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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

Thoughts on nursery one day a week

21 replies

TaiTai · 24/03/2006 23:33

My dd is 13mths and is soon to start going to nursery one day a week; I'll be looking after her the rest of the time. The manager said that as a rule she didn't think only one day a week was good for babies because it's a long time until they're next at the nursery and babies forget, but she was willing to give it a go as she said it depended on the child. Does anyone else send their child for only one day per week and if so, how is it working out?

Thanks.

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Original poster

TaiTai · 24/03/2006 23:52

Thought I should add that I'd really wanted two half days, but nursery only does full days and I am set on this particular nursery. I'm going to be working from home so will only be a few minutes away.

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Original poster

TaiTai · 24/03/2006 23:54

And we can't afford two days a week at the moment, which is why we're not going down that route either.

Right, I shall stop posting now

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jenthehen · 25/03/2006 07:28

Hi, Taita, my Ds 4 and dd1 go to nursery for only one morning a week and have both done it from about 6 months old. They both look forward to it and they have a good relationship with the girls who look after them. I don't work but it gives me the time to do things like have my hair cut, go to the bank or go shopping etc I don't think it is really any different than going to a grandparents for one morning a week. My mum is only ten minutes away from me but she doesn't look after my children for me so the nursery is my surragate "grandparent". My kids are both very confident and well adjusted children, I'd say go for it.

threebob · 25/03/2006 07:34

If it was such a huge problem then they would offer half days wouldn't they. Ds could remember his grandparents from week to week at that age and had his little routines when at their house. He also went to playcentre just one day a week and I left when they said 2 year olds had to go more often so they could make friends.

hermykne · 25/03/2006 08:55

taitai
my dd, older, goes two mornings a week, and thurs to tues is a fair few days, but she doesnt seem to be bothered or anxious.

Original poster

TaiTai · 25/03/2006 11:41

Thanks. The nursery doesn't have any other children doing just one day a week, they've made an exception for us. It will be a full day she's going for though, not a half day, so Im a bit worried about the length of time. However you comments reaffirmed my thoughts. I regularly leave dd for about four hours once a week with my mil and dd recognises her and is fine. Likewise she recognises and is happy to see the other mothers and babies from my antenatal class that I meet up with once a week. We'll see how the settling in period goes though!

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purpleturtle · 25/03/2006 12:16

I think all you can do is see how it goes. Don't forget that you won't necessarily be leaving your LO with the same individual every week, so in that respect it is different from leaving them with grandparents. However, it does sound like the nursery is trying to be flexible to help you, so I think you could just 'suck it and see'.

Original poster

TaiTai · 25/03/2006 12:36

Hi purpleturtle, yes you're right, not necessarily going to be same main carer at nursery each week. but dd loves other children and is sociable and the nursery seems great, so hopefully it will go Ok.

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milge · 25/03/2006 13:17

my dt's have been going to nursery one day a week since they were 9 weeks, and they have made it to 3 with no problems. Go for it.

lovecloud · 25/03/2006 13:36

Hello

I wanted to just send my dd for one day a week too and the manager said the same to me. At first I thought she was just trying to get more money out of me.

I agreed in the end and sent her two days a week with a day in between, she would not settle and cried when i left and collected her. But she also stopped a few mins after I keft her. I amde sure if this and hung around outside peeping in.

After months of her not settling the teacher suggested we try her with the two days in a row which we did and she settled immediately. I think she just needed to same routine for the two days rather than a gap.

You could try one day and see how your dd gets on but you may find she will setlle with two days instead.

MumtoBen · 25/03/2006 20:20

My 9 month old went to nursery 1 day a week for 2 months and now I am back to work for 2 days a week. I thought it would be best for him to settle in gradually. By the time I went back to work he had settled in fine. I wouldn't say it makes any difference him going 1 or 2 days a week. The only time he found it difficult was when he missed a week through illness or christmas (when they shut for a week), but he was just a bit upset for 5 minutes. Give 1 days a go and see how you get on. Good luck.

miasmummy · 25/03/2006 20:23

hi my dd only goes to nursery for one afternoon a week and she has settled fine

Original poster

TaiTai · 27/03/2006 14:19

Thanks so much for your replies. I guess it comes down to the individual child at the end of the day. We were at the nursery for two hours today for settling in and dd loved it. I left her for five minutes while I went to the toilet and she was absolutely fine - didn't seem bothered I wasn't there at all and was happily playing. Obviously it may be different when I leave her for a full day, but it was good to see her happy to crawl around exploring and enjoying being with other babies.

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teabelly · 28/03/2006 09:22

Oh TaiTai just saw this. DS (now 3yrs 9mths) went to nursery for one day a week from 6 mths old whilst I was working in London before I had dd (9mths). He loved it on the whole, obviously we had the odd time where he didn't want to go, but then I didn't always want to go to work either , once there however he just slotted straight in. As has been said it depends on the child, but imo it was great for ds because it gave him the opportunity to mix with other kiddies and learn about social interaction and sharing

EvesMama · 28/03/2006 09:25

sorry havent read all thread but at my dd's private nursery, they advise one full day or two half days minimum.
as long as they are looked after and have fun, there memory of the place will be good.
personally, i think its a way to get more money out of you by making us feel guilty.

tortoiseshell · 28/03/2006 09:26

both of mine did 1 day a week with no problem at allfrom being about4 months.

Original poster

TaiTai · 29/03/2006 19:21

Hi, glad to hear other people's kids adjusted. Settling in is still going well; I left her for twenty minutes today to sit in the staff room and she was absolutely fine, no crying at all. The good thing is she's really taken to her key worker already. Her key worker has been there for over twenty years (!), as have both the manager, deputy manager and another member of staff, so I think continuity of staff is very good! My only quibble is they could be better with cleanliness and tidying up, but it is a homely place, and comfortably shabby in some respects.

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EvesMama · 29/03/2006 19:59

messy is ok imo but id watch the cleanliness bit and a quick 'parent comment' would be accepted i should think.
glad shes settling though
oh and maybe ask them or talk ato your dd about the other staff, my dd got dependant on one key worker, she left, got another one, then she left!..awful situaion. she now has many teacherswho she loves

Original poster

TaiTai · 29/03/2006 21:10

Hi Evesmama,

I did semi-casually mention the cleaniness today. It's not filthy by any means, although I was annoyed that there were staples on the floor of the sensory room! It was in a part that the babies don't play on mainly, but my dd did crawl over them. I noticed this when we were shown round it last week too and pointed it out to the manager. Explanation I was given today by dd's nursery worker was that employee in charge of the sensory room has been off ill for past two weeks and the cleaners aren't allowed to clean it because the nursery don't want the cleaners nicking anything. The nursery worker said she'd pass on that it was to be kept tidier though. I'm thinking of mentioning to the manager again as well; do you think that's overkill?

Oh, and i meant to put in my last post that dd is fond of the other staff in her room too, but particularly her key worker. She'll be moving to the toddler room in about three months (if she's walking by then!) and I've talked to several of the staff there; they all seem really lovely.

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EvesMama · 30/03/2006 08:25

id 'casually' mention that you mentioned(!)
about the staples to staff, saying what a shame the state of nursery had to wait because of unscrupulous cleaners!..sure manager will be shocked to learn you have been told that!
staples arnt like a bit of food on the floor they can peirce the skin and i think a quick shufty round with the sweeping brush is well justified, even by the manager!
glad she is settling in with others though

Original poster

TaiTai · 30/03/2006 17:40

Hi Evesmama,

There was another issue - dd was bitten and staff didn't intervene although they knew the biter liked to bite - which I posted under another thread yesterday. I spoke to the manager about that today and was happy with the resolution, so I felt it best not to mention the cleanliness at this stage, wanted to keep it to one issue at a time!! I am happy though on balance, mainly because dd is seems so happy there. Left her again for fifteen mins today and again no crying, wasn't bothered when I left. She went to all the staff happily - even the student who's been off sick so dd only met her today - and was given them cuddles. When I came back she was pleased to see me but not desperate. I guess the only thing is going to see how she adpats with a week's gap between going to nursery, but my gut feeling is she'll be fine. I live round the corner and will be working from home, so that makes me feel better too.

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