Starting Nursery

Your little one starting nursery marks a big step for you all as a family.

Until now you have either looked after your child on your own or with the help of family members, but now your little one is going to nursery, and it is a big transition for both you as parents and your son or daughter. Most people send their child to nursery when they need to go back to work, this is something you shouldn’t feel guilty about.

You are teaching your child the value of work and also it allows you to have some time being you again.

I’m sure you are worrying about missing all your little one’s first, but chances are they will save most of them for you and there will be so many 1st over the years. Nursery is an important step for your little one and offers them something you as a family can’t offer.

They will learn so much from their peers and how to build relationships with those outside their family – these are really important skills to learn.

You will no doubt have picked a nursery that believes in similar values to you as a family and even if it takes a little adjustment, your child will love their nursery journey.

Your child at first may find it difficult adjusting to time away from you, take this as a compliment, they just want to spend more time with you, which is lovely. The nursery will probably have some stay and play sessions before your child starts nursery properly and this is the perfect opportunity to ease you child into nursery life a little at a time.

They will have the opportunity to explore their new playground with the comfort of you being close by and also the opportunity for both you and your child to meet their keyworker and other members of the team. They will no doubt talk you through how the nursery works and show you around, as well as discuss your child’s individual needs.

Communication is key with nurseries and your child’s keyworker will soon feel like a member of the family.

When the time comes to leave your child at nursery, whether that’s just for a taster session or when you leave them for the day, you will find it hard.

Your child may cry and you may too, but this is completely normal and after a little time your child will settle quickly and soon adapt to their new routine, you will too.

Enjoy the time apart being you, it is a massive change in lifestyle when you have a baby and going back to work helps mark an end of one chapter but the beginning of another.

You will most likely feel quite daunted by the thought of juggling work and home life. It will be difficult, but you will soon figure out a new ‘normal’ for your family and you will all adjust to your new roles.

Speak openly to your partner about how you see things adjusting when you go back to work as you may have taken on more of the home roles while being off with your baby, but as you go back to work these things will need to be shared more evenly and I’m sure you will all step up to the changes and enjoy them too.

Your little one starting nursery marks a big step for you all as a family.

Until now you have either looked after your child on your own...