very social, lots of friends and I believe he gets a lot out of it.

Recently my contract ended, didn't want to take DS out of nursery, wanted the structure and routine, before he goes to school, also he would lose the place if I got another contract.

So he has been doing 9-5ish, but I have been taking him out to do fun things (swimming/ theatre/ visit to grandmas etc.)

I am torn between taking the opportunity of this flexibility to spend more time with him before he goes to school, and keeping him in a routine in preparation for school. However the break in the routine actually seems to be upsetting him

He now seems to have developed a major separation anxiety. He is begging me to pick him up early, and most days cries and cries to leave me. It's just when I drop him off, once I have gone he is absolutely fine.
But he is sobbing,and saying that he will miss me. Clinging on to me.
I don't think it is because he wants to do nice things, he would be happy to stay at home. He wants to sleep in my bed, the other night he insisted on coming to the loo with me.

We were on holiday in Feb, took him a while to get back to the routine, we were just getting there, and last week we went to mums and now he is completely up in the air again.

I was going to give it a week to settle down, but now I am thinking I should seriously look at him just doing mornings

But then I think he is going to school in Sept, should I just keep him in nursery for the routine

And then I'm thinking, sod it, it's only a couple of months, make the most of the time with him

But I honestly think the more time he spends with me, the worse this separation anxiety gets and I need to address it before he goes to school

HELP please

I have talked to the nursery, and they say it's a tough time for the pre-schoolers, they understandably get a bit apprehensive about school, big changes etc.

DS is going for an induction to his new school on Sat. He seems to be really happy and enthusiastic about going

Oh, and if he does just do mornings, I do feel like he would be missing out, they do lots of afternoon visits out, and tbh I'm good at finding places to go, and afternoons out, but not very good at sit down, crafty, arty, learning through play stuff. I'm not very organised

And what if the job of a lifetime comes through?
Will put this in primary education too

That's very long, sorry

Lots of transitions happening this time of year for pre-schoolers and also sounds like a lot of changes to your own routine at home. I agree I would also want to spend time with DC's if I was in your circs, especially with school looming up.
I would suggest that you continue to send ds to pre-school but change sessions so that you still get to spend time together, although what I would do is avoid impromptue adventures or spur of the moment stuff, stick to your regular get up and drop off time, this will help when starting school as well, I would have a couple of half days off so its mammy time on Wed pm and Fri pm for example and stick to it so the routine changes but it's non negotiable and will soon become the new norm.