toddler playing up at nursery - how do I help?

[Flingingmelon]

Trying to keep this short.

DS - 2.5. Generally pretty good at home and a happy, thriving child. We do get throwing toys, playing with his food and also whining. All three can happen when he's tired / bored / hungry.

Throwing - I tell him not to, remove toy, get him to pick up toys and get him to tell me why I told him off. This usually works. If not he has a timeout in his room until he does apologise and pick up.

Food - warn him and then remove food.

Whining - tell him to use his nice voice.

Usually this all works and I know I'm lucky that he's such little trouble.

Creche however seem to have more issues. Apparently not only does he do all the above, he gets his four little friends to mess about too.

Now the Creche can't do time outs or remove food. Their policy is to have the child sit quietly by the key worker until they calm down, speak to them about the issue and then continue with whatever activity is happening. I'm generally very happy with the Creche and it just got an outstanding rating with Ofsted.

So - if you are still reading! - when I come to pick him up and they mention this problematic behaviour virtually every time, I don't know what to do. They're a bit wishy washy about making proactive suggestions and I can't help thinking; he's 2.5, isn't this normal?

What would you do? Anything?

[Flingingmelon]

Bump for traffic...

[Haahooooo]

No advice really, apart from I think the creche's approach is right, and it's in line with what happens at my DC nursery in terms of discipline. I'm sure your DS will grow out of it, he's only very little!

[selly24]

Good that they are giving you feedback about behaviour. Thank them for doing so and for supporting your dc and say you are being consistent at home and trying to discourage. I do wonder wether this (the creche 's approach), despite being probably best option open to them, is reinforcing the behaviour, granting rd special attention/ lack of consequence??

It is highly normal for a toddler to push boundaries though! Provides there's no connotation of 'giving in' relaxing the rules just for him I think time and simple consistency will resolve this..

[Flingingmelon]

Thank you both. That feels right. I just wanted to make sure I'm doing what I can and they're not all bitching about me being the clueless mum in the staff room