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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

Close to home or close to work?

16 replies

Sunshine124 · 12/11/2020 19:58

Hi all. I am looking to gather some opinions on whether going for a nursery close to home or work would be best. We have the option of two nurseries- one 10 minute walk from home and one on site at my work place (10 minute detour for husband). Both run by the same company. I work shifts which include nights and late night finishes, and DH works away sometimes so my mum is kindly helping with pick ups and overnight care when he isn’t around. We had originally thought the nursery at my work would be more convenient for drop offs and I would be close by in the case of emergency but I am now wondering if we should go for the one closer to home (30 min drive from work) as when I’m on nights I would be driving to work to pick him up, coming home doing dinner etc before driving back to work. Originally I thought this would be for a week a month but my new rota has a lot more nights that I had anticipated. I wondered what people did re close to home or work and what the benefits, downsides are?

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MissClarke86 · 12/11/2020 20:07

I would go with close to home. When they’re little they often drop off to sleep in the car and you’d find him fast asleep when you got home...

Also, if he’s there until he starts school, if it’s close to home he will have friends going to the same school.

DasPepe · 12/11/2020 20:29

We did opposite: close to work. Because you still leave the house at the same time but you have time with your child (and they with you) longer.
But it really depends on how far the commute is too.

SBAM · 12/11/2020 21:06

Close to home! If you plan to have another child and take maternity leave close to home will make life much easier. Also, on the occasion that you’re home sick from work it’s easier to manage if nursery is close.

Charbead49 · 12/11/2020 21:11

Also think about collecting them if they are unwell. You won't want to be bringing them from work and/or commuting in that situation. Also at the end of the day they are tired, I doubt they want another journey!

AnnaSW1 · 12/11/2020 21:17

Close from home definitely. Have a short journey from home to nursery. I don't want to make my toddlers do a long commute.

minnie465 · 12/11/2020 21:20

Close to home definitely. There'll be too many times when you'll have to drive the distance to work just for drop off and pick up when you're not even working. Plus as PP has said if you are off sick or if you have another maternity

rookiemere · 12/11/2020 21:20

Close to home means you can split drop offs and pick ups more equally with your DP. Close to your work means you'll end up doing all of it.

Original poster

Sunshine124 · 12/11/2020 21:50

Thanks everyone. I think my gut was swaying me more to near home but hadn’t thought of some of those points. I think on the face of it close to work made sense originally but in the long term and with my rota closer to home is now better.

OP posts:

ThorFull · 12/11/2020 21:57

I’ve done both. Initially I thought I wanted my little firstborn a short walk from where I would be. But as others have said, he’d fall asleep in the car. And when I was using nursery while on mat leave, I had to drive to drop him off.

Now they’re close to home, I can put something in the oven at home, after wor, then collect them and it’s pretty much cooked in the 10/15 minutes it takes. If I’m ever working from home or ill, I can easily drop them round the corner from my house. And local childminder does school run too.

Tumbleweed101 · 15/11/2020 09:09

Agree with closer to home - especially as you have shift work. Will make it easier for family/partner to do drop off/pick up too.

Rosebel · 15/11/2020 21:14

We've gone with closer to work so we can get there quickly if there's an issue but it's only 15 minutes drive back home so it isn't a huge journey.

RonaRossi · 21/11/2020 20:55

Close to home.

You'll eventually only need part time or wrap around care so I'd be looking for somewhere that does pick ups and drop offs from the school they'll attend (part time nursery year in school is a total pain in the ass!)

BikeRunSki · 21/11/2020 20:57

@SBAM

This

BikeRunSki · 21/11/2020 21:01

When your child is eligible for early years funding at age 2 or 3, I think they might need to live in the borough where they go to nursery.

Pinkflipflop85 · 21/11/2020 21:16

My ds went to childcare 10 miles away from home. It did not affect our 30 hours funding.

InTheLongGrass · 21/11/2020 21:17

Close to home.
It's the only thing that got us through when DH was abroad, and DS1 got an ambulance to hospital. A friend could pick up DS2, walk back home (no spare carseats), and then my mother drove 200 miles, and walked DS2 from friends house back home (her directions were walk past the park, take the first left, and it's about 15 houses down. There will be a blue car on the drive!)

Also, if you are ill, and baby is close to home, you can take him to nursery for a few hours. You wouldnt drive baby to work.

Also consider if you or DH change jobs, what would happen to nursery.

Tge only thing that would make me shift to the work nursery would be if they had better hours for your shift times.

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