Oh dear. Nursery and a talkative 2 year old.

[vladthedisorganised]

So DD is 2.4 and goes to a fantastic nursery, she's been there for ages and we both love it.
For a while, mainly due to smaller numbers, the two 'older' toddler rooms were combined and DD had a lovely time with the older children. Her carer has remarked on this a lot, she has a really wide vocabulary, particularly enjoys the phonics activities and is usually the one who is most interested in the more formal activities like writing and number recognition. She is also fully potty trained.

Due to a large intake they have now separated Toddler 2 and Toddler 3 again, and she is now one of the oldest in Toddler 2. Trouble is that she is also far and away the most verbal, and is very very vocal about how 'it was much nicer when she was in Toddler 3 with W, X and Y who she could play with cause they're her best friends'. In the morning I now have to sneak her past Toddler 3, where W, X and Y have apparently also been asking where DD has gone.

Her carer is really fantastic with her and has given her a lot of 1-1 help with the things she's interested in, so no problems there. She's developing really nicely, just seems a bit sadder now. There is normally a 'transition' of a month or so prior to joining the next room, so it doesn't seem to be on the cards any time soon. She's also gone through a lot of upheaval recently so in principle it makes sense not to change a lot at once, (and she would be really sad not to see her current carer every day) and I do understand the nursery not wanting to move her up straight away.

Where I really struggle is how on earth to explain it to her? When she comes out with "X and Y are my friends and we read stories together; but when I talk to A and B they don't say anything so maybe they aren't my friends?" I try 'well, sometimes people who are a bit younger than you can't say as much, but it doesn't mean they aren't your friends, just that they can't say everything they might want to all at once.' She isn't buying it though.

It's not the end of the world obviously, but saying 'there's been a large intake recently, the next room are probably short-staffed and you will move up in a couple of months' doesn't seem realistic for a toddler to grasp. PFB and bragging aside, how do I explain it?

[wishiwasonholiday]

Difficult since she's already been in there but my ds starts the school nursery in jan. He's been desperate since sept to start cos all his friends now go. He does understand ( or seems to) when we say you can start after Xmas/your birthday.

[EBDTeacher]

Have you asked if she could be in the other room?

My DNephew is also a bit 'between rooms' at his nursery and he does some time in each which seems to work quite well.

[narmada]

Aww, that's a tricky one. I am amazed she is so talkative at 2.4. She sounds v advanced.

I think I too would just ask whether she can move to the other room. I can't see why they would refuse unless there is a staffing ratio issue, or they think they might be hit with a flood of other parents wanting to move their children 'up' a room too. Anyway, got to be worth an ask :)

[adoptmama]

I agree with other posters. You have nothing to lose by explaining why you would like DD to go back with her friends. However you do need to think how it will pan out in the future - if she goes up now, will you 'keep her back later' to be with age peers, or do you foresee her staying with older children (with all the pros and cons of this socially, emotionally and educationally) in the future. (Or is the age difference not so great that it would be an issue?) Would she start primary school early because of a move now? Would that mean she would be retained at the end of year 6/primary 7? If you don't see problems in the future I would ask for a move.