Although Bee won’t be 2 until September, I know it is time to start thinking about nursery. The popular nursery’s end up with long waiting lists so it is best to get names down sooner rather than later.
The question really is when should she start? All children have a free entitlement to funded childcare when they are 3-4 years old but I think we are also eligible for 2 year old funding now that I am no longer working and our income isn’t that high anymore. I do need to check that, but is it a good idea for her to start so young? Having said that, as she is a September baby I think she wouldn’t be able to start until the following January.
My concerns stem from my experience with Munchkin. She was a June baby and she started nursery the following September. At that time we were eligible for 2 year old funding due to the area we lived in. The first week was a breeze. Other children were screaming and crying and Munchkin was relatively calm.
Then after a week all hell broke loose.
She would wake up crying that she didn’t want to go.
She would cry so much she would vomit at the nursery even before I left her.
That progressed to being sick at home and in the car.
That was it.
I was so not having sick all over my car.
We decided it wasn’t worth it and pulled her out. She didn’t HAVE to go nursery. I was only working part time and my parents were looking after her while I was at work.
And it was the best decision we made. Why make her suffer for no reason?
We tried again when she turned 3. And no problems.
No major crying tantrums, and best of all no sick!
Bee on the other hand is a very different child. As I am now a stay at home mum, we go to groups almost every day so she is learning to socialise with other children and she is already so much more confident than her sister was at this age.
So today I put her name down for a local nursery. They do not take children until they are 2 years and 9 month so we still have a year to go. The nursery is attached to an adventure playground and a small farm and they hold a toddler group there once a week. The children from the nursery also only attend once a week.
Today we decided to try out the toddler group and Bee loved it! She wandered off and left me too it (although I was following her around as shes still a bit little for some of the play things they have). It makes me think she will do fine at nursery once she starts.
And then they opened the farm for an hour! They had sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, a goat, ducks, chicken, and even a Turkey (and boy was he slightly ugly)!
Although I didn’t get to visit the actual nursery we saw the children playing out, and I have to say they had a huge play area and all the children looked like they were having lots of fun!
Hopefully Bee will get a place here as I think she will enjoy it so much with the play area and the animals! The lady seemed to think she should get a space! Fingers crossed!
Each child is different and have their own personality, its good to go with what is best suited for each child differently. The photos are lovely.
love your photos! Each child is ready at different times – i think you should go by the child not what everyone else is doing
What lovely photos. Echoing the others do what is best for your child x
I really hope you get a place and that she enjoys going. Sounds like she will take to it, your so right about all children being different. My daughter started at 14 months old, it too about 3 months to settle her in but now she thrives on it.
I think you should follow what is right for you and your little one 🙂 lovely photos. x
Sarah Bailey recently posted…Bedroom Delights from Boux Avenue
Fabulous post, every child is different. I am afraid that both my two were horrendous at nursery and it was quite possibly the most traumatic period of my life. Now that they are 17 and 13 I can see it had no lasting effect but I wish I had had more confidence back then to say “no” and keep them at home a bit longer. xx
Each child is unique and you know what is best for your children. I feel that children should not be in pre school all week from two. My boys weren’t ready, but that was MY opinion.
Jen aka The Mad House recently posted…FIFA World Cup Crafts and Activities for Kids
aw best of luck , she will love it , my son ran into his nursery when starting he starts full time in september but my eldest daughter was very nervous , eventually they grow to learn x
I think you just have to follow your instincts and see what’s best for each individual child. Well done for pulling your other child out of nursery when it clearly wasn’t working for any of you.
Every child is different aren’t they and fingers crossed you have a smoother transition period this time around.
Angela Spicer recently posted…Pig Goes Pop
Its a scary time I know my 4 year old starts school this September .x
My eldest was terrible when she first started nursery and then she just seemed to get better literally overnight x x
Cass@frugalfamily recently posted…Thrifty Thursday – 15 Ways to save money in the kitchen….
How cute does she look.
Each kid does everything at their own pace, good luck x
It’s so true that they all come to it in their own time and it’s great that you were able to pull your daughter out when you thought she wasn’t ready. It’s so hard when they first start isn’t it?
I agree that each child is different – my youngest two children went from 2 and loved it (they only started with one day a week) – and they went at different times giving me more quality one to one time with the other.
Pinkoddy recently posted…Dressing Up Ideas for Imaginative Play #KidsCo-op
Kids are very different. What works for one does not always works for the other. What is good is to allow each one to be ready for the change.
Looking at Bees, it looks like she’ll love it.
Keep us posted and in the meantime, have a lovely weekend. xx
Marie recently posted…Inner Voice
Good luck 🙂 That adventure playground looks brilliant!
Shell Louise recently posted…Alphabet project – E is for Ella
Lovely photographs of your little one – hope you’ll be able to make the choices best for your child x
Michelle recently posted…House Renovation – Part Two: Kitchen Inspiration
What an amazing nursery, so many learning opportunities with outdoor play and animals too!
Jenny recently posted…How to transform an Ikea table into a Lego Duplo table
like others have said only you know what is right. We were really lucky that Wilf loved nursery when he started at 18m! x
Just shows that different children react in a different ways. Sounds like she could be ready to start soon.
Helen @ Witty Hoots recently posted…Mock Chicken Korma with a Kick
You sound like you have figured out what’s best for your little one. After all you will know best. Our children will soon be off in school all day so enjoy the time at home with her for as long as possible – I wish I had.