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Is it the nursery I don't like or the fact that someone else will be looking after my PFB.

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By Tue 13-Oct-09 09:45:23 Add message | Report | Contact poster

DH and I went to look at a local nursery yesterday and despite it ticking all the boxes, I am hesitant.
In no particular order - good points:
A dedicated baby room where the baby will only move up to toddlers when he can walk, not when he gets to a certain age
The staff ALL hold relevant qualifications surpassing the national target.
Low turnover of staff - shortest time someone had been there was 18 months.
Safe, warm environment
Fun and secure outside play area
Key worker system is 1 to 3 babies
Mums and dads can drop in at any time
Ofsted report was strong in every section.
They have at least 2 parent evenings a year plus holiday concerts and the like - parents welcome to come in and read stories.
Children are a good mix of nationalities
Work to a programme set by parents until baby is walking and up to toddler group
Although no specifics could be given, I was assured that the majoprity of babies are up to date on vaccinations
It was late afternoon when I went so all the babies has gone home but the toddlers I saw were charging around outside and looked happy

bad points:
Seemed messy to me, but then DH pointed out that I'm a clean freak and a nursery that doesn't looked lived in isn't going to be a good one.
Toys all seemd to come from IKEA. Again DH pointed out that IKEA is good value for money.

I am going to see another nursery this week to compare - we only have 2 in our village so it will be one or the other, but I'm thinking it may not be the nursery at all, just the thought of my baby taking his first little steps into a new world without me iyswim. I should also add that I am going to arrange a second visit to meet the key workers (I met the nursery manager this time) and we are only going to start DS off on 2 half days per week and he'll be 1 year by time he starts.

Any thoughts would be appreciated - particularly any points I've missed that I should have been looking for. Thank you smile

Sorry for spelling, baby just woken up from nap

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:35:10

Bambino, have you considered a childminder?

I am sure the nurseries you have looked at are great and your DS will be happy at either one, but when I looked at nurseries I had that 'can't imagine leaving my DTs here' type feeling too.

When I went to see CMs, because it was their home I felt so much more comfortable and felt more sure my DTs would be happy there, it was just more homely and normal.

And it was cheaper (by £14 a day for twins) shock

Don't worry about activities etc especially when your DS is only going to be there a couple of days. You will be happy as long as he is happy, even if he just potters around for the whole day playing with toys and getting cuddles. All you will care about it whether he is happy!

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Thu 05-Nov-09 14:22:40

Thank you so much MrsBaldwin. I was going to go and take one last look at the first nursery until DH said why bother if you've fallen in love with the second one. He is right so I've decided to go for it and sort the paperwork for DS to start in January. I am so excited for him, I think he will absolutely thrive there - not that he wouldn't anyway, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 03-Nov-09 17:31:35

Bambino - if you got the feeling that's great! Finances aside, remember also with the half fays/full days thing that actually your DC will be asleep some of the time.

So let's say you're paying for 0800-1800, a 10 hour day. But you may not send the baby for that whole time - let's say you drop off at 0900 and pick up at 1600. And in that 7 hour period the baby will probably be asleep for a minimum of two hours, maybe three hours, plus an hour eating and drinking. So there is 3-4 hours playtime. Put like that it doesn't seem so long, does it? The two full days would give your baby a chance to bond with the carers (before being whisked away again if it were half days). MIL being near is also good - because for the first few months your DC will catch a few bugs and maybe you'd need MIls help once or twice.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 03-Nov-09 10:19:35

Just a quick update. Went to look at another nursery and I got that "you'll just know when it's right" feeling despite it probably not ticking some boxes, mainly financial and logistics.
This nursery does a minimum of 2 days per week for under 2s - we wanted 2 half days. The baby room is 3 months to 2 years - the other one was 3 months till walking.
It's further away from home (15-20 min walk) but quite near MiL should there be an emergency.
As it's minimum 2 full days it will cost us double what we would pay at the other nursery but from 2 years, you can book sessions instead of full days.
There were 4 NNs running the baby room. Ratio 1:3. All been there quite a while - shortest 3 years, longest 10 years.
They are all qualified NVQ level 3, and 2 had nneb diplomas.
When I asked what kind of activities they did, the NN gave me a list of stuff whereas the NN at other nursery just said "messy".
I think the turning point for me is that these NNs seem far more experienced. they are older and more qualified whereas the other nurseries baby NNs were a lot younger - that sounds terribly ageist but I'm being practical.

Money is an issue but DH says we'll manage. I am going to go back to look at the other nursery one last time as it struck me what was wrong - every time I've been there (well, twice) I've only seen 1 baby and a couple of children (although I heard a din coming from the 3-4 room). Two babies were sleeping last time which can't be helped, so I am going to go at a busier time. DH said I had question marks over the other nursery from the start, and I think he could be right, I felt my face light up yesterday when I saw the children - they were all sat in chairs in a circle having their tea and I could picture DS there. I feel a bit tearful now blush

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 27-Oct-09 22:23:50

Mrs B, you're right. I think they care for the babies very well from what I could see. As mentioned in previous post, one of the NNs was holding a baby that has been teething and in pain. The baby had fallen asleep in her arms and she'd been in the same position for 45 minutes - she joked that she had a dead leg, but she didn't go and put him in a cot even though there were a couple not being used at the time. I think that really stood out for me as very caring and kind.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Tue 27-Oct-09 18:25:04

Bambino - don't worry about the young NNs marketing skills. Do worry about their caring skills. Did you think that they looked like they looked after the babies nicely (and maintained good standards of cleanliness etc in the baby room). If so that's great. Marketing abilities are an extra. If young NNs can 'sell' as well as look after babies that might mark them out for a promotion later - but a lack of selling ability doesn't mean they can't look after babies.

Look at it this way - if they were that good at selling they would be working in sales, not in a nursery!!

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Mon 26-Oct-09 21:22:44

god its so hard leaving your children with someone else...i empathise with everyone having to do this like i am at the moment...

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 25-Oct-09 19:44:39

Purepurple, thank you, and, you're absolutely right. I am going to look at another nursery this week to compare, but on reflection, I am feeling a lot better about this one. The fact that I can't find anything bad to say should be telling me something. I think DH can see things alot clearer than me.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sun 25-Oct-09 15:06:58

Your DH is right. the nurery nurses in the baby room are there to care for the babies, not sell the nursery. That's the manager's job!
From what you've described, the nursery sounds great.
I work in a busy nursery. It is not clean and it is not tidy and it smells of poo. But that's what it's supposed to be like.
When the children go home it gets cleaned.
Be very wary of over-clean clinical looking, sterile nurseries.

Children + fun = mess.

Add message | Report | Contact poster By Sat 24-Oct-09 22:16:07

Forgot to add thanks to Mrs Archie smile

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Is it the nursery I don't like or the fact that someone else will be looking after my PFB.