Help me settle DS at nursery!

[PandaOrLion]

DS (2 in nov) will do two days per week at nursery in January. He’s never been left with anyone other than DH and I when he’s awake due to family living a few hours away and friends working patterns. We also just haven’t needed it. He attends every day like swimming, music and toddler groups.

Im looking for what else I can do to help prepare him as he currently becomes very upset if he’s not physically close to DH or I. For example, we saw friends at the weekend who offered to read him a story with their similar age child. He wouldn’t sit with them, instead asking for me. At toddler groups he wants to sit on my lap or play with me and will cry if I encourage him to join in with that the leader is asking like songs etc.

Im looking for ideas of anything we can do to help him be prepared for being apart from us and/or stories of solidarity!

It's a clingy age unfortunately . If you had more time I would suggest leaving him with friends for short periods to get him use to you coming back. But it's a bit soon to introduce new events. What's the settling in period like? Remember the nursery will be use to kids who are unsettled.

It’s fully child led. We can take as long as we/he needs to settle him. They will come and do home visits beforehand too. We leave him regularly at night with friends but we don’t have enough people who are off during the weekday to have him really - although when we go to friends houses we try and leave him in one room with them whilst we go into another for a few minutes.

@PandaOrLion it might be tricky at that age - it's hard. I think don't underestimate how much they understand at that age and tell him
what will be happening, and how you'll be leaving etc. you could also arrange to have a babysitter a few times between now and then. Maybe just an hour or two in the day so he gets used to being with someone else. You could choose someone who works at the nursery so you know know they're trustworthy (and extra points if it's someone from their room!)

Thanks @Nearlyamumoftwo well give that a go. He’s got good comprehension and is used to both DH and I travelling a lot for work but he’s always with the other parent so although he can cope with knowing we come back, he has no understanding that he will go somewhere and come back!

No useful advice, but my son is the same age. He has been going to nursery since January and after a few weeks settling loves it there. Goes in happily at drop off, barely a backwards glance!

But we're in a biiiiig Mummy phase right now and I was anywhere nearby he'd want to be near me, check in with me and sit on my lap.

It will definitely be an adjustment starting nursery but just to reassure that they can be in a super clingy phase and still love nursery once they're settled there.

I would suggest get a babysitter for sunday mornings for a couple of hours. You and DH go out together, have a nice relaxed brunch and DS gets used to being without you for a bit

We don’t really have much capacity for people to babysit him at weekends (church, swimming lessons, friends have birthday parties etc). We def have time during the week though so have asked a couple of friends if they could have him for some time after school without us.