Feeling guilty about leaving your little explorer at nursery? It's natural!
Most first time parents feel bad leaving their child at nursery when returning to work - but trust us, your little one is in good hands.
It's not uncommon for parents, particularly first-time mums and dads, to shed a little tear when leaving their child for the first time. And even if your child does too, within five minutes they'll be happily playing with their new friends.
As a mum myself, I remember leaving my one-year-old baby at nursery five days a week from 8am to 6pm. I'd love to be a stay-at-home mum, but financially it was just not viable. I don't think it would have been good for me mentally either!
I felt so guilty about leaving her at nursery for so many hours a day and worried I'd miss out on key parts of her growing up.
I'd had the best part of a year off work - and although I loved being a home with my daughter, I was ready to return to adult conversation. However, being off so long made it more tricky to make the transition.
That first day was hard. She was clung to me like a limpet crying, and it was heart-wrenching to hand her over.
Would she cope ok?
How long would she be crying?
Should I stay?
Have I made the right decision?
By lunchtime, I'd already called twice to check on her - and I was reassured to hear that my daughter loved it at nursery. Within a short space of time, the staff were like aunties, showing genuine affection for the children.
I soon realised that nursery is good for the whole family. My little girl gained in confidence and social skills. She developed her fine motor skills, learned to play and share with other children, and her speech came on quickly. In these early months and years she developed as her own person.
At pick-up time I was often greeted with a big smile and a beautifully crayoned squiggle or paint-soaked paper, and even received cards on Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.
My daughter is now at school. She is bright, caring and well-mannered - I put a lot of that down to nursery.
Come and take a look around your local Little Explorers Nursery and you'll see how we'll make this process easier for you!
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