Be it nursery, pre-school or some other form of day-care/child-minding that you are looking into there are many benefits - so don't believe all the negative you may have said to you.

• 1) Social Interaction: Interacting with children of their own age helps them assert themselves
  as individuals competing in life on the same level not as the youngest or least knowledgeable or whatever the reason is that they are less in the instance.
• 2) Let go of the apron strings: Give them a chance to be slightly independent
• 3) Learn new skills:  Different songs and rhymes, different actions, different ways of saying things or doing things.  Broadening their horizons slightly.  Learning that there are other cultures, things that the social side teaches them more than anything else.
• 4) Consolidate skills learnt at home:  Numbers and alphabet become more confident when they realise that everyone does it - not just them and mummy/daddy at home.  Nursery rhymes are suddenly 'cool' and so on.  The change in E at her last nursery was academic.  I love it.  She started confidently counting up to 30 - missing out 13 consistently which just served to amuse me and make me laugh...mean mummy....
• 5) Different things:  It is so much easier for pre-schools and even child minders to have different activities available at their premises than we have in our homes because they can buy in bulk or at discount etc.  As a single mum I have found it great not having to make my own mothers day cards each year...LOL.  I really struggle with buying my own gifts, and although I felt left out this christmas just gone, I couldnt bring myself to actually buy myself something from E.  I never buy myself anything - where do i start when it is to be a gift from my girl???  So I didnt.  Then when I actually realised that I had in fact forgotten all about me I felt awful.  Thankfully she didnt realise and I had written the card which she joined up the dots for.  But generally speaking they take care of that kinda thing for me, remind me when Fathers day is so we can give some random male a card too....it is good.
• 6) Sharing:  How to play nicely together with children of a similar age - it is different to playing with children older or younger or even siblings.
• 7) Best friends:  E learnt how to make friends and how not everyone has to be her best friend for her to be friends with them.  I dont know if this is a big issue with other people's children.  But for a while she could only have best friends or not at all.  The transition, although slow has been worth it.
• 8) Preparing for school:  This is the best way to prepare a child for the onslaught of school.  Many parents now keep their children home for longer if they are not working, and find it harder to let go for the pre-school days.

When I was a child we used to do afternoon kindy for a year (age 3). Morning kindy for a year (age 4), and then all day school (age 5).
In the UK from the age of three the government provides each child with 5 free sessions of 2.5 hours each per week.
So you can have 5 mornings, 5 afternoons, a mixture or even some place will allow two sessions per day so two full days and one half day per week and so on.  It depends on their policies and how many spaces they have.

Our first place allowed only one session per day, therefore limiting people like me who wanted two full days.  The next place we went to allowed  all variety, so E was in 4 mornings a week at the start and I started her one afternoon a week from January (Thursdays - the afternoon where they prepare the children for 'school routine' using a more structured program). 

The hardest thing for many parents is when their child goes to some place and then cries.  It tugs the heart strings and makes us want to change our mind back.  The best thing we can do is hold our resolve and know that our child will be fine in a few minutes.  Although I knew this I actually spent time helping out in reception class and other groups where children were maybe not used to being separated from their parents - witnessing for myself how children accept the change and fit into a group of new friends was fantastic, because on the couple of occasions this year when E has been going into her new class and she has been feeling a bit nervous and tearful I have been able to leave and know that she is totally fine before I am out of the school building. 

For each child it is different and there are children who will find the transition more difficult.  If this is you and your child then work with the people caring for your child, have a plan of action and support each other in it.   Make sure they support you and help you to leave/ stand outside /etc as your chlid adapts to the new surroundings.  They do this every day and they have special training to help you and your chld through this time. 

We are now at the point where E has completed her first year in reception and is into a proper school routine which she is loving and learning so much.  When she was born there was no good school in our locality and I seriously considered home schooling her and was horrified at the lack oflocal resource and the cost it would bring me if I chose that path.  A couple of years later this school she goes to now was opened and I am so glad that she is firstly in a good school, but secondly that she is benefitting in other areas of her life where if she had been home-schooled the process would have been slower.  Things like self-confidence, self-esteem, team work, sharing, spending time with other children, making new friends, curiosity and the all-important being around other adults (in our case men particularly whom she had no trust for at all at one point when her father abandoned her).

So if you are thinking about starting at a nursery/pre-school institution but are not sure I can promise that there is no harm giving it a go.  

Different places have different benefits; so shop around and see which one you can reasonably get to that offers what you want and get on the waiting list.  See if there is a list of all places in your locality and then go visiting - the choice of pre-school place is as important on your child's development as the schooling they do afterwards.

Finally good luck in your search.  Enjoy the experience as much as your child and remember the positive benefits if/ when your resolve falters.
Peace
EF.x