Need to get some opinions on nursery locations.

Neither husband or I work in the city where we live. Currently we've booked Ciaran into a nursery relatively near where we live, and not too far out of our way for our work journeys, for when I go back in November (he'll be nearly 1 then).

Anyway, having had a work meeting today, they have real issues with me needing to finish at 4.30 to pick him up from nursery on time, and suggested that I get a nursery near to work. We have previously discussed this and I dismissed it as I have a couple of concerns, but as this could be such a big issue I'd like to get an idea of what you'd do if it was your choice to make, or what you do currently do and can ease my concerns.

- Friends. I went to school in a different town and found it very hard to keep in touch with friends. My view is that if he's at nursery near where he lives then he will hopefully make friends that potentially may go to the same school (not that likely in this case as the nursery is a bit too far away from our local schools), and any friends he makes at nursery will be local, whereas if he's at nursery in the next town, any visits to meet up with friends/party invites will result in a lot of additional travelling for both him and me. Do LO's tend to meet up with nursery friends outside nursery?

- travel. By being in the car for 30-40mins each way with me, it seems a waste of his time when he could be playing with friends at nursery. It also opens up the potential that he'll gain 2 extra naps in day, and removes my space time to switch over from being in work mode to mum mode.

I'd really appreciate any opinions, especially from those that already do have lo's in nursery near work rather than home as I'm not sure if it's a bee in my bonnet that I should listen to or not.

Thanks
A very confused and split minded Kristin

I'm quite lucky that our nursery is near home and work and my work are flexible but i've just had this issue with a friend. Shea works 30miles away from where she lives and was choosing a nursery near her home, but as I pointed out to her, does she really want an hour (in traffic) drive home to her baby if she's ill or somethings wrong?

If I get a phone call from nursery I can be there in less than 5 minutes which I think is quite important. I'd rather have Shea with me if he was ill rather than a painstaking drive worrying how he is.

I wouldn't worry about friends at nursery at that young an age, Shea has built up a frienship with a little boy in his nursery but i'm not friends with the mother and Shea at 21months isn't capable of asking if the friend can come to tea, so he just plays with the boy at nursery.
Its different when they are older and forging friendships

it can also be a very long day for little ones at nursery. I drop Shea off just after 8 and I leave work at 4.30 and pick him up 5 minutes later and he is exhausted!! There are some kids who don't get picked up til nearly 6pm and they tend to get really grisly at the end of the day.

I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you, but for me, close to work is more important
x

i think this is a tough one! I don't work close to home but hubby does. I have to leave home for work too early to drop chloe off and I wouldn't want her in a nursery 50 miles from home and no one else around should anything happen. daddy, grandparents etc are nearby should something happen and i can't get back in time.

do you both work near each other then so could share the responsibility should the need arise??

I'm lucky that i can get back in time to pick up chloe as work couldn't really care less what hrs i work as long as i cover my contracted hrs per week. that's the advantage of starting early.

like Claire said Chloe is shattered when she comes back, mainly cos she only has a 45min sleep on a good day and nursery is too close to home for her to sleep on the way/on the way back!! she has at least 3hrs at home so shows the difference!! she is just to nosey to miss anything and wants all the fun!

at the end of the day you have to do what is right for you and not just for work but just consider how far both of you are from nursery should anything happen at any stage.

like claire said i don't think at nursery they really make friendships like they do at school.

lara xx

hi hun, me and dh both work 15 miles from where we live and have found a fantastic nursery about 5 miles from our house. I would have liked one closer to work but nothing compares to the one we've picked (just hope we get a place we put pippa's name down the week she was born and aren't gaurented a place for january). But we decided it was better to have her in the best nursery possible than have her closer to us, dh can be at her nursery within 30 mins or so depending on the traffic. At the end of the day you have to do whatever you think best for your family
xxx

In that situation it would depend really on whether you have family who are close to home, I would rather have a nursery close to home (am lucky tho as I work 5mins from home and Oh about 10 mins) as I have family close inc. mil who works from home, and she could pick lo up if he was ill so I had time to get back and wasn't a nervous wreck. Also Gabe doesn't like the car for long periods and I can't imagine driving an hour or so in total every day with him.
But if I didn't have family close then I'd want one close to work I think just to be on safe side if Lo poorly.
Another good reason for having one close to home is that you're likely to get more honest reviews on it from local mums.
I don't think friends is too much of an issue at these ages...