5 half days

[NoMoreLego12]

I am organizing my return to work when my DS will be 14mths for the start of September.
Already feeling anxious about being separated from him. If I had the money, I would not return to work while he is little.
Ive had some conflicting advice about structure g my part time hours and his time at creche.
I feel most calm about him going to creche for half days - mornings only- 5 days a week. A friend told me this worked for her as they had a daily routine and she got to spend a significant amount of time with her child every day. She had 50% salary coming in which helped her.
However others have talked about quality time (full days) over the regular half days. Those people said it was nice not to
have a morning rush on some day, and that part time work never feels like part time.

I sm a primary school teacher and have seen half days work
for little children who weren’t ready for full days. So my thinking was DS might enjoy half days.

however I have read some posts on here and a lot of people are talking about “unsettled” children- it’s made my stomach flip. Feeling incredibly anxious about DS being unhappy at creche.

any experience with half days mon-Fri?

I do half days Mon to Fri at the minute, and thought it would be great. I've gone back to a completely new job recently after maternity. I work 9-12 so having the full day with him still is great but the morning is a rush everyday and not ideal. I'm waiting to start a new job now in care so I'll be doing 3 days instead (7-3 or 3-10) so I still get alot of time with him but this way we're not rushing around every morning. Also he's not in nursery any more than he was because of my partner's hours

My first thought was what time would he nap? Mine goes to nursery and he sleeps between 11:30 until 1:30 sometime longer. So I would think picking him up around 2pm would allow us more quality time together.

My DS did 5 mornings with his childminder. It was great because she took him to lots of groups and activities in the morning (which I would not have enjoyed) then we just had chilled time (garden, park etc) every afternoon.

I'm a teacher (primary SEN) and was lucky with the specific setting I was in to be able to go mornings only. Would this be possible for you? I don't think many job-shares are set up like that?

We did half days for a month as our little girl was taking a while to settle into nursery (horrific) but it’s worked a treat but as someone else said it just knocked everything back as by the time we got her home after a 12/12.30 pick up nap was late and most of the afternoon was gone!

We now do 2 full days and I do like the morning where we don’t have to rush to get to nursery!!

I'm a huge fan of half days; it was a key criteria for nursery choice. Busy morning at nursery, home for a nap, then an afternoon spent together. I also found that mine were sleeping longer / better compared to children expected to nap at nursery, I think for being in their own beds.

Half days would be better for him.
Fewer full days would be better for you.

Half days is all they usually do at preschool. It is more than enough for them imo! (Mine have done 2 full days at nursery and we're fine also but exhausted) I think 5 mornings is ideal.

I am a fan of half days from the child's perspective. But it needs to work for you too. You might find that you're always dashing around and would prefer a different pattern of days.

I loved the half day thing. I went back to work 4 days a week so had 1 day with my little one. I ended up changing my hours to give me 2 half days instead as I felt we got more out of it (then got it to 3 half days which was even better!).

Definitely go for half days if you can. You can always increase it later on

I don't like half days when they still nap. I found we rushed to get DS to nursery, picked him up and then he slept for a good chunk of the afternoon so we didn't get much quality time together and I did consider changing hours..
However DS gave up napping quite early (around 16 months) and then we got our quality time together. I did change to 3 full days when he was a bit older again.
That was probably my favourite as we got 4 days together just chilling with no rushing around but also he was used to nursery by then so not upset to be left.

You have to think about what's right for your child. DS started off doing one full day a week at nursery, MN told me it was the worst decision he'd never settle he'd be too unsettled. He was with DH on Mondays, nursery Tuesdays, my mum Wednesdays, MIL Thursdays, me on Fridays. He was absolutely fine, and when his funding first kicked in he went up to two full days Tuesday and Thursday and saw the grandmas alternate Wednesdays, and January before he started school he would also do 9-3 on a Friday. He loved nursery and spent quality time with grandparents and parents. You know your life and your child's character.
Personally I'd want at least one full day with him so you can go out and do things, if you don't pick him up until 12 and he then needs lunch and a nap that's most of the afternoon gone

DS is only just dropping the third nap now at 11 mths so he will probably still be on 2 at 14 mths.
I will have to choose my schedule and probably stick to it for one academic year.
I work in an international primary school; requested EAL teacher rather than normal classroom teacher. I think it will be Les pressure and doable mornings only… just hoping my boss ageees and approves.

it seems there are positives/ negatives to both parties time schedules. Going to have to trust my gut!!

For many children half days are best. They have their busy morning playing, lunch (home/nursery) and then home for a nap or a quieter afternoon. Nursery is more productive in the morning as more children nap in the afternoon so the bigger activities are morning based as you may not have the whole cohort ready to participate after lunch.

Many children attend around parent needs than their needs which is why full days are more common now.