Nursery workers/Childminders - do you chat with babies at meal times?

[callmeovercautious]

So we visited the Nursery today, I have been really happy with everything so far but today a member of staff from another room was helping out. She was feeding 3 babies (all around 6m) and did not talk to them at all. Not even the odd yum yum it's Lunch time etc.

I found this oddly disturbing! Meal times are a great opportunity to interact with babies and am hoping you can all tell me this was a one off!

Thanks

[gooseegg]

Yes we always chatter to babies at mealtimes/snack times, and also give them a selection of eating utensils of their own to wave around and practice digging into their bowls.
It can be incredibly messy and the dog always starts whining in the hallway when she knows we are eating - in anticiption of the scraps she knows will be covering the floor for her when we have finished.
I would find this disturbing too and might even ask directly about it to the manager to guage their reaction.

[callmeovercautious]

Thanks gooseegg, I was thinking of doing just that but was not sure if I was overreacting with my separation anxiety kicking in!

[KaySamuels]

Meal times are a great time to interact with kids, babies especially. Lots of eye contact, silly faces and positive tone of vioce. I love feeding the baby I cm! Sounds like this worker was maybe coverng? They may have been short staffed and she had been overly busy? Just an idea, maybe you could go again at a meal time and see if it is an every day occurence.

[Mum2Luke]

I always chat with the 17month old boy i look after whether its at the table while he's eating (I put him in a chair at the table to eat together) or playing or whatever we are doing.

Some people feel silly talking to a baby who cannot talk but thats the way they learn to communicate with us and use their mouths.

How else did we learn to talk? Our parents talked to us when we were small didn't they?

[WanderingTrolley]

Yes, always chat at mealtimes, like this:

Would you like some peas?
NO
What about some of this brocolli?
NO
Ooh, look at this yummy pasta!
NO
Here comes the plane - neeeeooowwww!
NO
Here is some bread.
NO
Look at that bird out the window!
NO
Would you like some of your drink?
NO
What shall we do this afternoon?
NO
Mmm, my lunch is lovely.
NO IT ISNT.
Eh?
NO

[MaureenMLove]

WT! Excellent! I would have thought it was impossible not to talk to a child when feeding them. But then again, I've been childminding for 12 years and have been known to make the occasional odd noise when dd is eating now. She's 11!