Nursery. Must we put kids in as soon as they're entitled?

[MakeMeAFloozy]

I just get fed up with this pressure that comes without fail as soon as a child becomes eligible for preschool provision. My mum used to complain about it too but she would keep us at home until school age, which isn't for me.

Nowadays the government funds nursery from 2. It used to be for low income households but not sure if that's changed. They said it was to help families. So the social pressure and judging starts from when the kids are 2 now because that's when most of the families around me are entitled to childcare. They're STAHMs (as am I) so they have a choice.
Once a small group of relatives all turned on me just because I had the nerve to say out loud that i was waiting until my DS was 3. We weren't classed as low income so weren't entitled anyway but i didn't want to sound snobby.
I feel that i meet my children's needs at home. There are toys and books everywhere and I'm not ashamed of it. They spend all day exploring, i read to them and their speech is good for their ages. I just want the early years with them until 3 while I am lucky enough to have a choice, before getting back into work in a year or 2.
It's like I need to get ready for an argument every time someone asks.
Should it be automatic as soon as the government can fund it?

It's only free from the age of 3 unless you're on a low income. I don't think you have to put them in as soon as they turn 3, but most people would recommend a full year of 15 hours before they start school.

Of course you don't have to. Afaik it's still only low income families that get free funding at 2.

But regardless my kids have benefitted hugely from a nursery setting, both educationally and socially. I can't see them being ready for school otherwise, but they're summerborns so the younger end of the spectrum.

Ywnbu not to send your kids to some kind of nursery or pre-school if you don't want/need to. But don't discount the benefits that this brings.

There is no requirement at all for children to attend nursery. Unless you work, why would you?

I can't see why you wouldn't. It's free the term after they are three. It's sociable, it's educational, it sets the scene for starting school so the children are in a routine. Often the children will move to school already knowing some friends so they aren't as worried. My son has just left his preschool and he has had a whale of a time and we have both made lots of friends. Nothing not to like.

Just to clarify, I do start my kids at 3, just not at 2. We are not normally entitled anyway (I am entitled now due to a change of circumstances but hopefully thats just temporary!)
I could have just said I'm not entitled but at the moment that's not true so I don't have a statement to avoid a debate.

My twins are September born, I didn't send them to pre school until they turned 4 and then it was only for 6 hours a week. They started on 15 hours after Easter.

You don't have to send them at all if you don't want to.

I'm a SAHM, my DS (nearly 4) started at preschool when he was 2.5. I wanted to do it gradually, and at that point, although we went out to a lot of groups together and did lots of playing at home I felt it would be beneficial for both of us for him to go for a few hours.

By starting him then we were able to do it in a very gradual way (2 x 2.5 hr sessions a week to begin with), with me staying with him to begin with - it's a lovely setting and they were happy to support parents with gradual retreat if that's what they wanted.

He's now almost 4 and will be starting school in sept, and this last term he's been up to 16 hrs a week. We've increased his hours very gradually, as and when he seemed ready for it, and it's been lovely to se how his confidence has grown.

I appreciate that we've been really lucky to do it this way - both from the point of view that with me being at home he could just go for short sessions to begin with, and that the pre-school was able to accommodate him.

It was absolutely the right decision for us, but every child is different, and you are the best person to decide whether they'd benefit from going or not!

Sorry, that was long!

My DH and I looked after our DGD from when she was nine months old as my ds and dil both worked. DGD is an only child (and due to a genetic problem) will stay an only child. We started her at pre school at age two (obviously had to pay until she was three). She only went for two three hour sessions at first and she absolutely loved it. As she had a couple of oldies looking after her, she was not mixing with other young children so it was important for her to attend pre school but if your children have siblings and mix with other children then by all means keep them at home until they are three and enjoy them.