one day or two?

[WowOoo]

Went for a visit to a nursery that looked great. Ds jsut over 2 yrs old.

They suggested that ds goes for at least 2 days as 1 day can be difficult to get used to.

Does this sound right or are they just trying to get more money out of me? I planned to put him in for one day for a little while then build up to 2 and then 3.
No idea what to do, any ideas? thanks

I've heard several nurseries say that going at least twice a week is better so that the little ones don't forget and have to adjust afresh every time they go. In support of this, the nursery we used let us do two half days (Mon & Weds) instead of one full day, so they can't have been trying to make more money. And since then, a friend whose little boy went on Mon & Fri and had tantrums whenever he was left, found that by also sending him on Weds he stopped kicking off. He remembered where he was and that he liked it so he ran in happy. So maybe even more than two days is better. But to begin with I think two should be fine, if you can stretch to it. It needn't be full days though - can you do half days? Or just pick him up earlier, if you don't want to be apart too long to start with?

I would def recommend 2 sessions per week. A week is a very very long time in the life of a young toddler. I agree if you can do half days that would be better.

My DS did one day a wk at day nursery for over a year and he was fine after the initial settling in period.

DD is just over two as well and on her second week at nursery. Her nursery also recommended to sessions a week, for the same reasons, but we simply can't afford it, so she's just going for one a week. That being said, she is an extremely confident little girl and is very excited about going to see her friends.

one option is to see if you can do two sessions for 2 or 3 weeks and then drop down to one for a while - I do genuinely think it would halp him settle quicker. Just be up front with the nursery.

OK, so two might help him settle and he will remember where he is better.

Can't do half days unfortunately. Think I'll have to go for two then.

Ta.

My dd1 started at nursery 1 day a week, they recommended 2 for reasons of settling better but we only needed one day's childcare a week. they were right actually she didn't find it easy to settle. later she went 2 days a week and did settle better. But actually all 3 of mine have been to nursery 2 days and then 3 (or 3 then 2 then 3). And they have always seemed happier in the nursery when they went 3 days rather than 2.

Which isn't that convenient if you don't need 3 days a week childcare. But all of mine have seemed more part of things in the nursery, more at the centre of the friendships and social groups, when they went 3 days not 1 or 2.

am not advocating you put ds in for 3 days if you only need one day's childcare but I do think (unfortunately, in some ways) that they do settle better - in that they seemed happier, more part of things - the more they go.

2

I'm a childminder and all my fellow childminders agree that babies and toddlers that only come once a week take forever to settle.

Some of them won't take 'one day a weekers' for that reason.

Obviously it's tricky if cost is an issue but you really want your Ds to associate nursery with pleasant things rather than as a stressful experience.

HTH

And remember that nursery is not compulsory!