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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

How far is your nursery?

22 replies

Rkay2 · 21/12/2018 21:59

It’s coming down to crunch time to pick a nursery.

I am curious to know how far your child’s nursery is from home and work?

Nursery 1 - just behind our road, nice enough owner, small premises and outdated facilities. Good reviews. Can only offer Monday and Friday Not many staff around.

Nursery 2: but further away from home but halfway between work and home. Most expensive. Best facilities. Can offer any days

Nursery 3: Better facilities than nursery 1 and 3. Price point same as nursery 1. Opposite direction to work but by only about 5 mins. Wait list but can get days I want eventually

By facilities means - cleanliness (as appeared on visit), outside space, sleeping space for 11month old, better condition equipment, more staff. Etc

Also any other pointers would be helpful!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

elliejjtiny · 21/12/2018 22:08

Ds1 - nursery 45 mins drive from home, 5 mins drive from dh work
Ds2 - preschool 15 mins drive from home
Ds3 - didn't go to nursery/preschool
Ds4 and ds5 - preschool 25 mins drive from home.

I wouldn't go with nursery 1. Close is good, you don't want to add loads of time to your commute or struggle to get there in an emergency but a few minutes out of the way or half way between work and home is fine.

Lazypuppy · 22/12/2018 12:02

Nursery is 1 mipe away in one direction, work is 3 milesaway in the other direction.

I leave my house at 7:30 and am sat at my desk by 8am.

I am waiting for a space in my work nursery which is a lot cheaper, the fact its cloeer is a bonus.

For me it was all about the setting, then price, then distance as least important

Marmite27 · 22/12/2018 12:05

10 minutes from home, in the same building as work. It’s outstanding and subsided too.

I’m very lucky.

WhenLifeGivesYouLemonsx · 22/12/2018 12:10

10min walk away

RedPandaMama · 22/12/2018 12:12

5 mins walk away (15 mins walk with teeny 1 year old steps!)

Works really well for us as I drive past it on my way home and DP walks past on his way back from work so whoever is home first picks DD up. I work about a 20-30 mins drive away and he works in the nearest city - 10 min walk + 20 min train + 15 min walk.

Her0utdoors · 22/12/2018 12:17

1 mile, I work from home, so school/nursery drop off round trip takes just under an hour. Are you single OP? How many drop offs/pick ups is the babies dad going to do? I much preferred dropping /picking up my babies when they were little, but their dad really should have done more of the traipsing about, he's now doing some and it makes my week alot easier.

moretractorsplease · 22/12/2018 16:21

20 mins drive but chosen because of outstanding facilities and care. There are a couple much closer, a couple of minutes but I chose quality over distance

Justwaitingforaline · 22/12/2018 16:25

DDs pre school is a 7 minute drive away, down a country lane. It’s the closest but that’s not why we picked it ( although it helps!). It sounds cliche but I just ‘knew’ it was the right one the second I went to view it. The other option had an earlier start time which would have been better for work but I just didn’t get the same vibe!

UghFletcher · 22/12/2018 17:05

About 20 mins drive from home but chosen because it's a location that DM or MIL can easily get to if I'm running late or there is traffic. Setting is lovely, it's expensive but willing to pay for the peace of mind of people being close by to him

calmsealife · 22/12/2018 17:08

5 mins drive.

Elllicam · 22/12/2018 17:10

About 5 minutes, it’s the closest nursery but we’ve actually moved closer to it. Originally we were a 25 minute drive, it’s a really good nursery.

n0ne · 22/12/2018 18:44

Nursery for DD2 is a 20-25 min walk or 7 min drive. We chose it because it's attached to DD1's primary school and they also hold her after school club in the same building. Tbh, it's not as good as the nursery DD1 went to previously but it's a no-brainer having the kids going to the same place, and we love DD1's school.

BackforGood · 22/12/2018 21:21

Don't underestimate how hard it is getting up, washed dressed, fed, getting baby (then toddler, then small child) up, washed, dressed, and in to car, then traveling to work in rush hour traffic to be there and ready to work on time. I know MN will say 'it's only 5mins', but is that 'only 5mins' in rush hour? Does it allow for parking ? Will it still be 'only 5mins' to get back to where you started from ?
Is it on the way to your dh/dp's work ?

Reading your description, it sounds like you have made up your mind you don't like Nursery 1. That's fine. I am a strong believer in 'gut feeling'.
I do think Nursery being near hope is worth a lot though - can still get them there if you are off sick, or on a course, or even annual leave without traipsing in to work. Usually easier for the pick ups / drop offs to be shared, or at very least, managed on an occasional basis.

Original poster

Rkay2 · 22/12/2018 22:51

Hi all

Thanks for responses.
DH would be nearer home and so could get to DS if needed.
DH will do some pick up and drop offs once we decide on how many days he’ll be at nursery and what the opening and closing times are.
Ive got the Christmas break to really think about this and make a decision!

OP posts:

Lazypuppy · 22/12/2018 23:50

@BackforGood it takes me 30mins max to get up, dressed, then get baby up and dressed and in care to nursery. It really isn' hard. Just have to be organised the night before (nursery bag packed, bottles made up in fridge, clothes laid out etc)

Then it takes me 30mins to get to work, park and walk to my building and sit at my desk. I work on a huge site so takes me 10mins to walk from my car to my desk

Bobbiepin · 22/12/2018 23:59

15 minute walk (DH speed) and a 5 minute drive, give or take traffic. Really close to the job I just left, but there was closer nurseries to work that I didn't like as much. DH takes DD in the morning then walks to the station. I pick her up after work, will now be about 30 min drive but worth it for the better job.

Unless you are planning on moving house soon, stay closer to home (although I agree that you don't like nursery 1 so stop considering that one).

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 23/12/2018 00:00

I can see it from our house!

IMO closer is better - what if you wanted to put him in on a day when you were off work? It offers much more flexibility.

Original poster

Rkay2 · 23/12/2018 07:20

Do you wake your little ones or they wake up naturally to fit your timings?

OP posts:

WhenLifeGivesYouLemonsx · 23/12/2018 07:24

@Rkay2 I have to wake him up. He refuses to go bed before 8:30pm! I've tried doing it earlier but He was having none of it! So he gets grumpy in the morning as I have to wake him up at 6:30am. I think if he went bed an hour early, he would wake up naturally at 6:30am.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 23/12/2018 08:17

My DS wakes up at 6.20 on the dot no matter what time he goes to bed!

Lazypuppy · 23/12/2018 09:36

@Rkay2

Do you wake your little ones or they wake up naturally to fit your timings?

I have to wake her up. For examole she went to sleep at 7:30pm last nught and she's still asleep now...

SPR1107 · 28/12/2018 20:16

Go on your feeling for the nursery, rather than its location.
Send DS to a nursery i had to physically drive past to get to work. He didn't settle, I had so many concern, I nearly handed in my noticed.
I drove around the county looking for nurseries. I now drive 15/20 minutes in the opposite direction of my work, to take him to a nursery he absolutely loves.

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