SAHP and preschool

[Louisetibbs]

I'm lucky enough to be a Sahm and my daughter turns three in October and she's due to start pre school in September (funded by us until January) for Tuesday am and Thursday Pm which I'm happy about and feel we can still at attend everything else we do eg swimming, playgroups etc
As of January 17 her funding starts and the hours are upt to 15 hours
Monday Full day
Tuesday am
Thursday pm
Friday pm

In all the rush and excitement I agreed to these hours but now I'm doubting it, my daughter has two years at pre school due to where her birthday falls and I'm happy to up the final year before school as I feel it's needed but I don't think for the first.

I wondered if anyone else does/did the same I appear to be a minority amongst my friends and deemed a bit weird because of it.
We do so much (zoo pass, farm pass, national trust) pre school isn't massively needed imo but it's a social compliance I'm sending her.

Any opinion would fab or experiences I'm
Feeling very lost and causing upset.
Thanks

Hi I'm not in your position yet as my DD is only 19 months old but just wanted you to know you're not the only one who feels this way. DH and I are already looked at as a bit weird because she doesn't go to nursery but same as you we do so much with her I don't feel she is missing out at all. Go with your gut feeling, good luck x

My DS is older than yours but will only get full hours this September and starts school in a years time. Afternoons are filled with school pick ups for older DS and so I don't want to overfill the mornings. Therefore preschool will be two mornings a week with one of those mornings moving to a "full" day (til 3pm) in January.
Preschool has helped with confidence and being apart from me but I view it as part of a larger tapestry of experiences and that its main function is to foster independence from me. I think that it's the right amount for us but each child is different and its your decision.

I think just because you can send your DC to pre school for the 15 hours, me doesn't mean you have to. My DD1 did three half days, and DD2 did only two half days, as between DH and me we cared for them the rest of the time. For us, I think this was the right balance for our DDs between the fun of pre school, getting used to being left, making friends, being in a group of children etc, and being cared for by their parents. Pre school is tiring too, and we didn't want our DDs to have to go every day.

Ours is starting in September too (paying from Jan also)

I absolutely don't feel its essential at all. We are sending him because he doesn't have tonnes of interaction with other children (a little with cousins) and it is convenient to where we live.

If I was doing as much as you I would leave it until the year after, no question. I work full time so I can get a lot done with him after work but no all the experiences yours is getting.

It's not set in stone. See how she gets on and then go from there. You know her best.

It's useful to remember it's only during term time, so you will still have quite a lot of weeks where she will be home.

But when dd1 got her funding, we started with 3 mornings as I felt it was enough for her and I was home with dd2 anyway. So from Jan till July it stayed that way, then from Sept she went 2.5 days for a year until she started Reception.

*he, sorry

I used my pre-school hours right from the start . For me it wasn't because they needed them but I needed them . Also a sahp. No right or wrong answer . Do what you want x

Dd will be going two mornings a week on September. She'll get her funded hours in the summer term next year. I've not discussed upping her hours at all, and i don't think we'll up them until the autumn term in 2017. Like others it's mainly for her to get used to being without me. I really hope she enjoys it but also hope we still have enough time to see friends, as some of them will be in on different days or different nurseries to her.