When to start ds at day nursery? Advice needed

[jacobandlysette]

DS has just turned 1, and we are looking at day nurseries for him. I am not planning o nreturning to work, so we are not looking to put him anywhere FT.

I would like him to go 3 mornings a week from about 20 months, increasing this to FT at about 3, ready for school at 4.

Does this sounds reasonable or is this all too much too soon?

[oooggs]

ds went to nursery 2.5 days from 14 mths (when I went to work ), then 3 full days at 3 (when I started mat. leave) he will revert to 2.5 days at 4 (when I go back to work again) and will stay like this until he starts school 5 months later. He does longer days at nursery than he will at school

[helenelisabeth]

Hi Jacobandlysette -I too don't work but my DD started nursery at 2 and half and did 1.5 days , 2 days at 3 and now does 3 full days at 4. She starts school in September (she will be 5 in October) and personally, FT would have been far too much for her at 3. If you have no need to send D full-time, I would not advise doing more than 2/3 days at the age of 3. He would be whacked out and you would find your quality time with him diminishes!

[Loshad]

If you're not working you may find 20 months a really bad time to start him due to seperation anxiety - he'll probably settle better at about 2 1/2. Wouldn't personally have though he needs to go fulltime before he starts school - maybe every morning or 2/3 whole days.

[busybusymummy]

From this book (which I evangelically love so am bias)

www.amazon.co.uk/Raising-Babies-Your-Love-Best/dp/0007221924/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-221?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 7656-1716705?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193866132&sr=8-1

age 1: 1 short day per week with trusted and familiar carer

age 2: Up to 2 short days with carer, after 2.5 maybe a nursery if you want a more social setting

age 3: Up to 3 short days in a good quality nursery or pre-school

age 4: 4 short or half days in good quality nursery or pre-school.

Have used this for guidance for us and our LO's... it all makes sense in the context of recnet research and studies on what's best for children's development and emotional stability.

HTH -

[wb]

What you're suggesting sounds like quite a lot to me, but like busymummy above I'm a fan of 'Raising Babies' so am probably biased.

My plan for ds is nothing before age 3 (other than mums and toddlers type things), then 3 mornings a week nursery moving up to 5 mornings a week at age 4 and no school til almost 5 (but he's a November b'day so this is easy).

But at the end of the day it's a personal choice...