Sending one year old to nursery

[theotherfossilsister]

It finally looks like we have a nursery place for August and instead if delight/relief I'm feeling worried. My seven month old is currently asleep on me and he's wonderful but still such a baby. He'll be going eight to five thirty, three days a week, maybe four.

Please can people tell me how it goes? Will he be exhausted?

I had to go back to work full time when my baby was 6 months old. Took him a few weeks to properly settle but he LOVES it! He just turned one and I try not to get offended that he clearly finds it more fun than being at home 😂.
Do be prepared for a lot of illnesses in the first few months. We had a new bug every week for months and it was hell. I almost wanted to take him out of nursery but he’s now gone nearly two months with no sick days so it’s worth persevering.
also because your baby is only there 3-4 days a week it might take a little longer for him to fully settle but as long as you’re happy with the nursery, you’ll both be fine.
our baby does get exhausted by the end of the day and they have now transitioned him to one nap so we’re going through a little rough patch but he’s handling it well and we try to let him rest as much as possible at the weekend. He now goes to bed between 6-6:30pm, which I love as me and his Dad get the evening to relax after work.

My daughter started going twice per week just after she turned one. Settling in was tough I won’t lie, there were lots of tears and drop off but the staff were great and now she trots through the door with barely a backward glance (18 months now).

We didn’t have a choice as we couldn’t afford for me not to work but honestly I’m glad she goes. They get up to all sorts of fun things, have themed weeks and trips, way more than I could provide at home and her vocab and social skills have come on leaps and bounds.

But yes she is always knackered and cranky when she gets home so it’s pretty much dinner bath and bed straight away! Also agree with PP about the illnesses, it’s felt constant since she started going.

I know how you feel. My 18 months old started nursery (3 days a week, full days) when she turned one. It her a while to settle but now she loves it! Not to mention how worried I was as I'm still breastfeeding her. All will be fine!

My 18 month old has been going full time since 9 months. She comes home knackered on a Monday but other than that she's fine.

My DD started at 13.5 months, 4 very long days a week.
I absolutely dreaded it and sobbed my heart out in the lead up. It was in the middle of lockdown which didn’t help the anxiety.

She absolutely loved it and has thrived. She’s now 3.5 and skips in every day. We never had tears or any issues, it was only me that cried.

I BF and kept going until 26 months, I was so worried that nursery would change things but it was fine.

I know there are good and bad settings but for us the one we chose has been fantastic. We have moved house but still travel back to use this one as it’s better than nearer options.

It’s a new chapter @theotherfossilsister but all will be well.

You'll be exhausted, he'll probably be exhausted some of the time, but loads of people do it, plenty at a much earlier age. Accept it's going to be tough to start with and keep your expectations of him and yourself low. It does get better with time.

They will make sure he has naps; they know how even if he'll only nap under certain conditions at home. They will offer cuddles and quiet time if he needs it. My second daughter went to a nursery three days a week at just-turned one and she loved it.

DS started just before his first birthday, and while there were always tears at drop off, he loved it once he was there.

Nope, never tired, he napped really well there. He was there from 8-6 three days a week and was still full of beans until bedtime. They build in a lot of naptime and spend most of the day playing, so they don’t get any more tired than at home (school is different as they are concentrating and on best behaviour - DS was shattered for the first term in reception).

Loved their garden, loved all the messy play, loved doing “yoga” and music with the teachers, loved the excursions to the local park/wildlife gardens (they went once a week). Honestly he wasn’t a big fan of the other kids until he was about 3-4, but he made good friends once he decided he wanted to.

Nursery is wonderful. Both of mine have been five days a week from about ten months. They get a lot out of it. Eldest is at school now, with friends she's known since the baby room.

it will be fine. My son went 4 days a week from 10 months. He loved it, messy play, big garden, eating with others.. he always napped better at nursery than at home so if anything was better rested. He was prepared really well for school which made that transition so much easier, he is 8 now and we still have close friendships with some of the children he has known since they were 1. It was a very positive experience all round and I would do the same again.

Thank you. I keep thinking he won't be ready and dilly dallying about trying to freelance round naps (not very realistic) or taking another six months unpaid.