Leaving your ds/dd - at what age?

[ETsmum]

Just interested - and trying to feel less guilty about it!!

Ds is just over 20m and would REALLY like to try him in the creche (looks v. good) at local leisure center, so I can start getting fit. Hass been left loads, but only with people he knows. Considering test run at the weekend where I just go for coffee....

It's just he's a bit of a mummys boy......but I do want him to start playschool next year......oh, the guilt Thoughts/comments appreciated.

See how it goes over the weekend, perhaps try again in a while. Why the guilt? He might enjoy playing with different toys etc.

I think it helps build children's confidence if they get used to coping without mummy.

Sadly guilt is what you feel throughout parenthood, often unnecessarily.

I started my dd at pre-school two mornings a week when she turned two. She loved it for the first few sessions and waved merrily bye bye to me, and i STILL felt guilty!!
Now i think she has realised this is a permanent arrangement and she cries when i leave her there, but they tell me she enjoys herself when i'm gone, and she always looks happy when i look through the door, but when she spots me she bursts into tears!!

I think it helps to have a regular routine with it, my dd has been off sick a couple of times, and then the pre-school closes for school holidays so it has been a bit unsettling.

Go for it, and enjoy some quality time to yourself!

I work from home whilst dd is away at pre-school, so i long for some me time!

etSMUM- My ds who sis coming up 10 months has gone to creche for 2 mornings a week from 8.45 to 10.45 since he was 6 months old. He absolutly loves it. I did and still do feel guilty but I also feel that it is teaching him that there is life beyond mummy. I use the time to go to the gym-do housework etc. (or just sit around drinking coffee{wink} )

Thanks for telling me it can be done - and I know it probably WILL be good for ds. Thankd for understanding about the guilt - Cristina....just feel like I should be there for him all the time as I'm a SAHM. Daft and silly I know. Fran - there always seems something to feel gulty about! Think I just need to put it in perspective, and get a little of MY identity back - just feel "mum" at the mo!

Look at it as though you are doing him a favour - preparing him for when its time to start play school.

best thing i ever did - my ds went to nursery for one full day a week aged 12 months. Then few months later increased it to 2 full days. He happily does 3 full days now aged 2.5. Built confidence, learns to tidy up toys and behaves like an angel for them.