Can someone explain how nursery works? I'm being thick...

[mistressploppy]

DS is just 7mo but I'm wondering if I should be doing something about putting his name on lists etc.

I'm a SAHM so there's no great rush but someone suggested getting him used to nursery perhaps one afternoon a week when he's small. Do most children go when they're 3 yrs? For how long? Are there different nurseries for older pre-schoolers vs tiny ones? Or is nursery for tiny ones just called 'daycare'? How do I go about finding a good one?

Sorry, , TIA

There is no rush to get him used to nursery while he is small (if you don't otherwise want to). The SAHMs I know tend to wait till at least 2.5 (quite a lot wait till their children are eligble for nursery funding or for the year before they start school). The number of sessions they go vary from 2-5 (school nurseries IME tend to "encourage" you to come for 5).

There are a variety of options

• daycare type nurseries that take children from babies and tend to cater more for working parents

• committee run pre-schools (round here these tend to run in village halls and the like although some have purpose built premises). Aimed at 2.5/3 - school age they tend to just offer shorter sessions although some may be more flexible (in theory all settings have to be more flexible from September)

• school nurseries - as the name suggests these are attached to schools and tend to have a teacher "in charge". Encourage close links with the school and "can" be more formal.

Basically you need to ask about, get a list and go and see a few. When you need to put names down depends on the individual setting.

neither ds or dd went to nursery until they got their funding for their free place at the age of 3 (still 12.5 hours here). I had to apply just after they turned 2 (October and November birthdays).

most nurseries around here are privately run nurseries (NOT day nurseries which are completely different.

Eg Montessori where DS goes is privately run has morning and afetrnoon sessions and take childrne from 2.5, though I would say most children go from 3.

If you are SAHM I see no need to get your DC's into a nursery prior to 2.5 - personally I found play groups and meeting friends enough perhaps starting part-time (DS did 2 afternoons a week) from 2.5-3 then full tiem (ie 5 mornings or afternoons a week) for the pre-school year.

Has worked for us anywa.

Thanks everyone, that's really helped! There are some things Googling just can explain, thank god for MN....

*can't explain, durrr....