Dear Nursery… – Mummascribbles

Dear nursery,

As I was standing in the corridor the other day, looking at the collage of photos that you have put up of all of this year’s leavers, it hit me just how long you have been looking after my boy. It’s funny that when they get to a certain age, you kind of start forgetting what they were like when they were that bit younger and your collage was a reminder of all of the stages we have been through over the years.

Zach started coming to you when he was 18 months old. We were new to the area and we spent a day visiting four nurseries. Yours was the standout one. The walls painted bright – covered in colourful pictures that the children had made, covered in photos of them having fun.

Maria, you were so welcoming and your staff immediately drawn to Zach. When we left him upstairs to have a play whilst we continued the tour of the premises, we went back to find him so happy and I knew at that instant that this was the nursery for us.

It wasn’t the first time we had picked a nursery, he had already been going to one for six months where we used to live, but with yours, I got that same feeling that I got in his previous one. It warmed me. I knew that I could entrust you and your staff to take good care of my precious boy. And when we came back within an hour of seeing the place, with the forms we had sat and completed in the car, I knew that we had chosen a good one. 

Zach has been with you for three and a half years now. Starting out in the Teenies room where he didn’t have much to say for himself; he was a quiet, happy little chappy. When he progressed into Toddlers, it was then that my boy completely changed. Suddenly mixing with a whole group of older children, his speech came on in leaps and bounds and suddenly I had the most chatty toddler on my hands. That simply continued and when he moved down to pre-school, he was the most confident, self assured and happy little man. 

It hasn’t always gone perfectly – we have had our fair share of attachment issues – of me having to call you when I got to work to check that he’d calmed down. Of course, he always had – just as soon as I’d gone, the tears had stopped and he’d got on with whatever was on the agenda. I always knew that he was fine, that he was well cared for, that he would have a cuddle any time he wanted one and for that, I thank you.

Thank you for being there for my boy when he needed someone. Thank you for giving him the cuddles that I wasn’t able to give him. Thank you for filling me on his days, making me visualise the things that I had missed. Thank you for all the gorgeous things he’s brought home, the special cards that he has made over the years that are a thousand times better than any shop bought ones. Thank you for making my time at work easier, knowing that he was in good hands. 

With just two more days left with you, I am feeling incredibly emotional about the end. I am feeling so excited for the journey that Zach is about to embark on but at the same time, I am so sad that we are saying goodbye to you, so sad that he will no longer be spending his two days a week with you. With his friends. 

His friends. My goodness what a gorgeous bunch they are. All of them are not only a credit to their parents, but a credit to you too. Watching them grow up alongside my boy, their relationships developing, their own selves developing – it has been wonderful. I am so sad that they are going their seperate ways. So sad that he won’t be seeing Miles regularly – his best friend throughout the last few years. Those two have been as thick as thieves the whole time. I was always so relieved when Miles finally made it to the next class with Zach. Zach always moved first, being slightly older, and I waited with baited breath for December to come along when Miles would join him. 

And Freya. His girlfriend of almost two years! What’s he going to do without Freya? 

I know that he will go off and make friends at his new school but his little group have been together for so long, it seems so sad that it suddenly comes to an end. That they will only potentially see each other in the holidays if we manage to stay in touch.

Watching them all at their graduation ceremony last week was a real moment. One where it hit me. I don’t think that they really understand. I don’t think that Zach really understands that he won’t be coming to you anymore. That on the 17th, he will spend his last day with you and not return. 

So nursery – thank you. Thank you so, so much. You have got my boy ready for school. I know he is going to be amazing. You tell me that he is so ready (boy do I know he’s ready!) and that really is down to you. Even though he has only been coming twice a week, you have been such an important part of his little life so far. And such an important part of mine. 

So really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I think I’ll miss you just as much as Zach will.