What age did your child start nursery

[Firsttimemum256]

How old were they when they started nursery and for how many days? Starting to think about the end of my maternity leave and I’m worried dc will be too young for nursery/worried about leaving them

10 months

would have been a bit earlier but DH is a teacher and by back to work date coincided with holidays.
Kid thriving now at 2,5

Both of mine were FT from about ten months. Both settled easily (especially the one coming from lockdown who was DESPERATE for socialisation ) and were happy at nursery until they left to go to school.

At 2. Just 2 mornings. He settled in really quickly, not a lot of crying at all. After just a few sessions he'd walk in and barely say goodbye😆 He'll soon be going for 3 days 8-4 when he's 3.

1st was 2 due to lockdown - 3 days
2nd starting now at 11 months - 3 days

Dc1 7 months (3 days) now an adult and hasn't caused any issues.
Dc2/3 13 months (3 days) both teenagers and speak really positively about this time.

She was one. But it was only twice a week for the first year or 18 months (can’t now recall!) as my DH and I both went down to 4 days so we had a day each with her and my parents did the third. It was absolutely fine. It helped that it was a really lovely place (it was half way between a nursery and a childminder so it was in a home setting but there were 3 members of staff, who looked after 2 or 3 children each. They took the kids to baby groups and on trips out etc. Stayed in that setting until she was of pre-school age. I think the main thing is to find a place you really like with staff you trust.

13 months and 2 days to start with, going up 3 days at 15 months.

Then the covid lockdowns hit and she was out of nursery from 16 months for a while. My working pattern changed after that and from about 20 months she was in 4 days but shorter days.

Then from about 2 and a half she went in every day but at least 2 days were just mornings. She actually did better with the routine when she was in more, and she liked me scooping her up early whenever I could (especially in summer when we'd go to the park on the way home).

Six months old - Full time. Excellent nursery.

13 months, four days a week. Loves it. Now two and wanders in without a backward glance at me.

Childminder from 12 months - 2.5yrs then moved house so found a nursery. A childminder seemed more suited when she was so small.

14 months for 4 full days 8am-6pm. Now coming to up 3, thriving, and absolutely loves going. I adore the nursery she goes to, and am envious of all the activities they do.

10 months - I was more distressed than she was. This one will be 12 months

She’ll start 3 short days (term time only) at 2.5. As will her brother. All pre schools round here are from ages 2.

11 months and 4 days. First child so had massive mum guilt and felt he was too young to go nursery. After few weeks, he settled in and now can’t wait to get through the front door! Staff are excellent with him - he’s very attached to the one in charge of his room.

He is very much an introvert so he is very scared with new people and can get easily overwhelmed. I’m glad he’s doing well there and I can go to work without worrying about him.

Childminder 4 days a week and GPs one day a week from 11 months

3 days a week at 12 months moving up to 4 days after a few months

The first few months were a bit rough but she’s really happy there now. If starting quite young it can actually be easier to settle with more days rather than less.

Our DS was just after 3 years old. He started school at 4

2.5. We were only just referred for early intervention at that point and advice was to put him into a setting to support intervention (possible autism). I wouldn’t have wanted to send him as a baby, and I also couldn’t afford to on my full time wages so the decision was made for me. Now in pre-school and very happy.

9 months for 3 days a week, and it worked really well because it was before separation anxiety kicked in. Also I needed to go back to work for financial reasons as my maternity leave package was rubbish, so didn’t have much choice! She was one of the younger ones as many started at about a year old, but it wasn’t unusual by any stretch and there were others who started younger.

11 months. He absolutely loved it, no problems settling - nursery had far more interesting toys and people than home! Four days 9am-6pm (although for the first six weeks I did pick up at 4.30pm some days because I was worried it was too long, but he was fine).

He's now 6 and happy at school. Remembers nursery very fondly - it was a lovely place and I really miss it.

Ours was with a childminder for three days a week from age 1 - 2, and now does 2 days at nursery and 1 day with the childminder now she’s 2. I was glad she was with a childminder at 1, felt more home from home and it suited us well, but I do now think she’s ready for nursery and it’ll be a good next step for her.
Theyre very adaptable though and will get used to whatever you choose!

2.5 years - started at just 2 mornings a week at a council run pre-school type nursery, building up to 2.5 days by the time she was 3. She'll stay doing that until she starts school this September. I just wanted her to stay with me when she was really little. My son will start at the same age as his sister (he's still only 18 months so I have a year at home with him yet).

But all that is irrelevant because it's about you, your circumstances and the choices you and your family make. Plenty of babies start nursery under 12 months, and there's also plenty that don't start until they are a bit older. Some are full time; some part time. You just have to do what feels right for you (and there's plenty of mum guilt whatever you decide!).

Agree. DS was 7 months

2.5 now and I still have mum guilt.

But I probably would have had mum guilt anyway if he started at 1,2,3

2, for 2 mornings a week initially, and then three months later, for 2 days. He's usually there 9 - 4:30. He doesn't love it - he doesn't cry and has fun when he's there but he'd rather not go - and I wish we'd not put him in, but we did have the choice, and thought he'd miss out not going. I'd feel less guilty if I needed to put him in financially.

It also costs an absolute fortune, he's now 3 and it's more expensive than ever, and he still only does the same 2 days, so that probably impacts on my decision!

9 months with my first and 11 months with 2nd. I think they were generally there 3 full days (9-5), though 2nd was only 2 days for the first couple months because they didn’t have a space. Dh had him on those days (self employed) while he did admin. I have no regrets at all. They are happy, confident, secure children (7 & 12 now) and it was a smart move for my career.