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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

1 year old baby going half time to nursery--- better to go morning or afternoon session?

17 replies

lillabean · 07/11/2006 11:03

Nursery I'm considering has two sessions for part time babies:

8:30am to 1pm or
2pm to 6:30

I truly don't know which one to sign up for..

anyone else have had a 12 month old baby in nursery part time? do they do better in the morning or the afternoon session??

thanks for all your help!

OP posts:

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Snowstorm · 07/11/2006 11:10

I don't have experience of this but my thoughts are that you'd be better off doing the morning session as children (and parents!) get increasingly tired as the day goes on don't they?

It also means that once you've picked LO up at 1pm then the rest of the day is yours with no time constraints, whereas if you are going for the 2pm session then you will be clock-watching up until that point and it may be a bit restrictive as to what you can do, and stressful if you are trying to get back from somewhere in time.

nailpolish · 07/11/2006 11:11

i find at that age they can be more energetic and happier in the mornings, more receptive to games etc

in the afternoons they can be tired and grumpy, maybe more clingy, not wanting to be left by mummy, not always a place for them to have a nap in nursery

hth

Raggydoll · 07/11/2006 11:34

my one yr old still has a morning nap so afternoons would be better for her. However my one year old dd and 3 year old ds both go to 2 days per week from about 10 'till 5.

Pidge · 07/11/2006 11:37

I would also go for mornings. The baby is likely to be far more tired in the afternoon. Both of my two would have needed to sleep at that time, and even after a nap were often a bit grumpy.

Chandra · 07/11/2006 11:38

I think he would find it easier to settle down in the morning, if they have been half day going around with you they don't want to be left. (or at least that has happened with DS).

Problem is when they have spent the morning playing with other children and then pretend not to see you because they don't want to leave!

Bozza · 07/11/2006 11:42

Definitely morning. By 1 it would be nap time. Although actually at our nursery the nap in the toddler room (1-2s) was something like 11.45 for 2 hours. I would discuss with the nursery arrangements for naps. The full dayers must be napping at nursery.

Original poster

lillabean · 07/11/2006 13:43

Actually, I'm going back to work full time, but can't afford a nanny to cover the 10 hour shift I would need.

The problem is that I start work at 8am (which means I must leave here by 7:30am)... but nursery doesn't open until 8:30 am.

So if I put baby into morning session, I guess I'd have to find a nanny who could cover from 7:30am and then drop her at nursery, do something else for a few hours, then return to collect baby at 1:00pm....

Maybe I could try to adjust baby's nap so is napping before the 2pm start time? I'm afraid the quality of naps in a room full of babies/toddlers isn't going to be that great.

it's a tangent but... I so wish my employer had on-site daycare!!!!

OP posts:

Snowstorm · 07/11/2006 14:30

Are there any registered/recommended child minders close to you, who you could drop LO off with? Perhaps that would be easier?

nailpolish · 07/11/2006 14:31

yes i agree a cm would be mroe flexible

they certainly are with start times, early as they are

Bozza · 07/11/2006 14:33

I think it would be feasible to get a 12 month old to nap before 2 but might get more difficult as they get older. DD is 2 and a 1/2 and she would never do this for me although she does at nursery. But a lot of 2 yos are dropping their naps anyway.

Anyway with your circumstances it is sounding like the afternoon would be the better bet.

HappyMumof2 · 07/11/2006 18:58

Message withdrawn

FrayedKnot · 07/11/2006 19:04

DS is 2.5 and goes to nursery 5 mornings from 8am to 12.45pm and I agree with all the comments here about mornings being better.

He has gone since he was 2 and has a nap when we get home - usually get back at 1pm and he goes straight up to sleep 'til 3 or so.

If I have to go into town or do something else he woould nap in the buggy when he was younger (now more likely to skip teh nap altogether).

But your situation sounds more complicated and I would say for a 1 year old that one care environment would be preferable - deffo CM if you can find one.

If not, nanny in teh morning and nursery in teh afternoon sounds like the only workable solution.

Original poster

lillabean · 07/11/2006 22:55

Thanks for all the advice, it's been really helpfull.

Sadly, there seems to be a real dearth of childminders in and around my neighborhood, but maybe I'll try to explore that further..

if anyone has a one year old who goes afternoons, or full time- I'd be grateful to hear how they adjusted.

OP posts:

Bozza · 08/11/2006 10:31

Both of my children went to nursery for 3 full days at the age of 1. They would nap on floor cushions with all the other children for up to 2 hours, from 11.45 after an early lunch.

Pidge · 08/11/2006 13:00

lillabean - good luck with the childminder search. That would definitely be a better solution. It would be so much better for your baby to have a single childcare solution. Plus it would help you with the drop off and stuff. Have you contacted your local authority for a list of childminders in your area?

My first dd went into a nursery 3 full days a week at 5 1/2 months, whereas my dd2 started with a childminder 3 full days a week at 11 months. I'll be completely honest with you - the early weeks were really tough. Both of them were terribly upset at being left, even the 5 1/2 month old, when loads of people say that at that age they don't have separation anxiety! But ... in the end ... they both got on really well with the childcare setup. I would just say, whatever you choose, allow yourself lots and lots of time to do the settling in as gradually as possible.

phatcat · 08/11/2006 13:11

lillabean - both mine were at nursery for a few afternoons a week at 12 months. They had morning naps so tiredness wasn't an issue, but they were finishing at 5pm. I wouldn't have like a 6.30 finish from the pov of fitting in tea/bath/milk/bed and getting them down by a reasonable time so they're not up too late in the morning.

opinionsrus · 19/11/2006 18:56

Mine goes to morning sessions.

This is ok as they are more alert but what you have to remember is that when they come back they are knackered. They will most likely need a sleep straightaway and also a lot of cuddles and attention....If they are like mine then will want to sleep and sleep and sleep and most definitely not enjoy being woken up.

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