Hi all,
I'm having a real crisis at the moment with regards to the childcare arrangements I have made for DS (10.5 months now, will be 11.5 months when he goes into childcare). Can anyone help? Bit of background: Saw lots of nurseries before going for this particular one (attached to a primary school and also part of a SureStart children's centre) as I really liked the feel of the place. The staff were lovely too. However at the time of looking they could only offer me 2 days a week (I need 4) so we took those two days and started looking for alternate childcare. We were recommended this CM who is lovely and coincidentally, she had two days free, which worked out well for us. Anyway, at that time, we thought we were getting the best of both worlds - a lovely group setting in the nursery and one-to-one care with a CM. DS would have been with CM Monday-Tuesday and nursery Thursday-Friday. Nursery called us a few weeks back to say there's two more days available now - Monday-Tuesday - did we want it? We said no initially cos we thought DS would get the both of both worlds and I wasn't sure about sticking him in nursery 4 days a week.
DH and I went to the nursery today with DS to discuss settling in procedures. DH saw the nursery for the first time and loved it (He's been to the CM before and liked it there too, I know you can't really compare anyway!). So much so that even before we had left the place, we were discussing with them the possibility of having DS there full-time in April (their next intake). DS is an independent little soul but bless him, he is starting to realise that sometimes Mummy and Daddy leave him and don't come back for a while and he does get a little upset but overall, he's okay. But I have to say I am starting to feel a little emotional about him having to adjust to two different environments and sets of people in such a short time. So now I am thinking that we should just put him in the nursery full-time as TBH, I think it would make the adjustment a lot easier and truth be told, it does make the travel logistics a lot easier to deal with (CM lives slightly further and on a very busy road so travelling in peak hour can be an issue while the nursery is just a 3 minutes drive for us on the way to the train station!).
We have already paid a deposit of £480 to the CM, which we would lose if we decide not to take up the place. I said to DH that is it worth it to make DS adjust to two different environments / people and to change that in a few months' time just so we don't lose that deposit? BTW, the CM charges more than the nursery (a £22 difference a day, which means that the 'loss' would be absorbed in the 10 weeks DS is in nursery rather than at CM iykwim), which I have to admit is a consideration as she is quite a lot more expensive than the nursery. While I don't expect to get the deposit back, is it likely the CM might give us some back? I think probably not... But the way I see it, she already had that two days free (she has a mindee the other three days) and not many people want only 2 days of CC. It's not money we can easily write off but we are prepared to if the new arrangement is better for DS. Also, the nursery is willing to keep those extra days for us as long as we give them an answer by Wednesday.
Or am I over-worrying and that DS will adjust to being at two different places easily? I have to say DS isn't the most adaptable of babies in terms of sleep... He loves his cot and whenever we are away and he is in a travel cot, he just doesn't sleep that well... My gut feel is that he will adjust to one place easier than two and he will be happy at this nursery... And if we were offered the 4 days in the beginning, we would have taken it. I think I am going mad. Any advice???????? HELP! Thanks!
Ax