Nursery Issues

[Gemgemgemgem]

How patronising is their email to you?
Can your university assist? Perhaps give you extensions on any assignments? What course are you doing, if you don't mind sharing? That just seems like an awful lot of workload, especially for a first year student.
I'm sorry I'm not able to offer anything more constructive or helpful to you. I'm not in the UK, so I assume childminders etc aren't operating? It's must be difficult for everyone and I do somewhat agree with the nursery imposing that only children of essential workers attend, however that is of no use to you.
Personally I'd ask my university for some flexibility. Does the university have a childcare service attached to it?

 

[Blonde123]

I think because the nursery is linked to a school it’s slightly different from those that aren’t. The nursery my child goes to isn’t linked to a school and has remained open for all children, however my friend whose child goes to a school linked nursery is only open for key worker children. My advice would be to put you son in with a childminder if you can or get a little more help from his dad to help you out. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and don’t give up on your uni course unless you want to. It will be hard but I think you know that. Plan your time out and see how it goes, if you need to take a year out when the baby comes then you can do that with the uni can’t you?see how it goes. It’ll all be worth it when you graduate and your children see what you’ve achieved. Good luck xx

 

[Death2unicorns]

Oh hi there 5 weeks pregnant buddy

Oh hey fingers crossed for a happy and healthy 9 months for us

 

[Tui]

45 mins there and back pretty much plus the time inside collecting him. I’ll see how far it is when I go to visit. I’m due a baby in October and I’m worried how the baby will cope in the car for that long every day, but maybe my partner will be home from work at that tome

Once your baby arrives perhaps you could cancel the nursery? Obviously it’s not ideal to have a newborn and toddler at home for practicality reasons with a new baby and wanting to socialise your eldest with other children but I’m presuming you would get some mat leave for your course? I don’t know your personal circumstances so these are only suggestions, none of this is ideal. I do think appealing to the local authority or council about the fact the nursery is refusing to take your child yet willing to take your money may have legs. I know of families who have successfully done this with schools who have denied key worker children places, in your situation the nursery has no reason to close except their own personal choice

 

[Tui]

I think I’m going to send him to a different nursery. I found one but it’s 22 min drive surely that’s too much? problem is I will have to give his current nursery a months notice

I found this document from the government to basically say nurseries should be open to everyone for their well-being and developmenthttps://assets.publishing.service.g...ly_years_providers__schools_and_colleges_.pdf

I do get financial help the childcare grant payment service pay 150£ a week I pay the rest £50
But that’s a problem in itself as I have to remind them 3 times a week to invoice payment on theee as I can’t do it myself it needs to come from the nursery, then I get slapped with late payment charges from the nursery!!

15 min vs 22 min drive is little difference? At least at a 22 min drive your child gets to attend nursery

 

[Casperron]

No one is saying you can’t leave the baby. I think it’s easy to think that you will be able to do it all but in practise it doesn’t always work like that. From your original post you seemed as if you were struggling with the amount of things going on in your life and adding another child to that is only going to make things harder. For example when will you find the time to do your coursework when you are juggling a baby who by January will probably still be waking in the night, a toddler and all the things that come just with life in general.
I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old and a part time job two days a week and I know I wouldn’t be able to find time to do coursework on top of that.

I do agree with you however I rely highly on student finance as my main income and I don’t want to rely on just my partners wages. It’s still early days so we haven’t properly discussed it or put plans in place, I’m still waiting on an early scan due to past pregnancy issues. I’ve spoke to a friend who went back to uni when her daughter was 3 months old and she told me how difficult it was but it made her feel like herself again and not just a tired mum.

 

[Casperron]

So in January, when your baby is 3 or 4 months old, where will they be going while your at Uni or on placements etc? You seem to have an awful lot on your plate to try and juggle here.

My uni is 2 days a week of lessons the rest is coursework, I don’t have placements, the baby will be with their grandparents for this short amount of time. I don’t get why it’s okay for the dad to leave the baby but not the mum

my uni year ends in May the rest is the summer so time outfor scans won’t be an issue

 

[Readread]

It’s a business related subject so not really sure why it’s so full on tbh!

I studied business management at uni, albeit I graduated a few years ago now but it was no way as hectic as that. It might be worthwhile speaking to your lecturers and asking if you can get some sort of extension on any assignments. I would just explain the situation, covid and lockdown has made it difficult for everyone so I'm sure they'd understand your situation! Good luck!

 

[Asgyui]

Does first year even count towards your final degree grade? First year is not designed to be intense, so id be concerned how bad its going to get in the final years if its not manageable now. Would going part time be an option? Another option would be getting extension due to your circumstances, at my uni this was done on a case by case basis but there was many people who ended up getting extensions

 

[BettyCrocker]

45 mins there and back pretty much plus the time inside collecting him. I’ll see how far it is when I go to visit. I’m due a baby in October and I’m worried how the baby will cope in the car for that long every day, but maybe my partner will be home from work at that tome

What’s going to happen with Uni once you’ve had the baby??

 

[Casperron]

I’m 5 weeks pregnant
But I’ll be having a c section so nursery is definitely off the cards for then as I won’t be able to drive for 6 weeks
no my partner works 9-5 but he’s not my sons dad, he helps me out whenever he can so I can do coursework I but always tell him not to as I feel bad

What’s going to happen with Uni once you’ve had the baby??

I’m hoping to finish this year then join in January intake rather than September

 

[Readread]

What are you studying at uni? Sounds very full on!

I would definitely leave that nursery. My friend is a nursery manager and they take children regardless of key worker or not. A lot of parents are working full time from home and need to send their children to nursery still. Definitely send your child to the nursery further away if it means you can get your work done.

 

[Babyyoda88]

They definitely should still be open, I don’t think it is their choice tbh. The only settings who can choose and have more leeway are schools which have a nursery class. Private nurseries should all be open.

 

[Babyyoda88]

I’m myself due on 14th Oct and I’m 5 weeks preg, not sure what maths you are doing there!

Oh hi there 5 weeks pregnant buddy

 

[MakeDamnSure]

Good luck with your scan I hope everything goes well for you. It’s only the nursery thing that needs to be sorted now so you can have a proper think about what will work for you and your family for everything else.

 

[MakeDamnSure]

No one is saying you can’t leave the baby. I think it’s easy to think that you will be able to do it all but in practise it doesn’t always work like that. From your original post you seemed as if you were struggling with the amount of things going on in your life and adding another child to that is only going to make things harder. For example when will you find the time to do your coursework when you are juggling a baby who by January will probably still be waking in the night, a toddler and all the things that come just with life in general.
I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old and a part time job two days a week and I know I wouldn’t be able to find time to do coursework on top of that.

 

[Belulah]

Does your partner work away from home?

 

[Trixabellee9393]

I found the email to be quite rude really. I wish I could but we live in a rural area. This nursery is the closest decent one and it’s a 15 min drive already.
I found another one online 25 minutes drive which I’ve thought about viewing. This is the best one locally in terms of care, the setting is really nice and cosy indoors then free flow to a great outdoor area. The meals are good as it’s connected to a school with a chef and they get all their meals. And I’m kept updated online with what he gets up to.
But generally the management and staff are quite rude to me at pick ups. I feel like sometimes I’m not assertive and just let them walk over me.

I am writing an email response if anyone has any suggestions what to write

Omg as if that email said boris instead of the government that’s so badly written and unprofessional like a 16 year old has written it erm please nobody jump down my throat but after working in nurseries for about four years I will never ever send my child to one or work in one again. There care professionalism and honesty is appalling. I know there is exceptions and I hope I don’t offend but just my experience! It’s a difficult situation and I feel for you no help really just support I guess

 

[Casperron]

Hello,
My son has just turned 2 and has been attending nursery since September 8-6 4 days week
I’m a university student in my 1st year and the work has been pretty full on. I find it really difficult managing full time uni work whilst giving my son everything he needs including attention. I have 12 hours of seminars / lectures and we are expected to do 36 hours of uni work and reading outside of this. I’ll have to do 15 hours of volunteering this term too. I’m a lone parent and have no childcare bubble. I also run an eBay business. I cannot drop out of my course as I’m doing a 4 year degree and won’t get another year of student finance. I also rely highly on student finance and wouldn’t survive just on benefits or working due to having to pay for childcare.
my sons nursery was shut due to a positive covid case in December so he hasn’t been since the 14th. When lockdown happened, they said they were only open to critical workers and vulnerable children.
I’m struggling so much getting everything done, my uni work, running a business and caring for my son. The nursery have been completely unsupportive. I’m still having to pay 50% fees out of my childcare grant and he’s not even allowed to go despite government guidance saying how important it is for early years settings to be open. He hasn’t seen anybody in nearly 2 months and I’m worried about his speech and social development. I’m also exhausted from trying to juggle everything

surely they should be taking university students into account?

 

[Casperron]

The contract says that if they close I have to pay 50% fees. My local area Facebook group someone has asked for nursery recommendations and a few people are slagging off his nursery! I’ve messaged them to see if they have similar experiences to me