Afternoon nursery woes. Any advice?

[CharlieW4]

My son just started nursery, only afternoon slots available, so I drop him off at 12:50 and collect at 3:45 everyday. This schedule is killing me (and him) and I wonder if other parents have ideas/suggestions. He just turned four so is too old for many of the local toddler activities and the sports programs do not have weekday morning classes. I am considering withdrawing him just so that we could again have play dates, go to parks and museums, and he could sign up for sports. This nursery schedule, as well, limits my ability to get done the things that I need to do.

Why can't you go to the museum/park in the morning? I'm not quite understanding.

That seems quite a good time slot - plenty of time before lunch to do stuff (most toddler groups etx i know are morning ones), and then after pick up its tea, little play, bath and bed.

Keep asking if they have any morning slots available

What is it that's killing him? That seems a fairly good slot to me.

I'm with you op. When dc1 first started at preschool they only had afternoon slots. We had to wait till the following September for a morning place. I didn't like it. Ours was 12.45-3.25. If we went to a group in the morning, it was a rush to get home, get lunch and get to nursery. Dc2 would always fall asleep in the buggy on the nursery run and he didn't sleep well there so it was 50/50 if I could transfer him to the cot without waking him. The only reason we kept with it was if we didn't we wouldn't have got the morning slots ever, priority went to existing children and it was the only preschool within 8 miles (really rural village) so no choice really.

Once we got a morning place it was so much easier and we were able to get a lovely routine going, rather than always waiting for lunch time when it was time to go to nursery.

My DD is in afternoon nursery and is only 3. She has found it very tiring but is getting used to it now. We are in Scotland so she will get mornings next year.

If it is tiredness then he will get used to it. If it just doesn't suit you then are there any private nurseries where he could get his hours, who could offer yu mornings?

Am reading with interest. My DS is due to start nursery in 6 months when he's 2.5 in a 1-3pm slot. He currently naps during that time, so am worried about how he'll cope.

I am mystified why you can't do stuff in mornings. In our area virtually all kids activities are in the mornings. I take my DS to them then he rides his balance bike if scooter to nursery. Swimming etc all find in mornings ???

Also the post age. 4 sports midweek tend to be after school for reception children? It's not like he'd need a nap