Last term of preschool. Should I maintain 3 days a week or spend more time with DS?

[LegoRules]

DS will be moving up to reception in Sept and they start 5 days a week straight away.

He's been at the school's nursery for 3 days a week - partly to give me a break for 1 day and the other two, due to work.

I feel that when the summer term comes, I'd like to spend a bit more time with him and reduce it to 2 days a week. DH is unsure and has put forward the view that reducing the hours may make the transision in Sept harder.

I'm torn between taking the time that I'll never get back with DS once he starts the real school and the choice of keeping him in the routine.

It's me being a softee, I know, but I miss him when I'm at work (long hours). He'll probably drive me mad, so I'll live to regret it !

What's best do you think?

Does your DS go to nursery in the holidays. You say it is a school nursery so I wasn't sure if it was all year round or just term time.

If it is just term time, I don't think the argument that he will have his routine messed up holds much water. Nurseries tend to have shorter terms anyway so probably the summer holidays will be 2 months long and all routine will be out the window and long forgotten by the start of school.

If not and he goes all year round, well, I would take him out of nursery for that extra day, providing you have a bit of a plan about what you want to do. There isn't much point if all you do is stay home and watch Cbeebies all day. If you are getting out and about, even if it only to the park or the shops then I think it would be lovely to have that extra day together. But then I am a big softee too.

Agree with PP that having a day to do all those "jobs" is invaluable!

What does DS think? (DD adores her school nursery and complains when it is shut at weekends and holidays and would go ballistic if I suggested her going in less).

You do of course have the "options open" solution of "officially" keeping him in for the 3 days but varying it week by week depending on whether you have lots you need to do/it is a nice day/the mood takes you.

I understand completely that you want to spend time with him. My dd1 started reception last Sept and I underestimated how much I would miss her (even though I have a younger child at home). God knows how I'll be with the next one!

It's a nursery linked to a school so only term time.

I work 4 or 5 days a week with very long hours, so I don't always see him before he's up and sometimes he's in bed before I get back.

That's why I was thinking about having the xtra day, in the early summer (May/June) to go out to the beach etc together, and let the house jobs wait as there will be years of that to come anyway.

I know the summer term is quite short, I know that 1 day to catch up is nice too, but I'll have 2 days per week from Sept.

I'm just concerned it won't help him settle to the 5 days a week. So am I being selfish for me or more caring for him? Hope that makes sense?!

I would have the extra day with him if you can.

I am doing something similar with my dd, rather I am not taking up the offer of extra days, becaue I feel the 3 mornings she already does are enough.

I think that they have years ahead of school to 'get used' to it, so this thing about transition is really not worth worrying about. IME they soon settle into school, even those who have done very little pre-school.

LegoRules - some DC don't go to nursery at all and settle fine. Mine only ever did three terms of two mornings and took very well to full time school (8.20am - 3.30pm)from September.

If he isn't going to nursery in the holidays anyway, I don't think you will be making him less settled for the autumn term. My DS2 only ever went for 3 days a week and DS1 for 1 afternoon (we moved a term before he started school and that was all the sessions we could get him).

Neither had problems going straight to 5 days.

Keep him home the extra day. As you say the jobs can wait and you won't ever have that opportunity for freedom again. It maybe be a bit selfish but on the other hand, your DS will appreciate that you wanted to spend time with him. Make a big deal of it, let him know it is your special day together.

If he doesn't settle down to school don't assume it your fault for only sending him to nursery for 2 days instead of 3. Either way starting school is a big deal and he might have trouble settling even if he had been in nursery 5 days a week. There is no way of knowing.

Have fun.

Thank you all. I've decided we're going to make the most of our time together. I'm really looking forward to it. They are, after all, only little once.