Sept 08 - Insert witty title 'here'

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Sorry about the crap title ladies, I was lacking inspiration and we were up to our limit on posts!

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Thanks for your advice girls (hello jenbot/ ensure )

It helps to know that most people are in a dilemma too about pre-school.
For me, I need something that will fit around work. There is one 'full-time' nursery attached to one local primary. Basically, you can drop off anytime after 8am and (I think) they stay open until 5.30ish but during the pre-school sessions the children go over to the main school then come back for lunch. Obviously you pay but it is so much cheaper than the private nursery she goes to now.
Atm, that's my No1 option and I've asked for them to send me an application form.

However, it's not the school she'd go to full-time and, tbh, not the best school but it is on the way to private nursery for No2.

The private nursery she goes to now is just lovely and she is so happy there. She could stay till she goes to school full-time but I have 2 concerns:

1. As she's a sept baby, she'll be 5 about a week after she starts school. Will the current nursery challenge her enough, will she be bored. I always thought nurseries attached to school were more 'school-like'.
   

1. Won't staying in private nursery till she's 5 (near as dammit) mean she struggles to settle into full-time school? She won't meet her classmates, she won't be used to school assemblies. She'll go from a loving nursery to full-blown school with no settling in time.
   

I just do not know what to do but places go fast.

We reckon 2 full-time places at her current nursery (assuming she gets funding paid to the nursery to reduce the cost) will be about £850 per month.
i guess I'm lucky to have a reasonably well-paid job (too well-paid to afford for me to drop to 4 days, IYSWIM)

But it will only be for a year, then once she's at school full-time, our costs for her will only be minimal as her school does after-school club for about £2! It's just a shame that the nursery doesn't offer holiday care for school-age kids, otherwise we'd be laughing.

Sunshinemummy you're a FT worker with 2 - are you still there? Any tips?

Now off to bed ladies, am done in. Forgot how bloody tiring early pg is!

[Lollyheart]

Would a nanny be an option? Not sure how much they charge, but they would be able to take and pick up c .
Hello Jen I saw the pics of c bump, how scary, glad she is ok mow tho.
Stupid pregnancy brain, I've put my back door key somewhere safe as Fraser was getting out of it, now I can't remember where I've put it , ahhh.

[skinmysunshine]

Hello MrsA it is I Sunshinemummy under a new guise.

Sorry to hear you're in a dilemma. Unfortunately my experience is that it only gets more difficult as they go to school.

So for me DS is now 5 and has been at a local school since September.

DD is an August baby so in theory can go to pre-school from this September. At the moment she is in a local private nursery (the one DS went to) and, after a bit of soul searching about whether to apply for a f-t place at the pre-school attached to the school DS goes to, I've decided to leave her at nursery. I have a few reasons:

1. Full-time at pre-school does not cover anything like working hours so she'd be subject to the same wrap-around care as DS which I think she's a bit little for.
   
2. Our nursery is wonderful in the final year. They spend a lot of time getting them ready for school, both in very practical ways, ensuring they can get dressed and undressed, use the toilet and feed themselves etc, but also in academic ways starting them out on writing and phonics and getting them used to a classroom environment. I know they don't do this at any of our local pre-schools and it has really given DS an advantage at school.
   
3. She's been going there since she was 7 months old. Loves all the staff and other children, is comfortable and, I am able to integrate her into the school in more subtle ways since DS is already there. For e.g. I take her up there whenever I can.
   

In terms of DS he currently goes to the Breakfast and After School club attached to the school which he likes but doesn't love. In addition, because I work long hours and the ASC closes at 17:45 (no way I can get there for then) he also goes to a childminder for an hour or so at the end of each day. She's got a DS at the school too and is really flexible, so he has made friends with her DS and feels like he's going to his mates house, while I can cancel her at short notice if I can get away to collect him myself.

I have to say I have found this year incredibly difficult. DS would definitely prefer to be one of the kids that gets collected by his parents at the end of each day. I'm unable to get him to any after school activities that aren't run at the school and rely on friends to help with this, schools aren't good at giving notice for when they want you to go in so I often miss things, which makes me feel like the crappiest mother ever (I'm missing a spring concert on Monday for eg). In addition, he's found the year extremely tiring (depsite having attended nursery for 50 odd hours a week beforehand) and we've had a lot of meltdowns which I think have been exacerbated by all the changes in his life. Also picking him up from someone's house is hard.

I'm starting a new job on Monday (thankfully as have spent the last 6 months being bullied at work which has been truly awful). New role is likely to have long hours too but is double the pay so I'm considering getting a part time nanny who will take over the after school responsibilities for DS, and can obviously take him home and help him with his homework (we get a lot of homework which is another source of angst for me as I rarely get chance to do it with him). I'm still intending to leave DD in our fabulous nursery.

Anyway sorry this is such a mammoth missive and that it's pretty devoid of advice. Hope it gives you some food for thought and am so happy you all remember me. Only popped back today for first time in ages and I'm mentioned on the thread!

[Meglet]

mrsA DS's nursery are getting all the parents to let them know what school their DC's are going to (once we all know!) and they will buddy up the children going to the same schools. So if your DD does stay at nursery they will hopefully do the same. They are also going to start preparing the school-starters for more formal routines / uniforms etc. I will find out whether it's been worth it once DS starts school in September! FWIW the reception classes I have visited have been very similar to nusery, not very formal and with lots of hustle and bustle .

lolly Peg bag / coat pocket / window sill / toy box / top of a cupboard???

I'm a bit spooked this evening. I was walking through town earlier and had to help comfort a lad who had almost certainly broken his arm / shoulder (he had jumped off a far too high wall seconds before I passed), although there was no blood so I think he should be mend-able. Another lady was calling an ambulance and his mates were with him but the poor mite was hollering in pain . Couldn't even get his phone off him to call his parents as we couldn't risk moving him. The ambulance didn't take long but I was pretty shaken up afterwards, just made me think one of my DC's will probably do something daft like that one day.

[skinmysunshine]

Oh and don't get me started on holiday care - we have had to be very creative there. So far we've relied on:

• working from home
  
• football camp
  
• aunty coming to stay
  
• nan coming to stay
  
• going up to stay at grandads
  
• taking leave
  
• private summer camp (we're booking this for a week in August)
  
• council summer camp (ditto)
  
• share care with friends.
  

It is not easy.

[Becaroooo]

lolly I did that last week - I had put it on top of the coffee maker for some reason

Jen I saw your FB pic...crikey how scary. So glad she is ok now.

mrsa My nephews ended up going to school with a lot of their friends from nursery but I guess it depends on the area and school choices.

It is a shame the nursery dont offer care for school age kids...a lot of ones round here take them til 12! (not sure what you are supposed to do after that though!)

As Lolly says, an au pair or nanny would be your next bet...and much more adaptable I imagine.

[DebiTheScot]

Just a quick one before I go to bed.
MrsA my ds didn't know anyone before he went to school and although he'd been to a small pre-school they weren't connected to a school and didn't do anything like assemblies. he's settled well and his teacher raved about him at parents eve. C will prob be fine, the Sept kids are often more confident. I think you should speak to the nursery she's at now about the pre-schl care as you'll need to make a decision soon.

sunshine a nanny sounds like a good option for you. It must have been really tough the last 6 months. My ds was more than ready for school but we still had a few meltdowns and he's only got the long days (and even then not as long as yours) 3 days a week when he's at a childminder after school and in before school club. I feel awful when I can't get to stuff at school too, they always seem to be on days I work. This week they are doing a fashion show with clothes they are making themselves out of old junk! That I'd love to see!

[ensure]

We who had pre-september babies will have to apply for school places by January next year too. School! I know it is only March, but January seems too soon!

That poor boy meglet. :(

[eandz]

Hi Guys!

just found you (again!)

So, we've been having N assessed (and he's started nursery last week, although he picked up a tummy bug, so didn't go for the last two days). Hopefully he'll be going back today.

We're currently going through tonnes of assessments, but no two professionals seem to agree to what is going on with N.

[Becaroooo]

Hey eandz What assessments are you getting done? PM me if you like x

[skinmysunshine]

In terms of knowing people he had a really good friend in his class and he knew a few other boys a little as they went to another nursery with a good friend of his. He's made friends easily though - we've had no problems there at all. He's also apparently the class heartthrob!

[CappuccinoCarrie]

mrsA my DD has been at a school based nursery for 2 hours a day since Sept, and will start school ft this Sept. Its a different school to where her nursery is, and she'll only know a couple of children, its a shock from 2 hours a day to ft school, but she can and will cope i'm sure. She's v.excited about going and enjoyed the tour of the school that we did, and we talk about it a lot to prepare her as best we can. The reception class looks just the same as her nursery classroom, and she's used to the concept of story time/singing time/taking instructions from a teacher. Some of the children were having a dance class in the hall when we looked round, and she still talks about that, and has chosen herself a lunchbox (most essential piece of kit ever if you're 3 apparently...!) I'm sure your DD will learn all these skills at nursery so I really wouldn't worry about her going from there straight into school.
I'm still thinking of keeping DS at home with me til he's 4...he'll still get a year of pre-school and we go to things like gym club and toddler groups where he plays in a group setting and follows what another adult is saying.
Only 2 days til we find out if DD actually got into our first choice of school....no reason why she wouldn't have, but it'll still be nice to have it in writing!
Hello sunshinemummy and eandz!

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Oh thank you all for your comments, it really has helped me to focus.

Sunshine I do hope things work out for you at your new job, it sounds like you've had a tough old time.

I was worrying that DD will find the change from nursery to school hard, but from what you have all said, I'm feeling better.
I have also done some research and the local school that offers wraparound care opens its nursery from 7.45am till 6pm, so if she went there, that would easily suit my hours and she would get experience of pre-school in a formal setting. I reckon I could then send her to her current private nursery in school holidays as it is in the grounds of the local college and takes lots of students' children so is very quiet in school holidays!
(I'll deal with holiday care etc when she's at full-time school another time - it's the year from Sept 2012 that I'm looking at now).

On the one hand keeping her in the private nursery would suit as No2 will also go there but once she's in school full time, we'll have to sort 2 drop offs so it's not a huge dilemma. One of her closest friends at nursery is also going to the pre-school with wraparound care as his mum works FT too, so it would be nice for them both to go together (but not essential).

And I think I have chosen her school. She was always going to the primary school that I can almost see from my front drive and as I work from home sometimes I had visions of being able to pick her up once a week and walking etc. But have done some research prompted by a friend who lives opposite and it's gone downhill fast.
Another school about 5mins drive away is about half the size, has received consistently 'outstanding' reports and, can you believe it, is under subscribed! They actually phoned my friend and asked her to come and see the school,before she made her choices and she's gone for it.
It is walkable but you have to walk down a single-track lane with passing places, no pavement, so not good for walks with little people.
But I have to put her education first. It's also a feeder into a very good local ex-grammar school.

So, upshot is, I shall put in a notice of interest for both the pre-school and the school and then see what happens. Either way, am very excited as maternity leave means I shall reduce her nursery days by one, so she will still go 2 days a week and be with nana 1 day a week but I will have her 2 days a week with the new baby.
It gives me and baby time to bond and do 'baby' stuff and then time for DD to get to know her new sibling. Am really quite pleased at the timing!

[Debs75]

I think Robyn is taking a turn for the worse.
Yesterday and now today she has had a suddeen drop in temperature(33) and her lips, hands and legs are blueing. Like yesterday she is now asleep and murmuring a lot. The weird thing is last night she was like a little oven she was so hot.
I googled low temps and it came back with hypothermia, have opened a thread in childrens health but no-one is replying. Feeling a bit worried now.

[Becaroooo]

debs Get her back to the GP pronto.

Are her hands and feet cold? Does her skin look mottled? If so, she needs to be seen asap.

xxxx

[Debs75]

Becarooo Yes and Yes.

I knew I should of come on here first. What is the likeliest outcome? DP thinks hypothermia is a bit of a stretch

[Becaroooo]

Its not hypothermia and I really dont want to worry you........ but cold hands and feet and mottled skin are a less well known symptom of meningitis.

If it were Toby I would ring the GP or got to A&E

xxx

[Debs75]

Thanks ladies. Off to A&E soon, will let you know more tomorrow

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Debs75 fingers crossed and let us know when you can. All the best xxxx

[Kagey]

Debs I hope Robyn is ok - I will keep a check on here later.

Star so sorry for your loss and hope you are ok.

Well I had my little girl on Sunday afternoon. I say little, she was quite a whopper at 9lbs 9oz (DH thought she was 9lbs 5oz) but her postnatal care plan has the higher weight. I thought I was going to have a 9lber but 9.9 .

Unfortunately my vbac was unsuccessful but I was proud to have pushed for an hour on just gas and air (and a wee pethidine shot earlier in the morning). After not much progress, I went to theatre for an assisted delivery and they tried ventouse first to turn as she was occuput transverse (sp) and then tried forceps and back to ventouse before they performed a section again. I was sad but just wanted baby here safely. I had bled alot in the early hours of Sunday morning at home as contractions began again so it had been quite an ordeal getting to hospital and making sure that baby was ok - I was petrified of uterine abruption.

When DH saw she was a girl we were both surprised as we thought it was a boy due to size of bump and how different the pregnancy was, so the old wives tale was wrong for me! Luckily we had struggled to agree any boys names, so I am proud to introduce Elise Jessica :) She is a little cutie and Erin thinks she is fab (as we do too).

Recovery for me is slow going, I felt absolutely awful in the night with abdominal pains which is a mixture of CS recovery, afterpains and lots of wind . I am glugging peppermint tea.

Ok better go, I can see little arms waving and she will be screaming for milk soon; milk is coming in .

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Congratulations once again kagey! So sorry you had to go through labour, pushing, and section, you're doing amazingly, and such a big baby, wow you're superwoman! Glad Erin has taken to her well, and more beautiful names, I really like your taste in names a lot! Hope you can rest up and enjoy your gorgeous newborn :)

debs hope everything is ok with Robyn, will check back later for news.

[Lollyheart]

Hope Robyn is ok, will also check later to see how she is.

Congratulations kagey

The missing key mystery was solved, dh found it....... On the door step I think I never put it in a safe place after all and Fraser took it out and posted it threw the letter box

[ensure]

Hope Robyn is ok Debs. Thinking of you.

[notcitrus]

hope Robyn is OK Debs and A&E isn't too crowded.

Congratulations, Kagey

Ds will stay at his nursery until starting school, unless it happens that there's no space in the pre-school room for ages after he grows out of Toddler room. Happened to a friend of his as there's only 8 places in preschool (12 in toddler) and kids tend to stay until Sept when they go to school so spaces don't come up the rest of the year.
Bit worried about getting A into a local school - the 3 nearest us all seem fine but hugely overcrowded with at least 3 extra classes created in the last 4 years in portacabins. Still, don't have to worry for another year, unlike SIL who has to buy a house over the summer to be in place to apply for dn...

A is claiming he wants a blue turtle-shaped potty - I think this is what they have at nursery, so will try tracking one down.