FTM… is this nursery normal or a bad fit?

[Ral108]

Hello I’m a FTM with a 7 month old who will start nursery at 8 months2 days a week as I return to work. We went for our first settle in day yesterday and I’ve come away disappointed and need to be told this is normal or no I should look at other options (like a nanny I guess)?

my concerns are:

1. the baby room contained a large number of running 18 month olds in hard outdoor shoes, my child will be placed on a matt where he can barely sit up independently he is going to get trampled on and they didn’t seem to see what I was concerned about (I’ve been at play groups with older babies it just doesn’t work).
2. I watched a little girl cry a lot (red and agitated) whilst they were having snacks, they said “oh she just struggled because we think she’s held a lot at home” didn’t touch or hold her and then documented “declined snack”
3. I would say the people working there spend about a third on their time on the iPads presumably logging things which leads to less interaction
4. they put the babies in the high chair and in the buggies but they didn’t seem to talk to them much

is this normal? Am I being overly protective?

ive rung every other nursery within a 15 mile radius they are all booked and all have similar age ranges together and I’ve registered with a nanny agency but haven’t found anyone yet.

is he too young? Is it my fault? Should I have waited until he was at least crawling so he could protect himself? I feel like he’s going to be in a dull room and made to entertain himself all day.

[Superslide]

We found the same with my then non mobile 11 month old. Seemed to be a really great nursery when we looked around. Then, on setting in sessions, we weren't too happy and removed our child on their third day there.

We never looked back and went with a childminder who was recommended by a good friend.

I spent months worrying about sending my child to a day nursery. Not once did I worry about the childminder. That told me that my child was in the right place for them.

[toomuchlaundry]

The nursery DS went to had a baby room, where outdoor shoes were not worn. Toddlers were in another room. Babies/children were cuddled if upset

[stuntbubbles]

Not normal. My DD’s nursery had a lovely baby room, shoes off, separate nap area, their own garden space so they weren’t run over by the bigger kids, and staff definitely cuddled them! In fact the warmth and love from the staff is why we picked that nursery – they’re all fantastic and say hello when they see us out and about, and take time to talk to older siblings who used to attend and are there at pick-up, catching up with them and saying hello.

[Flatandhappy]

If that is the level of interaction when there is a parent present I would hate to think what happens when the staff are alone. My nursery days are years ago but my granddaughter is currently in a nursery that is a million miles away from what you have described. Small groups, much more aligned in age (she moved to “nursery 2” once she was confident walking). No shoes on indoors anyway so one worry out of the way, lots of cuddles. You will only feel comfortable returning to work if you are happy with your childcare.

[Thinking2041]

That would fill me with unease. Especially point number 2
That is not normal at all.
i don’t know if I am being OTT but I’d want to report that or complain or something. I can’t imagine that little girls parents know that is how she is treated
my children in the last 5 years have been in 8 different childcare settings berwwwb them as we moved etc
i removed my son from one place just as I found the staff seemed unhappy and I was able to easily switch to a childminders where the atmosphere was more joyful.

i know one nursery used to use an online portal and told me they had to scrap it as their staff ended up having to be on it on too much.

I don’t think you are being OTT at all. It is definitely hard when you leave your first child anywhere - there is no way around that. I found it easier after my first child as I sent the subsequent children to the Same setting and knew they would be well cared for and would thrive. With my first i worried just as they were so little (10months). The more robust/verbal they got the easier it was. But I can tell you, it makes a huge huge difference when you leave your child somewhere you are happy with and somewhere you are uncertain about. Even with my first I knew the anxiety was just mine and not grounded in any legitimate concerns. Those two months my son was in the ‘un joyful’ place were so much harder than when I felt happy with the place.

how much time do you have before returning? Are there any local childminders?