Should I send DD to nursery/ playgroup?

[Caligula]

DD (2 and a half) had a massive temper tantrum today, and the reason is tiredness. She's at that stage where she still needs an afternoon sleep, but manages to keep herself awake.

ATM I have an au-pair, but feel she needs some more stimulation, so after Christmas she is starting at the same playgroup DS went to, where all the Aunties know us and her, 3 mornings a week (9.15-12PM), and she will have a childminder (again, personally known to her from toddler group) from 9-3 on Mondays and Fridays.

As I need to work from home, I also need her to be looked after in the afternoons, and maybe in September she will have outgrown a childminder and need full time playggroup sessions, so I've booked her to do 2 afternoons a week (1245-3.15pm) at a different, more structured playgroup which is also a nursery.

But I had second thoughts today, when I thought maybe she wouldn't be able to cope with afternoons in a structured setting. My original logic was that as she wouldn't be sleeping anyway, she may as well be being kept occupied and happy, but I'm wondering if perhaps she'll be too tired and grumpy to benefit from the afternoons in the nursery -perhaps I should wait and keep her at home until she's able to cope with staying up all day?

Has anyone else had this, and how did it work out?

had similar problem with DS now 4 when he was the same age. I found a nursrey that incorporated an afternoon nap for the younger children. He thrived and soon dropped the nap when he realised he could be playing instead.

Did he suffer any other ill effects? (Like bad behaviour due to tiredness?) Or did he have a nap after playgroup was finished?

No there didn't seem to be any adverse affects, although he obviously got tired earlier in the evening so i compensated by bringing his bed time forward half an hour. He still keeps the same bedtime.

Good Luck

My 2.5 Year old son has just started 2 afternoon sessions a week as i too work from home.He goes from 1pm until 6pm.
Although he's just in the settling down stage i must admit i go away with a huge lump in my throat and wonder if i am doing the right thing!.
To be honest if he didn't go i couldn't work and like my DM points out he will thrive on all the activity.His nursery have a sleep from 1pm~2pm so he goes just at the right time.That said he always falls straight to sleep at bedtime on his nursery days!.

I send ds to preschool 1 afternoon a week (will be 2 in January) and he just keeps on trucking and manages without a sleep because he is so stimulated. I'm not sure what he would be like if he went every day though.