George starts nursery
Published Date: 24 Apr 2025
After our school visits, I had an epiphany: maybe I should consider sending George to a nursery for a few mornings a week, just to help him transition to the idea of doing 5 mornings/afternoons per week come September. It would also give me a better sense of the additional support he might need.
Fortunately, we know someone who works at a nursery about a 20-minute drive from our house. With only 6 other children and a lovely, welcoming setting, it felt like a great fit. Things moved quickly, and within days of making the decision, George was starting!
On his first day, I stayed with him for an hour. To my surprise, he ran off and left me sitting there like a lemon! There were so many new toys and things to explore that he didn’t come looking for me once.
The next day, we arranged for him to go in at the usual start time, and I would leave him for an hour, with the option for him to stay longer if he was comfortable. I took Sophia with me and decided to stay local for a walk to pass the time. After about 45 minutes, his nursery teacher texted me to say he had settled in well and that I could probably leave him for the full session if I wanted to. So, I drove home and eagerly counted down the hours until I could pick him up!
When I arrived, I shouted his name, and he came running over with a huge smile, giving me a big kiss and cuddle. It was so heartwarming to see how much he’d enjoyed himself. At that moment, I knew we’d made the right decision and realised maybe we don’t give George enough credit for how ready he is for these kinds of experiences.
At the time of writing, he’s been attending nursery for about 3 weeks now, gradually increasing from 2 to 3 or even 4 days a week because he’s loving it so much. It’s also been great for his routine, which in turn has helped improve his sleep at night.
The nursery has been accommodating when it comes to making any necessary adjustments for George. They’ll also be receiving training from his Teacher of the Deaf. Since we know someone who works there, they’re already familiar with George and his specific needs. Additionally, they’ve already participated in the National Deaf Children's Society's Family Sign Language courses that we’ve taken, which has been really helpful.
Overall, I’m really happy with our spontaneous decision, and I believe it will be great for George to experience a nursery environment as part of his preparation for future education.
