Q: My daughter has been attending nursery for a year. She loves going, but my partner and I are not happy for various different reasons, including a lack of space, an unusually high staff turnover, restricted outdoors time and a limited choice of activities.

So we are moving her to bigger and brighter nursery which has much more to see and do. I know this environment is much better for her but I feel really guiltily. Am I selfish for moving her to a new nursery when she is already happy? And what if she doesn't settle? How can I help her to do this?

A: A mother acting in the best interests of her child rather than herself can never be described as selfish, so do try to be a little kinder to yourself over this. If you are not sufficiently happy with your current supplier's facilities then you are making the right move.

It is of course your responsibility to look at the bigger picture as well as looking towards the future. As your daughter gets older, she herself may feel frustrated with the lack of space and inability to spend quality time outside.

Additionally, young minds need a lot of stimulating as well as exposure to new and interesting experiences, and if you believe the new nursery will provide a better level of this kind of activity, then there is no reason why your daughter won't settle and thrive.

The key to managing this situation is to prepare your daughter for the transition. Does the new nursery have a settling in routine that you can use to ensure a gentle and smooth transition? Are you able to stay with her for the first one or two sessions to help her find her feet?

And don't forget children are very adaptable as long as love and patience is in plentiful supply. While there may be a few tears to mop up and reassuring cuddles to be given, the most important thing is to trust yourself and your motivation for doing this; and also to put your trust in the nursery staff who have dealt with this situation many, many times. Your daughter settled into nursery the first time, and there is no reason why she won't manage to do this again.

Children are of course intuitive, so try not to let your daughter pick up on any feelings of guilt, doubt or worry. Instead, treat the move as a new and exciting adventure and your daughter will pick up on this positivity, which should make the experience a little easier for both of you.

Did you change your childcare arrangements? Did you feel guilty?