Nursery

Ours is currently not in nursery, we’ve been thinking about sending him a couple mornings a week but probably closer to the age of 3 or 4

My daughter wont be going anywhere until she's going to school, the September she's 5

We didn’t until age 3 and then only one day per week.

I would be interested to see the difference in behaviour, language, social skills and educational milestones between kids that went straight to school from home and those who had been in nursery for a couple of years plus prior.

Would love to know what everyone does all day with their toddlers! I’m also wanting to avoid nursery or at least full time nursery as long as possible, but I feel my LO requires so much entertainment most days it really exhausts me. We don’t do screen time either so it really does fall on me, and none of those independent activities I see all over the internet work for longer than 2 mins. I miss being able to cook and clean without feeling frazzled 🙈

Mine will go to nursery in January 2026 when her 1140 funding starts (Scotland). She’s with a childminder 2 days a week and family 3 days a week just now so keeping it at that until then ☺️

No nursery altho everyone ask me when I'm putting my son is. I have no plans don't feel it's needed and just enjoying this time of keeping him a baby til he's 5 and off to school.

@Francesca schools do every school year intake and it varies so much depending on so many factors in each child's life, as just because a child's at home doesn't mean their not learning/developing and also if a childs in childcare doesn't mean its quality childcare. It will depend on the skill set of the childcare workers and parents.

I’m a sahm and I don’t have plans to put my daughter into preschool until 3/4 and only for a couple mornings a week, to get her used to the school setting, so it’s not a huge shock for her 🩷

@Sando I hear you! Being a sahm at this age is intense and not for the faint hearted 😂 but it’s lots of fun! I’m lucky my husband wfh a lot too, so he’s on hand to help out if I need 5 mins to breathe 🌬️ we also take our toddler and dog to different local parks most afternoons when he finishes work (around 4.30ish) so I’m lucky in that he doesn’t work late most of the time. We do have a schedule for the week though which we both need (me and toddler) 🩷 Monday, we go to a really fun and energetic toddler class, Tuesday is a swimming class, Wednesday is forest school, Thurs/fri we meet with a couple sahms I’ve met at toddler class and go to the farm, park, soft play, library, each others gardens etc 🩷 so we do keep busy 🥰

@Sando the time inbetween the above, that we spend at home we read alot of books, she LOVES books! We dance (her current fave is the Hokey Cokey 😂), we play in the garden with the dog, we role play with picnic, ice creams, toy kitchen etc, build lego, do flash cards/puzzles, play with stickers, play doh, do crafty bits like painting (recently pumpkins), forage in the garden for flowers/leaves for water play. She loves to play hide and seek or musical statues, loves helping with the laundry and tidying. Tomorrow my husband is using the car for work so I’ve already made a plan for us to bake cookies and make a den (turn the sofa upside down) so we can have a picnic with teddies underneath with our homemade cookies. We might take a bath together too, she enjoys that. I try to be imaginative as possible 😂 she does need a lot of entertainment/attention but being a sahm I feel like that’s my whole job and when she’s older she’ll do more independent play, so it won’t be forever 🥹🩷 x

@Sando I try to prep our evening meal when she naps at lunch and my husband takes her out for a couple hours on a Sunday morning, so I can do some housework (he does his fair share too). She’s fighting naps at the moment though so I’ve felt the lack of a midday break REALLY hard as she’s waking in the night too! I am frazzled/fried but I just have to lean on my husband when and where I can! So if you’re in a position to avoid nursery, I’d say go for it! 🥰 Maybe just think about having a routine of some regular weekly activities and some back up support on hand - partner/grandparents etc so you have a bit of time for you/housework during the week too 🩷

@Hayley totally agree. It would just make for an interesting research paper that’s all.

@Chloe Just reading your messages makes me absolutely exhausted! I could never have done that, I needed to go back to work I think.

@Emily every mama will and should do what feels right for them! If work was what you needed, that’s perfectly right for you - a lot of woman still strive for a career alongside being a mama. For me, I wanted to submerge myself into being a mummy and giving my daughter my all. I adore being a sahm, I don’t regret taking a career break as for me this time before school is so precious 🥺👧🏼 and I love spending our days together! Raising her, teaching her, playing with her, cuddling with her 🩷 it’s my purpose 🥰 x

I honestly don't think it's because I'm striving for a career, I want to give my daughter my all as well but I definitely need a break from her sometimes and adult conversation etc to be able to give her my all when I'm with her. It is physically and mentally exhausting looking after little people full time so hats off to you, it sounds like you're doing a brilliant job!

Mine didn't go till her preschool year, so she was 3.

I have to go back to work next year and my little one isn’t going nursery till he’s 4 so going to be getting an evening job , hopefully it gets easier as they get older

My little girl started in September when she turned 2, if I could keep her home with me I would have but I have a newborn and going back to work in Feb, I was so nervous but she absolutely loves it, she’s learnt so much, she speaks so much and has gained a lot of confidence I can’t believe the change.. she has brought back some bad habits like chucking herself on the floor in anger which she never did before going,. But I’m glad she’s started earlier on, means I also get some quality time with my little one x

My daughter is at nursery sh3 only just started on Friday my anxiety is threw the roof I've sent her this morning she was crying and has been crying on n off hopefully bye Friday she will be fine .🤦‍♀️ as its only been me n her with her dad n 5 months old brother..