Should I cut DD's hours at preschool?

[DitaVonCheese]

DD is 3.5 years and at a local preschool. She is a late Sept baby so won't be starting Big School until next year. Atm she goes to preschool two full days (ie 9 til 3) and a morning until just after lunch (9 til 12.30), which we've gradually worked up to from two mornings when she was 2.

Hanyway, atm she's going through a phase of not wanting to stay for the afternoon - she checks with me every morning whether I'm going to collect her after lunch, begs me to come and get her, and sometimes tells me that she's had a cry at school because she doesn't want to stay for the afternoon. Twice recently she's become hysterical over having to stay for the afternoon, though that seems to have got better.

So i'm wondering whether I should cut her hours back down to 3 mornings a week and make the most of spending time together before she does have to go off to school. I've been panicking aobut it because I feel like I don't have a chance to get anything done on the mornings when she's only there for 3.5 hours and I like to have the break (I have a 9 month old as well but things are a lot easier with just one!).

God this is a dull post. I should just do it, shouldn't I? Sod the housework.

Can you chat to the staff and see how they think she's getting on or if it's too much. I know at my daughter's pre school they will say if they think hours are upped too quickly or too much.

My daughter does 4 mornings and it's ok. Long days would suit me better but I'm sure half days suit her better. There's so much stimulation and she's exhausted and wanting time with me. It's an old fashioned pre school and they don't even offer fullt days.

On the other hand there are plenty of children in full time nursery I just wouldn't do long days unless I had to for work reasons.

Can you chat to the staff and see how they think she's getting on or if it's too much. I know at my daughter's pre school they will say if they think hours are upped too quickly or too much.

My daughter does 4 mornings and it's ok. Long days would suit me better but I'm sure half days suit her better. There's so much stimulation and she's exhausted and wanting time with me. It's an old fashioned pre school and they don't even offer fullt days.

On the other hand there are plenty of children in full time nursery I just wouldn't do long days with my daughter unless I had to for work reasons.

If you think you should cut her hours, then yes do it.

Ds goes two mornings a week and I dont do much, just spend time with dd. however he's only 2.5 so I'm going to stop him next month, spend the summer with him and dd before he goes to a closer preschool in September.

Mornings seem much better to me as lunch then home seems a sensible amount of time. When I've picked up ds at lunch time, a few of the kids ask me where their mummy is which is a bit sad.

I think she thinks she should only do mornings so I would go with that. DD 3 is starting nursery school in September when she'll be 3.5 and I know she couldn't cope with full days.

Thanks for the replies, I've talked to her about reducing her hours. Feels a bit pathetic when some kids are doing 4 or 5 full days from a year but otoh we're not going to have the chance again once she's off to school so will just try to let housework slide for a bit.