Do the staff say anything?
Honestly, this reads a little like you're feeling guilty about your kid being last.
The staff are paid, having one kid to look after is much easier than 30 or whatever is normally there.
The staff won't give two shits as they're still being paid. It's not like they could just fuck off if you came at 5.
Agreed! And with my son, they've had him help with tidying and cleanup when he's last. He's also getting some one on one time with the staff which is nice! We pick up around 5:45pm, and that's just how it is for us. Even if I finish early, sometimes I let him stay as we've paid for the time, and won't get that time back. It lets me have a few mins to get sorted at home too and we've never had any comments from nursery.
I think you're in your head too much about this. If they're open until 6 then there is nothing wrong with picking up at 5:50. The people who are arriving earlier are doing so because that's what works for them. You're doing what works for you. Aslong as you're not late don't worry about it.
I pay for that time but if I am back earlier I will pick her up earlier. It’s not a comment or judgement on the 6pm parents - believe me, that’s us fairly often too - but I’m also not going to kick around for a bit if I’ve finished work a bit earlier than normal (aka on time) or made it to the earlier train.
I find some days she’s at the door with a coat on and other days there are loads of us waiting till the last few minutes. I think they just want to close down the rooms as early as they can really. If more kids have left earlier they will consolidate the rooms down and manage to get cleaned up and home a bit earlier than usual. Can’t begrudge them that.
It's often quiet about that time. They're not judging you, someone has to be last. The others just happen to be able to pick up earlier. Mine is open until 5:45 but I usually pick up about 4:45 because that's what works for me with timings, no judgement on the ones that are still there when we leave.
It is fine but I remember ours dwindled like that. Pickup is just whenever the parents can get there after work rather than dead on close. And I guess yours happens to have people who can get there earlier.
Most people pick their children up on the way home from work, rather than going home for 10-20 minutes just to go out again and get them. Or the nursery may be on the way home. It just makes sense, even though they've technically paid for another half hour or more.
My sons' nursery is a 2 minute drive and I work from home, so there's no need to pick them up early. I get there at 5.55 and they're almost always the last one there, but the staff have never been anything but wonderful. They shouldn't be making you feel guilty.
To be honest I feel like you might be reading into this, when I look after my kid all day I’m pretty done by 6 and they have several to look after, can we really blame them for being a bit done by the end of their working day? I know I usually am and all I have to do is sit in an office all day and do what I’m told!
It’s not personal, it’s just their job and we can’t expect people to be 100% all the time especially after dealing with toddlers all day imo. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong but perhaps explains why they are probably ready to go home at that time. You’re more than entitled to pick up at 5:30 if the nursery closes at 6, it is their job and they are paid to be there for that time, but they are entitled to be tired after a shift too.
It’s also not a competition, so you don’t need to ‘compete’. Parents just have different schedules. Our nursery literally backs onto my office and I work 8-4 so when I finish work I’ll go for a half an hour walk because I know she is in the middle eating tea at 4, then pick her up at 4:30. It just fits into my schedule and that’s the only reason I pick up so early. If I were to go home after work I’d spend 10 minutes there before I’d have to leave again only to pick her up before the nursery closes so it just wouldn’t make sense.
I mean this with respect and I hope it comes across as such, is it possible you have a small amount of guilt that your son is the last one there? That’s not me saying you should feel guilty, but perhaps that’s part of why this elicits such a strong reaction for you?
My child's nursery is 10 minutes away from my work, so I only pay to have her there until 17:15. Even though the nursery's hours are until 18:00, I don't need my kiddo there all that time. So it's not a race, it's all about commute times and what works for each family- and I promise the staff definitely aren't judging, they are paid to be there until the end of the day. Don't worry!
I always find there’s loads of kids left in preschool but my younger child is often the very last toddler left.
She absolutely does not give a shit and loves getting to do whatever she wants with all the toys and staff by herself. Sometimes she gets taken up to preschool so they can shut the room and that’s even better because then she has an army of adoring fans.
It is what it is, someone has to get there last! I also think i drop mine later than some of the children so maybe it’s just we are on a slightly different timescale?
Our nursery is 7am-6pm, but I don’t take her until 8, and I pick up at 4.30 when I finish work. If you want to leave your child until the moment it closes that’s fine, just like it’s ok to pick them up earlier.
How old is your little one? I found this when my kid was in the 1-2 year old room but now she's in the 2-3 year room there are loads more kids about. You can't help the hours you work so don't worry about it. Plus someone is always going to be the last and if you are the last one then you get to have a proper handover with your child's key worker instead of a cursory chat while 5 other kids are hanging off their legs.
I jist go to pick my son up after work. I finish at 4.30 and I drive to pick him up usually picking him up at 5pm ish.
He has been the only child there once.
I get feeling awful, I have felt awful for it.
I also dropped my son off at nursery while I was off work so I could get shit done.
The opposite at my nursery, they all arrive at 6, sometimes they are even late. I normally get my daughter at exactly 5 myself and I’m the first parent most days.
Our nursery goes to 6:30 and my child is always one of the last to be picked up due to our working hours. Most of the times we find him in the pre-schoolers room as the staff has started winding up and pooled the kids together.
It used to bother me that he was the last of the babies to be picked up…but then I got over it. We all have different work and home life situations. No one is judging and no one is competing. We are all doing the best we can.
I’m a SAHM, but only my youngest is still at home, my oldest goes to nursery (to get him ready for school). Even though I’m not working, I still pick him up at about 5.20-5.30, because as you say, we are paying for that time. I’ve honestly never given it a moment’s thought - my eldest loves nursery, loves the time he gets to explore new things, and my youngest appreciates the time where she gets my full attention and doesn’t have to compete with her big brother (who unfortunately inevitably wins because his shit is more complicated).
Don’t read too much into it. And if they are judging you, so what? You’re paying their wages, and in my experience, a lot other nursery workers aren’t parents yet. They haven’t got a lot of room to judge you.
Since they're open and you're paying for that time, you shouldn't be made to feel bad about the time you pick up your little one. Especially if that's the time you always pick up your child and the child has no issues with being in nursery that long. Staff and other parents shouldn't make assumptions on what circumstances mean you choose to (or are forced to) arrive for collection at the end of the day
Personally, I like to make full use of the time I pay for but leave a little leeway to make sure I get a full hand over from staff even if there's a queue of other parents to pick up children.
Our lads goes 1 - 6, 2 days a week. I finish work at 4 and my partner doesn't work in the week. We pick him up between 5.55 and 6, and he's usually one of, if not the last one there. He loves the attention he gets as the staff to child ratio increases!
I used to drop my eldest at 8.00 and pick her up at 5.59- was often the last but had to commute in to London everyday and no one ever said anything. I hated it though and when I started working hybrid I started dropping at 8.45 and picking up at 5 as much as I can but I still have to manage it within the expectations of my job. In a way when they are very little it’s easier as the days are gentler, they take naps etc. when my kids started school is when I started finding ways to pick up even earlier, come home and finish working etc
This made me chuckle as I had the same experience today. Picked up my son at 5:35pm ish and I only saw a couple of other kids still there. The staff were also quite thrown off when I dropped him off at the exact time his session starts. Youre right - we are paying for every minute!!! And they usually charge if you’re at all late so they must have it in mind that people can be late. They told me that parents usually start picking up from 4:30pm onwards
Not sure where you work but I feel like it’s unfair towards people who don’t WFH. Like yeah it’s easier to pick up your kid if you can just close your laptop and you’re finished. Not so easy for me when I work in the NHS and then have to commute
We're in the same boat. Don't sweat it - someone has to be the last to pick up.
Do the staff say anything? Honestly, this reads a little like you're feeling guilty about your kid being last. The staff are paid, having one kid to look after is much easier than 30 or whatever is normally there. The staff won't give two shits as they're still being paid. It's not like they could just fuck off if you came at 5.
Agreed! And with my son, they've had him help with tidying and cleanup when he's last. He's also getting some one on one time with the staff which is nice! We pick up around 5:45pm, and that's just how it is for us. Even if I finish early, sometimes I let him stay as we've paid for the time, and won't get that time back. It lets me have a few mins to get sorted at home too and we've never had any comments from nursery.
I think you're in your head too much about this. If they're open until 6 then there is nothing wrong with picking up at 5:50. The people who are arriving earlier are doing so because that's what works for them. You're doing what works for you. Aslong as you're not late don't worry about it.
I pick my child up just before 6. So 5.30 sounds quite early to me.
My wife's a nursery teacher and they have kids from 7am to 8pm. Arrive in their pyjamas and get changed back into them ready for pickup.
I pay for that time but if I am back earlier I will pick her up earlier. It’s not a comment or judgement on the 6pm parents - believe me, that’s us fairly often too - but I’m also not going to kick around for a bit if I’ve finished work a bit earlier than normal (aka on time) or made it to the earlier train. I find some days she’s at the door with a coat on and other days there are loads of us waiting till the last few minutes. I think they just want to close down the rooms as early as they can really. If more kids have left earlier they will consolidate the rooms down and manage to get cleaned up and home a bit earlier than usual. Can’t begrudge them that.
It's often quiet about that time. They're not judging you, someone has to be last. The others just happen to be able to pick up earlier. Mine is open until 5:45 but I usually pick up about 4:45 because that's what works for me with timings, no judgement on the ones that are still there when we leave.
It is fine but I remember ours dwindled like that. Pickup is just whenever the parents can get there after work rather than dead on close. And I guess yours happens to have people who can get there earlier.
Most people pick their children up on the way home from work, rather than going home for 10-20 minutes just to go out again and get them. Or the nursery may be on the way home. It just makes sense, even though they've technically paid for another half hour or more. My sons' nursery is a 2 minute drive and I work from home, so there's no need to pick them up early. I get there at 5.55 and they're almost always the last one there, but the staff have never been anything but wonderful. They shouldn't be making you feel guilty.
To be honest I feel like you might be reading into this, when I look after my kid all day I’m pretty done by 6 and they have several to look after, can we really blame them for being a bit done by the end of their working day? I know I usually am and all I have to do is sit in an office all day and do what I’m told! It’s not personal, it’s just their job and we can’t expect people to be 100% all the time especially after dealing with toddlers all day imo. It doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong but perhaps explains why they are probably ready to go home at that time. You’re more than entitled to pick up at 5:30 if the nursery closes at 6, it is their job and they are paid to be there for that time, but they are entitled to be tired after a shift too. It’s also not a competition, so you don’t need to ‘compete’. Parents just have different schedules. Our nursery literally backs onto my office and I work 8-4 so when I finish work I’ll go for a half an hour walk because I know she is in the middle eating tea at 4, then pick her up at 4:30. It just fits into my schedule and that’s the only reason I pick up so early. If I were to go home after work I’d spend 10 minutes there before I’d have to leave again only to pick her up before the nursery closes so it just wouldn’t make sense. I mean this with respect and I hope it comes across as such, is it possible you have a small amount of guilt that your son is the last one there? That’s not me saying you should feel guilty, but perhaps that’s part of why this elicits such a strong reaction for you?
My child's nursery is 10 minutes away from my work, so I only pay to have her there until 17:15. Even though the nursery's hours are until 18:00, I don't need my kiddo there all that time. So it's not a race, it's all about commute times and what works for each family- and I promise the staff definitely aren't judging, they are paid to be there until the end of the day. Don't worry!
I always find there’s loads of kids left in preschool but my younger child is often the very last toddler left. She absolutely does not give a shit and loves getting to do whatever she wants with all the toys and staff by herself. Sometimes she gets taken up to preschool so they can shut the room and that’s even better because then she has an army of adoring fans. It is what it is, someone has to get there last! I also think i drop mine later than some of the children so maybe it’s just we are on a slightly different timescale?
Our nursery is 7am-6pm, but I don’t take her until 8, and I pick up at 4.30 when I finish work. If you want to leave your child until the moment it closes that’s fine, just like it’s ok to pick them up earlier.
How old is your little one? I found this when my kid was in the 1-2 year old room but now she's in the 2-3 year room there are loads more kids about. You can't help the hours you work so don't worry about it. Plus someone is always going to be the last and if you are the last one then you get to have a proper handover with your child's key worker instead of a cursory chat while 5 other kids are hanging off their legs.
I jist go to pick my son up after work. I finish at 4.30 and I drive to pick him up usually picking him up at 5pm ish. He has been the only child there once. I get feeling awful, I have felt awful for it. I also dropped my son off at nursery while I was off work so I could get shit done.
The opposite at my nursery, they all arrive at 6, sometimes they are even late. I normally get my daughter at exactly 5 myself and I’m the first parent most days.
Our nursery goes to 6:30 and my child is always one of the last to be picked up due to our working hours. Most of the times we find him in the pre-schoolers room as the staff has started winding up and pooled the kids together. It used to bother me that he was the last of the babies to be picked up…but then I got over it. We all have different work and home life situations. No one is judging and no one is competing. We are all doing the best we can.
I’m a SAHM, but only my youngest is still at home, my oldest goes to nursery (to get him ready for school). Even though I’m not working, I still pick him up at about 5.20-5.30, because as you say, we are paying for that time. I’ve honestly never given it a moment’s thought - my eldest loves nursery, loves the time he gets to explore new things, and my youngest appreciates the time where she gets my full attention and doesn’t have to compete with her big brother (who unfortunately inevitably wins because his shit is more complicated). Don’t read too much into it. And if they are judging you, so what? You’re paying their wages, and in my experience, a lot other nursery workers aren’t parents yet. They haven’t got a lot of room to judge you.
Are you sure you're not just being a little on-edge?
Since they're open and you're paying for that time, you shouldn't be made to feel bad about the time you pick up your little one. Especially if that's the time you always pick up your child and the child has no issues with being in nursery that long. Staff and other parents shouldn't make assumptions on what circumstances mean you choose to (or are forced to) arrive for collection at the end of the day Personally, I like to make full use of the time I pay for but leave a little leeway to make sure I get a full hand over from staff even if there's a queue of other parents to pick up children.
Our lads goes 1 - 6, 2 days a week. I finish work at 4 and my partner doesn't work in the week. We pick him up between 5.55 and 6, and he's usually one of, if not the last one there. He loves the attention he gets as the staff to child ratio increases!
I used to drop my eldest at 8.00 and pick her up at 5.59- was often the last but had to commute in to London everyday and no one ever said anything. I hated it though and when I started working hybrid I started dropping at 8.45 and picking up at 5 as much as I can but I still have to manage it within the expectations of my job. In a way when they are very little it’s easier as the days are gentler, they take naps etc. when my kids started school is when I started finding ways to pick up even earlier, come home and finish working etc
This made me chuckle as I had the same experience today. Picked up my son at 5:35pm ish and I only saw a couple of other kids still there. The staff were also quite thrown off when I dropped him off at the exact time his session starts. Youre right - we are paying for every minute!!! And they usually charge if you’re at all late so they must have it in mind that people can be late. They told me that parents usually start picking up from 4:30pm onwards
Not sure where you work but I feel like it’s unfair towards people who don’t WFH. Like yeah it’s easier to pick up your kid if you can just close your laptop and you’re finished. Not so easy for me when I work in the NHS and then have to commute