For parents who use nurseries (under 2)

[Isabella26xx]

Just in the process of getting my 9 month old into a nursery, don't know any other mummies with s similar dd
Please can you tell me:

What age is your ds/dd?
How often do they go to nursery?
What is the average pay per month ?

I'm trying to find term time only!

Is 9 months too young for nursery? Is it s good idea? It's heartbreaking enough as it is at the thought of her with strangers , I've had a few comments from family members saying shes too young - basically trying to tell me to wait til after she's 18 months
I feel so guilty

flamingofridays- that’s not always true. My childminder is term time only so never takes holidays in work time. She has also never had a sick day since I started with her. Obviously there is a risk she might need one, in which case I would have to call in work and stay home. Same as if I ot DS got sick.

OP don't despair.

DD1 was in childcare FT from 6mos due to work circumstances.

She loved it. I can count on one hand the number of times she cried at drop off in the first 18mos. They get her to eat veggies, they've taught her some French, the alphabet and basic phonics. She has good friends there and the staff love her.

We picked a nursery as I cannot afford to find that my CM has D and V or something and I suddenly have to find alternative childcare at the drop of a hat. Advantages are there are lots of other kids so Dc almost certain to find friends, on site cook so really good food and their size means they can buy in amenities like language teacher, swimming lessons etc. Downside is DC can get overwhelmed but staff are good at giving them a cuddle.

sleepy of course there will be exceptions but its still something to consider!

I met with 12 Childminder's before I chose one. And I just got the right feel from her. I went to each one armed with a list of questions that OH and I decided we're important.

The main ones I can remember-

1. sickness policy- if she was sick, what happened - a few Childminder's in the area provide emergency cover for each other which she would arrange, though aside from a funeral one afternoon this has never been an issue.
2. holidays, (though our Childminder has 3 school aged children so this wasn't an issue) 3)other children and numbers she had,
3. days out and groups,
4. whether she was trained in early years. (I don't think there is any need to move my daughter now she's nearly 3. She will stay with our Childminder until she goes to school as she's fully trained in early years.)
5. whether they accepted childcare vouchers from work and later on, funded hours after 3
6. ofsted reports
7. what they do for 'my learning' or to track the child's development.

It was definitely the right choice for us, our Childminder came to my daughter's birthday party with one of her children, she looked after our daughter when I had an unexpected hospital appointment without charging last summer holidays as she missed her- even though she doesn't work during them.

Nursery is the cheapest and worst kind of childcare as there is simply a higher ratio of children to carers compared to a childminder or a nanny. And the carers at nurseries are less qualified than childminders or nannies. If you can possibly afford it I would look into using other forms of childcare than a nursery.

It really depends on the child and their personality. My eldest did nursery from 7mths for 4yrs, my youngest hated the same nursery we pulled her out and went with a Childminder it was the best decesion I ever made. Awersome relationship with CM, lots of outdoor play time tailored to my child, lots of socialising too and 6yrs later we still use her for school pick ups and ad-hoc school holiday care. Term time contracts and V.minimal missed days due to sickness.

Also, meant to say the hourly rate for the Childminder was 50p more (£4.50 as opposed to £4) and we had to provide food and nappies, but it's cheaper overall as there is no charge for school holidays plus at nursery it was a daily fee, where as at Childminder it's hourly so we pay for an hour less a day.

lee that's bollocks if ever i heard it.

Our nursery is more expensive than every childminder i contacted.

Also, all the staff at our nursery bar their 1 apprentice (who is never unattended with the kids) are level 3 educated. Around 2/3rds of them have a degree in early years . To be a room leader at the nursery we use you have to have this.

DD is 13months old now and has been going to nursery half a day mon-fri since she was 9 months old. We don’t need 5 days a week but I wanted consistency.
we pay for 7:30-1pm x 5 days is £480 per month but we pay £384 through tax free childcare. She gets breakfast, a snack and lunch.
She’s settled in well and never have tears when I drop her off but she is absolutely elated when I pick her up, which is lovely. She’s come on a lot and I really noticed it within a week of her being there.
It was really awful the first week or so, for me, not her. I work and live 5 minutes drive away and my mum lives in the next street and i also went to that nursery when I was little but despite the convenience for us it is a fantastic nursery.

My eldest went to nursery 2 days a week from 11 months and loved it. My other 2 went to a Homebased nursery, about 10 children in someone’s home with about 5 staff and it was the best of both worlds.

DD went from the age of one and a few weeks. She settled in no problem. She goes twice a week. Cost is usually around £380 a month.

DS has been in nursery since he was 6 months. He started off part time and was full time from 9 months onwards. We chose the nursery cos they do 0730-1830, which we really need as I commute into London.

We pay over 850 per month to the nursery. Another 20% comes from tax free childcare.

It's so expensive but they do so much more with him than I could at home, and he really loves it there. Last Xmas they presented us with a book of his pictures and milestones throughout the year. I hope we get another one this year!

Don't feel guilty. I know more kids and people who were in childcare full time than those who weren't, including myself, and we all bloody turned out fine!

@leevalley2 are you serious? All of the staff at DD’s Nursery are at least Level 3 NVQ with 70% having a BA in early years care. Every childminder I met with just registered as a child minder and started with no qualifications at all.

Op, DD went to Nursery at 11 months 4 days a week. She is now 2.9 and loves it, never cries on drop off. Has made so many little friends, we pay around £600 a month which includes all meals and snacks. They also offer term time only. They take them out on trips, they have a forest school which the children can use. They log everything on an app including sending lots of pictures of what she is doing. The staff have been there for years and most telling those that have left to have babies have come back and have their own children at the nursery.

My dd was 11 months when she started at nursery, she does 3 days per week there and then with me the other two as I'm lucky to be able to work part time.

I chose nursery because I wanted her to have/get used to the socialisation and different people, she loves it, loves all the staff etc, she has her favourites but she likes all of them no issues going to any... when I pick her up I have conversations about what she's eaten done etc, obviously that depends on what nursery you go too... but most people have said to me once you get past 1 (or there abouts) it becomes so much harder because they realise what's happening and you're leaving them which they aren't used to, my dd had a few whines the first few times when I was handing her over (she was also going through a clingy phase) but within a week she was loving it!

We pay £680 per month for 3 full days, 7:30-6 which she is in the full time as I can't adjust my hours due to me doing less days

Everyone will give different advise and opinions you need to just do what's right for you and what you feel most comfortable with, don't feel guilty at all, if you're not ready to do it yet wait, but if you feel in yourself that you are, do it, you don't need to justify or explain your decision to anyone x

My DD started nursery at 11 months for 3 full days a week. Roughly she is at about 8am and pick up at 5.30 but the nursery is open 7.30am until 6.30pm. She gets a large breakfast. 2 substantial snacks and hot lunch and dinner. The food is excellent. The main reason we chose her nursery is that they have a good sized (and adventurous)garden and a beachside location. My DD does a huge range of activities but spends a lot of time outside which was important to us. I know of at least 2 children at our nursery who are term time only. We don't have family nearby and rarely see them but DD is very well bonded to staff and children at nursery. She is thriving, social able and happy. Every child is different and every home set up is different so different things work. I wasn't keen on her going to a local childminder because we needed all year round care and holidays wouldn't necessarily match, sickness and I wasn't sure if she would have many children her own age/be outside a lot. I don't like the criticism in this thread about nurseries or childminders. Every situation is different.

Oh and my DD is now 27 months.

I just saw Lees post. Our nursery employ qualified people and if they only have the lower qualification they pay and support them to get more! Turnover is low and they don't just have to watch the kids. They have to plan activities to the curriculum for all ages, fill in diaries, fill in the child's plan and goodness knows what else.

My DS started at 6 months he is 7.5 months now, he loves it! They are so good with him and do loads of fun things and the food menus are great too. It's so nice picking him up and seeing him with the other babies, he only goes 1 day a week as my DH and mum have him a day each too, it's £52 a day but with childcare vouchers and NHS discount it works out about £38 (I think)

My little girl started at 5 1/2 months, 3 days a week. Costs around £770 (although now paying a bit less as using childcare vouchers) She loves nursery and is very confident.

They also have an app so I can see photos, videos and her daily timetable, sleeps, nappy changes, meals.
I think it's been so good for her that I want to send my next child to nursery around the same age

Just visit nurseries and childminders and you will get a feel of what works for you. Your child will have a lovely time in the right setting.

I would use childminder or nanny until 2 at least and only look at nursery then (though obviously you may have to get her name down for a nursery before then). I personally think a home environment is better for babies and younger toddlers.

DD1 started at nursery at 6 months full time, she is 4.5 now about to start school. All is fine (for those worried about the FT from a young age route). We found a great nursery that had many

Definitely visit as many settings as you can to try and get a feel for what's out there.

I work in a nursery and I find it upsetting when people are vehemently anti nursery I put my heart and soul into my job and making sure that we provide the best care possible. Don't get me wrong, there are some crap nurseries out there but equally there are plenty of great ones. Whenever I show someone around our nursery I always tell them to visit other settings to try and help them decide, it's such a personal choice.

I used a childminder and nursery for my children when they were babies and at one point a combo of both types of care.

People will absolutely judge you regardless of which option you choose so just go with your gut instinct and sod what anyone else says!

Thank you so much for everyone's responses , it's helped so much. I am more or less a first time mum as had my eldest 10 years ago but had bad PND so my mum basically brought her up,
So now I'm doing it all again I'm just lost with it all. None of my friends have children this young, all older.

Does anyone know if nursery fees can go up? I remember it did with my eldest, again 10 years ago. This would be problematic as I'm barely going to afford it now :( and what about childminder fees? Thanks again for everyone's kind responses and advice.