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Original poster

Nursery or....what?

11 replies

SenoraPostrophe · 16/08/2004 13:36

I'm really tying myself up in knots over this. Opinions, please, wise ones.

Ds is 7 months and a bit of a high-maintenance baby - well he's not too bad, but is a nightmare to feed if you time it wrong (or if he's not in the mood), plus he gets bored quite easily and is a complete nightmare if he doesn't get enough sleep in the day.

Until now I've been sending dd (2) to nursery in the mornings and had a childminder in for a few hours 2 or 3 days a week while I work. Apart from last month, when dd didn't go to nursery and they both went round to the childminder's 2 afternoons a week - but that didn't work particularly well as they'd come home at teatime.

But my childminder is on holiday, and then in September she will (hopefully) have another job. I say hopefully as she is really a midwife and would be happier/richer doing that! But it leaves me with a problem. I really need to be working more now as I'm getting very behind, so my options are:

  1. send ds to nursery with dd. I actually took them both today, but I'd forgotten that it's a bank holiday (there are so many in Spain! ). Since I don't imagine ds will sleep there, my plan was to send both for 2 hours after his morning nap. But it fills me with dread: Spanish nurseries are not like UK ones - the staff ratio is about 1:15, sometimes higher and there are no dedicated "baby" staff. The staff are all nice though and dd is happy there. Obviously it'd be a faff taking them and picking them up for only 2 hours, but I could deal with that.

  2. Get a new childminder for ds. I have already tried this, but the woman phoned up the day before she was due to start to say she couldn't do it after all. My previous childminder was also highly unreliable (but I kept her on for the sake of continuity for dd) and I don't know anyone who can recommend someone. This option would also be much more expensive - nureseries are v cheap in Spain (see staff ratio above! ). I'm not sure I can afford it.

  3. Get another au-pair. But that would mean putting ds in with dd to free up the spare room. And the last one was a disaster. Also don't like to keep switching carers.

  4. continue to watch our business go down the pan as I never have enough time to do what I've said I'll do.

The best option is number 1, but I have a strong feeling that it's not going to work. I just don't know.

OP posts:
Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 16/08/2004 14:29

sorry for boring you all!

OP posts:
StickyNote · 16/08/2004 14:34

Is sending ds to nursery for longer than 2 hours not an option?

Galaxy · 16/08/2004 14:37

message withdrawn

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 16/08/2004 14:39

stickynote - not really. Like I say, there are too many kids there and no dark/quiet room, There is no way he'll nap and then he'll be a nightmare (either there or when he gets home).

I guess it really comes down to whether I send him to a nursery with too few staff, or recruit a childminder I don't know (and pay more). I don't like either option.

OP posts:
StickyNote · 16/08/2004 14:42

Could you look at it as a short term option i.e. send him for 4 hours after his morning nap - you could get loads of work done and might be able to scale it back to a couple of hours after a while?

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 16/08/2004 15:11

There are only 2.5 - 3 hours between his morning nap and afternoon nap (he is only 7 months! ). With dd I waited until she had dropped her morning nap before sending her to nursery - 14 months.

Where is Mary Poppins when i need her?

OP posts:
motherinferior · 16/08/2004 15:16

Is option 3 totally a no-no? My two are in together and it's OK usually (you do have to juggle occasionally)...

Original poster
SenoraPostrophe · 16/08/2004 15:18

I suppose I could look at it again. I'm loathe to have someone young/inexperienced in charge of such a young baby, but then I do work from home.

OP posts:
hoxtonchick · 16/08/2004 15:35

I think the au pair option sounds best too.

toddlerbob · 17/08/2004 04:43

I think the au pair so you can get on top of stuff for a few months until he is moving around and more ready for the sort of nursery you have in Spain. Even a young and inexperienced au pair has got to be better than a 1;15 ratio with no sleeping facilities. Would you still send your daughter to nursery in this scenario given it's cheapness? If the au pair could take her it would give you even more time, and your dd would have continuity of care and your ds would be at home and have his continuity that way. Anyway, I hope this has made some sort of sense to you...

bunnyrabbit · 17/08/2004 09:05

Agree with toddlerbob on this one.. not much to add except try not worry too much. My DS started nursery at 7 months and is also I nightmare without daytime sleep. Sometimes now he only has 45mins duiring the day and is 'manic baby' when we pick him up, but is sooo happy during the day that all the NNs love him.

The nice thing about the au pair would be that you are there incase there are any issues, and he will have his own cot to nap in.

BR

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