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Parenting

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Original poster

Feel 2 sessions of playgroup too much for both ds & i

18 replies

bigboydiditandranaway · 10/02/2009 15:19

We were recommended by playgroup that ds should go twice a week to help him settle in quicker.(he's just 3)

When i phoned i had in mind that it would only be once a week to start with then we could gradually build it up to when he started school.

I am a SAHM and ds does go to mother & toddler group 1/2 a week and has been for a while so he's got used to mixing with other children. I just feel at the moment two sessions to start with would be too much of a wrench.

What should i do?

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SoupDragon · 10/02/2009 15:20

Is this just 2 mornings?

Original poster

bigboydiditandranaway · 10/02/2009 15:23

yes, for 3hrs each am.

OP posts:

AccidentalMum · 10/02/2009 15:28

Sounds sensible to me, once a week can be like starting all over again each time.

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ruddynorah · 10/02/2009 15:30

i think twice a week is better than once a week. going just once will leave too long a gap between sessions.

laurz75 · 10/02/2009 15:31

Depends who it is more of wrench for really? If your son will enjoy playgroup and will settle better with 2 sessions, then I'd go for it. I wish on hindsight that I had put my ds in for more than one morning as he found it very difficult to settle.

bumpybecky · 10/02/2009 15:35

from experience they really do tend to settle better if they go more than once per week. Split the days up a bit if you can too, that way there's not so many days between visits for him to forget how it all works.

alarkaspree · 10/02/2009 15:36

I agree 2 mornings better than 1. Ds started preschool aged 2.6, he does two mornings but because of the huge number of holiday days here (in the US) in the Autumn term there were a lot of weeks when he only went once. It took him a long time to settle in.

But there's no reason why he has to go at all if you don't want him to.

Tamarto · 10/02/2009 15:37

They're not lying, it is easier to settle when there is more than one session.

Depends on your reasons for not, but imo not putting him for the two because you'll find it hard is a bit harsh on the child who may struggle to settle in.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 10/02/2009 15:38

My DD is only 2.3 and has settled in very quickly to two sessions a week, it did help that she quickly got used to the place by going that bit more often.

SoupDragon · 10/02/2009 16:36

2 mornings is the right way to do it. As others have said, 1 means there is no consistency for the child.

SoupDragon · 10/02/2009 16:38

DS1 went to nursery for 2 full days a week from age 2. He had a month of settling in where he went 2 mornings. He was fine. DS2 started 2 years later and went straight into 2 full days

DanJARMouse · 10/02/2009 16:42

We started DD2 in november on 2 sessions a week, by the end of november she was up to 3 a week and this week has started going 4 sessions a week.

Depends totally on the child, and of course not letting them see you are maybe a little tense about them starting nursery.

In my honest opinion, the more they go, the better they love it.

DD2 is still gutted I wont put her in for 5 sessions.... but that can wait until september.

Mercy · 10/02/2009 16:43

Agree with others. Is your ds is happy being away from you?

dd did 3 sessions per week (aged 2.8) and settled really quickly whereas ds never went as he didn't even like P&T group.

But when he started at nursery school for 5 sessions a week he took to it immediately (he was 3.6 then)

Mercy · 10/02/2009 16:44

lol Jarm, ds used to cry when he realised it was the weekend and therefore no nursery!

Original poster

bigboydiditandranaway · 10/02/2009 20:18

ds isn't away from me much really, apart from the odd times when we're decorating/need to do something but gp's do take him to the park/walk, but that's only for an hour every few weeks.

ds2 is only 5months so i've been careful not to make ds1 feel too pushed out, i suppose i feel a bit like i'll be doing that with sending him twice a week.

OP posts:

jocie · 10/02/2009 20:39

Hi bigboydiditandranaway, I have exactly the same age gap between my 2 boys and iwas worried too that ds1 might feel pushed out when going to preschool, but we built it up to him saying how he was such a big boy now etc and he started in sept doing 2 afternoons and was fairly settled in after a few weeks( until i tried to send him in pants as we were toilet training so we had to continue with pull ups till xmas) and then from jan he started doing 3 mornings instead and he has settled a lot quicker as it's more of a routine for him and he now absolutely loves going and is dissapointed when he wakes up and it's not a preschool morning! As for the pushing out thing im quite lucky as both gp's live close by and both ds's spend time with them. I also make sure i have me and ds1 time whenever ds2 has a nap. Coming at it from both sides( I used to be a nursery nurse in my former pre-mummy life!) i agree and think that 1 day can confuse them as it's too long imbetween going.

milsna · 13/02/2009 08:19

My ds started with just 1 session and didn't settle at all! becuase it was too long before he went again!

Every Tuesday and Thursday I dread it because he cries for the whole morning saying he doesn't want to go, yet he loves it! Its so draining because I feel guilty taking him and telling him he is going! - I know he will be fine once he is there.

BONKmesenselERZ · 13/02/2009 08:34

my DD started with 2 mornings and did that for a term and is now doing 4 mornings (she was 3 in dec) I must say though i am missing her!

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