Nursery start time?

[HPmummy19]

Hi all! I'm after some advice from either nursery practitioners or parents of nursery babas!
My 18 month old goes to nursery 3 days a week and has done since 12 months old. The official opening/closing time is 8am-6pm, I am working from home atm and my start time (for work) ranges anywhere between 8-9:30 depending on what meetings I have that day and what courses we are running (on zoom!) so I usually take my son round at a time that slots in best with that (anywhere between 8:15-9:30am, my mum will take him quite often too as we live together and her job is quite similar in that her start time ranges, we just work it between us).
But, I don't know if it's just in my head and I'm being paranoid because nursery haven't actually said anything, but I sometimes get the impression that they don't like the inconsistency of my sons start time, just from little comments they have said. He is never in later than 9:30, and the odd occasion that he will be I always ring up to say I am bringing him in at "such and such" a time due to work meetings.
Any nursery practitioners out there think I'm just being silly and they won't actually mind? Or does it annoy nurseries? When I return to an office setting post covid he will be there first thing at 8am to allow me to get to the office but whilst working from home this is what suits us 🤷🏼‍♀️

Hi, I’m a childminder and children arriving late is very disruptive and causes the children already here to think it’s home time and then get upset its not there mum or dad to take them home. It’s also annoying when parents don’t tell you they are not coming for there start time and you are left hanging around wondering if they are attending that day especially when you have an outing planned. Pre covid when I was attending playgroups etc if parents were late they had to come and find me I did not stay in waiting for them especially when I needed to get my own children to school.

It depends on the nursery and their routine. At ours they serve breakfast between 8 and 9 and the kids arrive at any time in that window (or from 7.30 if you pay for extended hours). They don't care when in that window but I would expect it to be disruptive to the routine if kids arrived after 9am. Just have a quick chat with his keyworker. It may be that as long as it's before "x" time they don't care, but as late as 9.30 is a bit disruptive, and also potentially harder for your DS to settle if they're mid activity.

Ours expect them there for 8.15 if they want breakfast and at 9am if not. Obviously for a one off like a doctors appointment it’s fine to come late but not as a regular thing. They have very set routines and it’s very disruptive to everyone if kids are turning up at all sorts of times. Vast majority drop at 8am on the dot!

Depends the type of nursery. I drop my DD when I feel like it. I'm paying a fortune and managing work and home schooling. I have never been asked to drop her earlier or later and I can range from 8am to 9.30am. However, if it's a preschool that's a bit different as they expect it to be more like school. Why don't you just ask?

Our nursery serves breakfast at 8.30, so if they're not there for that it's disruptive and potentially a waste of food. Plus if they don't show up and nursery get no notice from the parents, they have a safeguarding responsibility to check the kid is ok. So a child getting there at the same time each day is much easier to query quickly when they don't show up, compared to one who can turn up any time within a 90 minute period.

I work in a nursery. We don't mind children arriving 'late'. We do appreciate a phone call if it'll be later than your usual time. After a certain time, if we haven't heard from parents, we will call to check everything is ok as part of our safeguarding procedures.

There might be exceptions to this- certain times of day could be disruptive eg circle time. Or if you were to drop him off expecting breakfast after breakfast time has finished.

I am a practitioner and I personally feel mornings can be quite stressful especially if you have unsettled children. So for me turning up later is a relief because you can get the others settled. You pay so you are entitled to suit your needs. So long as you are not turning up after meal/snack times and asking for him to be fed I don't see the problem. We are a small nursery and often have different drop of and collection times.

Usually yes, they want a specific start time. It allows them to plan staffing and activities. In this case, if I didn't have a partner who was on hand to do things and do the drop off (mine will just keep them distracted if I have early meetings), then I would aim to drop off at the earliest time you would need to every day. So if you start sometimes at 8:30, I'd drop off 8-8:15 every day and use that time to prep for meetings if you don't have one that early.

Ours opens at 7.45 and kids need to be in by 8 if they want breakfast.
We always do drop off a bit later than that - ranging from 8.15 -9.15 and have never had any comments.
Pre covid we may have dropped off at 7.45 a handful of times when we've had work commitments but that's really rare.
The reason I chose the nursery with longer hours than we need is to give us the flexibility for those few times it's needed.

My son starts at 9 and his nursery has a 15 minute drop off window. Outside of these times, you need to go through the office which is a different door. I assume it is to avoid disruption to any ongoing activities. If I were dropping him off any later than about 9.20, I would probably call them to let them know.

We don't mind at all. You are paying for the space and can use it as you need.
However we do ask parents to avoid meal times if possible, as its disruptive for the children.
But this mainly applies when parents want to pick up when thier child is in the middle of tea. We wouldn't mind any other time of day for drop off or collection.

Ours that DC is starting in a fortnight doesn’t really care about drop off or pick ups aslong as it’s within the allotted time (8-6/7-6). Id be too stressed worrying about when to drop them. It’ll be different everyday like you.

You’re paying them extortionate fees for the privilege.

@flossletsfloss

Depends the type of nursery. I drop my DD when I feel like it. I'm paying a fortune and managing work and home schooling. I have never been asked to drop her earlier or later and I can range from 8am to 9.30am. However, if it's a preschool that's a bit different as they expect it to be more like school. Why don't you just ask?

Aaah it's good to know you do similar drop offs! I did ask about it was my son first started and explained that drops off would probably be a bit different everyday 1) due to the nature of my job and 2) because I don't actually drive I walk my son round and if it's bad weather his nana will drop him off who also works so we work it between us. The baby room were fine and didn't say there was a strict start time so it's always worked fine, but since he's been moved up to the toddler room I just get the impression they think differently. I'm going to try and be a bit more consistent but as you say I am paying a lot of money for a full day regardless, plus I always pick him up before 5pm, even though I pay until 6pm. I might just be creating this situation in my head to be honest 😂 I will bring it up in his next parents meeting :) x

@Fandabydosey

I am a practitioner and I personally feel mornings can be quite stressful especially if you have unsettled children. So for me turning up later is a relief because you can get the others settled. You pay so you are entitled to suit your needs. So long as you are not turning up after meal/snack times and asking for him to be fed I don't see the problem. We are a small nursery and often have different drop of and collection times.

That's good to know! I never expect him to be fed if I drop him off after 9, plus I would never have my son waiting that long for breakfast he is always fed at home on those days and I always let nursery know he's been fed :)

My experience is that it changes as your child gets older. I’d expect nurseries to be able to flex around a young baby’s routine and to understand this can sometimes be disrupted.
Once they are pre school age they ‘do’ more so most nurseries want them there for a certain time.

@mindutopia

Usually yes, they want a specific start time. It allows them to plan staffing and activities. In this case, if I didn't have a partner who was on hand to do things and do the drop off (mine will just keep them distracted if I have early meetings), then I would aim to drop off at the earliest time you would need to every day. So if you start sometimes at 8:30, I'd drop off 8-8:15 every day and use that time to prep for meetings if you don't have one that early.

Hi! I do take him early on the days I have meetings later, it's the days I have meetings early (8am for example) that I don't manage to get him in til 9-9:30 as nursery doesn't open until 8 so I can't take him before :) and once I've finished my meeting/walked him round it can be anywhere between 9-9:30, unless I've got nana to the rescue to drop him off :) x

@DonnatellaLyman

My experience is that it changes as your child gets older. I’d expect nurseries to be able to flex around a young baby’s routine and to understand this can sometimes be disrupted. Once they are pre school age they ‘do’ more so most nurseries want them there for a certain time.

Aaah that seems fair, is 18 months considered preschool? I still think of my son as a wee baby 😭 x

No, 18months isn't pre-school, but it is more likely to be sitting with other children eating breakfast than in a baby room where they are more likely to have individual routines for each baby.

As others have said, it is helpful if they know. It means they know how many staff they need for example. Also saves food being wasted.

Ours just has a rule to be there by 9:30 which I do. I never phone in advance.

As above when I worked in a nursery it was so disruptive to have kids arrive anytime up until 9.30. It was expected drop off was between 8 and 9 am (or 7.30 if in early club) and later than that was only for appointments. For all the reasons above, it unsettles other children, its hard to plan, can cause safeguarding issues and can impact outings/activities.

At that age we wouldn’t mind, although if they’re going to arrive at the later time a quick call helps us know that they might need to be added to the hot lunch list as they need to go through to the kitchen. It’s more annoying if they parent still wants them to have breakfast later than usual as often that will have been cleared up and activities such as painting going ahead which need close supervision. Late arrivals can mean a trip out has to be delayed or postponed but this tends to be more of a problem in the preschool room where many children are sessional rather than full day care.

We drop ours in somewhere between 8 and 9 (usually 8.45 at the latest tbh) as any later and he wouldn’t get breakfast! Some kids are dropped off at 9 as funded hours start then so any time in that hour seems fine. Any later and they might be out for a walk/in the forest school area/doing an activity so I wouldn’t want to disrupt.

I've never known any nursery practitioners being annoyed about stuff like this. You usually get to know peoples routines and would get used to children's times being a bit later. No idea why anybody would find it annoying though, it's not school

My son's nursery request a phone call if you are going to be later than 9:30 and if you want breakfast they need to be there before 8.
We always drop off at 7:30 though. When I worked in a nursery we never minded what time children arrived. It never seemed disruptive. However we did appreciate a call if they were going to be late or in after 9:30 (but only because we needed numbers for lunch).