Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do they have men at the nursery?

28 replies

WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful · 13/03/2013 21:10

Sorry this is a MIL one. I really like my MIL (she is so sweet and really really helpful) but she was asking about the nursery we are about to send dd to.

She asked "do they have men working there?"

I said "I didn't see any"

She said "good" in quite an aggressive way.

She's BU isn't she. I didn't get a chance to delve any further into her attitude (dd started to destroy her car) but I think she thinks all men are perverts.

OP posts:
StuntGirl · 13/03/2013 21:13

Well its got nowt to do with her and she won't be able to do anything even if there are some male workers. Ignore, ignore, ignore!

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 13/03/2013 21:15

SIBU!

Who cares if there are men working at the nursery? I hate attitudes like that. There is a male worker at my DS' s nursery and he seems really good with the children.

Smartiepants79 · 13/03/2013 21:20

Male nursery workers/ teachers etc are like gold dust!
Male role model are very important in all areas of life.

Tubegirl · 13/03/2013 21:21

Wouldn't it be a good thing? They (not sure exactly who they is btw) are trying to get more men into primary and infant schools aren't they? (To teach obvs, not as pupils). It's kinda odd when you think about it that there are so few men in nurseries.

Wincher · 13/03/2013 21:22

My DS's keyworker is a man. We consider ourselves to be very lucky!

VinegarDrinker · 13/03/2013 21:22

My DS's key worker is male. He is very experienced and fab. One of the things that attracted us to the nursery was the fact there are male staff and parent volunteers working there.

olivertheoctopus · 13/03/2013 21:29

Huh? Does not compute. DS has always actively gravitated to the male staff at nursery. Suspect they are more tolerant of endless Ben 10/Batman/Spider-Man witterings...

Original poster
WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful · 13/03/2013 21:37

That's what I thought. Men in nursery is a great thing for the kids especially the boys. We have a dd but still I think the nursery could benefit from a few men.

MIL is generally quite up to date / modern not really sure what I mean here with her opinions, I was genuinely surprised when she came out with this.

OP posts:
kinkyfuckery · 13/03/2013 21:44

I have no issue with men working at nurseries. I don't see why people think they are "lucky" to have males though? Confused Male and female nursery workers are one and the same as far as I'm concerned.

exexpat · 13/03/2013 21:50

'Lucky' because it's generally seen as a good thing to have role models of both genders at nurseries/preschools/primaries, to counterbalance general idea that men don't work in caring roles. I was certainly happy that there were male workers at DD's nursery, and her favourite teacher at preschool was male.

edwinbear · 13/03/2013 21:50

We have a man at our nursery, he isn't in either dd's or ds's room but he seems lovely from the limited contact I've had with him. I'm told he has quite a tough time of it, with some parents specifying he is not permitted to look after their child. Which I found pretty gob smacking really.

We had another man a couple of years ago who was in ds's room, he was fantastic, the children adored him. I also used to take ds swimming with a SAHD who was a nursery worker before he became a SAHD. He was lots of fun and I was always really glad to see him at swimming, he had some brilliant stories to tell. Personally, I think it's vital for children to have both male and female role models in nursery settings.

Original poster
WhenSheWasBadSheWasHopeful · 13/03/2013 21:53

edwin Shock at patents not allowing him to look after their child.

How on earth do the nursery manage this, it's blatant discrimination. Also what is the poor bloke meant to do when the children approach him and want to play?

OP posts:
ChairmanWow · 13/03/2013 22:08

That's outrageous edwin. DS had a male linkworker in his last room at nursery and he loved him to bits. My friend has a DD on her own and she also has a male linkworker who is proving to be an invaluable male role model to her.

I guess there are some people out there who are so old fashioned as to think that the only men who could possibly work in childcare do so for very sinister reasons.

Wincher · 13/03/2013 22:09

I say lucky really because the guy is fab, he's a brilliant nursery worker. Of course I would feel the same if DS had a fab female keyworker, but I think it's great for DS to gave a positive male role model at nursery. All the parents at nursery wish he was their children's keyworker!

Happymum22 · 13/03/2013 22:14

I used to work in a primary school and the nursery class had the most brilliant male teacher. He really was so fantastic but some mums complained and tried to get him sacked. It was horrendous to watch.

Wolfiefan · 13/03/2013 22:15

What Wincher said. Fab guy at our nursery. He does a great job. (As do the female members of staff.) DS loved it there. DD loves it.

kim147 · 13/03/2013 22:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fakebook · 13/03/2013 22:19

Dd had a male nursery worker when she was younger. He was a lovely guy; we only realised about two years ago he lives around the corner from us and has two children himself now with his wife. My sisters friend made fun out of our nursery and made crude paedophilic jokes about him working there. Some people are complete thick shits IMO. You can't really do anything about their lack of braincells. So, yes, your mil was BU.

CheshireDing · 13/03/2013 22:31

YANBU. Your MIL is ridiculous. What decade was her statement stuck in I wonder ? Grin

Would she have an issue with a male Midwife? (aren't there something like 20 of them in the whole country).

Would she have an issue being treated in A&E by my Husband who is a Nurse?

bobsnotmyuncle · 13/03/2013 22:43

My DD's childminder is a bloke, and bloody fantastic. Does loads of outdoor stuff with them, amazing home cooked food etc and the kids love him.

DD is the only girl he looks after though, he did say that it's the girls' dads that seem to have an issue with his choice of career, despite him having a daughter of his own Hmm

Ilovemydogandmydoglovesme · 13/03/2013 22:52

We have a male co-leader at our preschool. He runs the group with his partner. He's brilliant and the kids adore him. Especially my dd2. Yes it's nice to have a male role model but I don't genderise adults to my children. They don't care whether a person is male or female and I don't want them to see a big difference.

MsPepperminCreams · 13/03/2013 22:54

There are two male workers in the nursery in the building where I work. ( DS used to go there) There used to be a male chef at one point as well, who would go in the rooms and read stories to the kids and talk to them about the food. All positive role models for the kids.

There isn't a single male in my son's infant school, other than the caretaker. In my friend's daughters school the bloke that teaches the kids football, also comes in to read stories to them, which is a fab idea.

midastouch · 13/03/2013 22:55

There are no men at DS nursery (except the caretaker and mini bus driver) id rather have a woman look after my DS than a man, i dont really know why though...

Nagoo · 13/03/2013 22:58

happymum Tried to get him sacked? On what grounds? :( Shock

WhoWhatWhereWhen · 13/03/2013 23:00

Truth is lots of people DO care if a man works in a nursery but, they are all utter cunts and should fuck off

Swipe left for the next trending thread