Nursery question

[Onelittleone216]

I’m returning to work 3 days a week when my LO will be 11 months old. We have a couple of options with child care thanks to grandparents.
Option 1: 1 day nursery, 1 day with MIL, 1 day with my parents
Option 2: 2 days nursery, 1 day alternating between MIL and parents
Aside from the obvious financial benefit to option 1, is there anything else I should consider? Will my LO find one day of nursery confusing compared with 2? He’s quite an extroverted child (as far as you can say this about an 8 month old!), happily goes to others and loves other children, so I’m not currently worried about him going to nursery, just don’t know whether he would settle more quickly if he went more often.
The grandparents offered a day each, and haven’t suggested option 2, me and my husband thought of it due to the funding in September making 1 day ‘free’, so we could potentially afford 2 days. It would obviously be less of a burden on our parents.

Anyone got experience of one vs two days?

My 11 mo th old has just started nursery; like yours he is very extrovert, he absolutely loves it.

My parents are retired and said that they would help out with childcare but we have declined. Although we are not well off and are both in just above minimum wage jobs we have decided to send him to nursery for the 2 days I will be back at work.

Most nurseries where I live have a minimum of 2 sessions a week or they can't go, I also factored in that my parents go on holiday a couple of times a year so I wouldn't be able to rely on them then

Will the nursery let you do just one day? The ones round here are all two days minimum.

Most nurseries ask you to register for 2 days or more because it takes longer to settle with only 1 day.

I think that alternating sounds like a good idea. Grandparents can still go away on trips and have a social life plus hopefully they will be able to cover each other’s illnesses because it’s only every other week.

Option 2 for sure. Most nurseries require 2 days so the child settles. It means your MIL and parents can cover each other during illness or holidays or when other things crop up. And if they are willing to do more you could use it for the odd bit of time to yourself

My DD went to nursery one day a week and she just did not settle. She was 13 months at the time. It wasn't enough time for her to really get used to going so it didn't work for us.

I don't know about our current nursery but I had to start my daughter off with 2 days as that was the minimum for the nursery.

She started this at 9 months and went up to 5 days at 12-13 months. The difference in her by day 4 in that first week of full time was huge. So much more settled than she had been on 2 days a week. I really wouldn't do less than 2 days for this reason.

If you can afford it I'd go for option 2. Gives you all a lot more flexibility in case of illness, holidays, medical appointments etc etc

Will your nursery allow just 1 day?

Personally I think 2 would be better to help your child settle in

As someone who works in nurseries we find that the child who only does one day a week really struggles to settle, cope with the routine and make friends .

I'd be very wary of choosing any nursery that allowed you to send your child for only one day, it's simply not in their best interests and they will find settling almost impossible.

I would personally do 3 days at nursery. As lovely as childcare from family is it sounds like your mum and in-laws could be quite tricky to placate alternating weeks.

Min two days for all the nurseries I know of. I'd be wary of just one day, it might not give the staff as much chance to get to know the DC, and on the basis it's so uncommon, I'd be thinking they just want to fill odd gap spaces.

I’d do 2 days nursery, 1 day MIL & 1 day your parents

give yourself a day off 😆

Thanks everyone, I hadn’t even thought to double check with nursery! It’s a two day minimum so that’s that anyway!

Sounds like 2 days minimum is best anyway.

my DD starts nursery soon at 11 months. It’s a two half day minimum so we’ve opted for 2 mornings and then in laws doing pick up until I finish work one of the days and my mum the other. They are both keen to do childcare but we felt this way it wasn’t quite as full on as nursery will give breakfast and lunch.

I would do option 2. And if your parents/in laws are away then the other grandparent can step up. 8 month olds are easy. Toddlers on the other hand. They might be grateful of once every 2 weeks!