Would you put DC into a 2nd choice nursery temporarily until 1st choice becomes available?

9 replies

jimmyjammys · 11/06/2008 11:32

Hope someone will have some advice here. I left it quite late to register my DS for Nursery. Ideally I would like him to start in September however there are no nurseries with availability that I like at that time. There are two I like, one has a place starting in July as a baby has left so it is earlier then I would like DS to start, this would be my 2nd Choice. My first choice would have a place in December. Would you put your DC in the July nursery and move him to the 1st choice in December? Or would you leave it until December and just start him at the first choice. Or would you put him in the 2nd choice from july and leave it at that? i don't want to upset DS by moving him unnecessarily as I expect he will be upset anyway at going in the first place as he is a sensitive wee soul! He doesn't have to be in nursery until September as I have arrangements until then but if I don't take the 2nd choice place in July 2008 the next place for him will be July 2009 at that nursery! If I leave it until December, I will probably leave him with a childminder until the place is available.

Sorry this is probably difficult to read as i've rambled on but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Gradiska · 11/06/2008 12:22

Hi Jimmyjammys, i'm in exactly the same situation - and I have decided to go for option 1, i.e. put DC into 2nd choice nursery for a few months and then swap over. I know it's not ideal, but kids adapt really well at this age (mine's 11 months) so fingers x-d it won't be a problem! Does anyone else have experience of this?

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jimmyjammys · 11/06/2008 16:10

My DS is the same age too! he is nearly 11 months. When will your DC start?

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jimmyjammys · 11/06/2008 16:11

Gradiska - are you telling your the first nursery that it is only temporary and you will be moving to another nursery later on?

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pleasechange · 11/06/2008 16:41

I guess it depends partly on whether or not you could wait until Dec when the 1st choice becomes available? If you have no choice but to go back to work then I guess you'd have to accept the 2nd choice. If it were me and I was really in favour of the 1st choice, then I'd probably move nurseries in Dec

mankymolars · 12/06/2008 17:51

I did this; I had to go back to work at a certain time and my original nursery place was not available till 5 months later. My dd spent 4 months at the first nursery and then moved after 4 weeks holidays. She was fine,she was only 7mo when I went back to work but didn't bat an eyelid at moving when she was one.
Good luck!

MrsSprat · 12/06/2008 21:50

Planning to do this, don't see a problem, if you give notice, as there's so much demand for baby spaces where I live. If I like the 1st one, or the commute is not the hell-on-wheels that it promises to be, I might consider staying.

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jimmyjammys · 13/06/2008 20:09

Well i signed up for the 2nd choice place yesterday - went back to see it and i really liked it - but anyway good job i did because the first choice phoned me today to say they had made a mistake as miscalculated what age he would be when he would start and that they had no places for him for the forseeable future! so I have to be thankful for what I have.

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nct73 · 21/06/2008 21:21

We did this but weren't guarenteed that a place would ever become available. It was May and I needed to go back to work and first choice said possibly something in september. Once settled LO loved second choice but it was a drive away so when we were offered a place a first choice we chose to move. We did have to go through the couple of weeks settling in period but once that was over DD loved new nursery. Our only problem was First choice gave us 2 weeks notice and second had a 2 MONTH notice period. In the end had to pay double for a month but was worth it to swop to be able to carry her across road. Now 18m she toddles most of it. Dont tell second at start but make sure you keep track of notice periods. Also make sure when you do move that you let them know it's not because you think they are rubbish.

sharonbaker75 · 29/06/2008 22:17

I've only skim-read what you wrote, but as you're talking next year I assume you mean funded nursery place...like preschool?

I have no experience of that as DS is only 2, but.....

I went back to work 3 days a week when he was 9 months old. I'd always planned to send him to workplace nursery, but by the time work had confirmed my hours there were no places left. I put him on the waiting list (september availability - I went back to work in January) and rushed around viewing other nurseries. In the end we found one that was suitable, but in my heart of hearts I preferred the workplace nursery. The plan was to move him when the place became available.

In the July before he was due to move I viewed the workplace nursery again (because we had to give 2 months notice if we didn't want the place). Yes, it was still nice, and I have no doubt it does have SOME advantages over where he is now, but he's so settled, and he knows and loves all the staff..and so do I. I couldn't bear to move him, so I cancelled and left him where he is. I'm absolutely certain I made the right choice.

Sharon x

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