To think that nursery must drug a room full of under 2s to get them to sit nicely and cooperate?

[Bubspub]

Obviously the title is in jest! I don't suspect that my nursery is drugging the children, they are an excellent nursery of very lovely staff. I took DS 21mo in slightly later than usual this morning and 'sing and sign' had begun. I stood there open mouthed. I kid you not, a room full of under 2s sat in perfect, straight rows, listening attentively to nursery nurse singing and signing. HOW DO THEY GET THEM TO DO THAT??! I am seriously impressed. I also assume that my DS went to join them and behaved this way. HE WOULD NEVER DO THIS AT HOME! Am I the only person whose child is a complete hooligan at home but get reports that "he's been an absolute star" when I pick him up and they have told me very clearly that they have no concerns about his attention and behaviour? I'm baffled but impressed at the same time! And open to the suggestion that it's because of my crap parenting!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Mine are the same. I've come to the conclusion that nurseries pump low levels of ether through their ventilation systems to keep them tame.

I watched in fascinated, jealous awe as one of the nursery nurses changed 2.5yo DS2's nappy the other day. He lay there. Without moving. Gently swinging his knees from side to side when she turned to get wipes, but still remaining on his back, motionless. The identical task at home requires full body pinning to prevent a poo-tastrophe from the flailing, screaming, and general impression put out that he's being tortured.

[DorothyHarris]

It must be something my 3 (under 3) are positively feral at times.

[Bubspub]

Yes my boy also won't sit still for meals/snacks at home but apparently does so without issue for them! I've had to use pull-up pants since he was 6mo as he goes totally off it if you try to lay him down. I said to the nursery nurse do you have any problems, should I buy pull-up pants? Oh no, she said, he's never any bother for nappy changes at all, no need for pull-ups! It's crazy and baffling!

[Cornwall73]

I'm with you all. Nursery staff/childminders deserve a medal and national recognition. My nearly 3.5yrs twins are described a model citizens at nursery. The staff never recognise the children we describe who are feral wild animals and make us long for returning to work on Mondays!

[Jaysis]

DS went through a phase at that age of refusing nearly all fruit and veg point blank at home. To the point I was starting to worry if he'd end up with scurvy.

Turns out he eats everything at nursery.

Ditto behaviour. Maybe they slip something into their breakfasts?

[Bubspub]

Yes, like slip some rohypnol into their weetabix??! That explains the perfect rows of kneeling toddlers!

[nokidshere]

Of course it might be because the staff are trained, qualified and experienced at their jobs!

[BingBongBingBong]

Most kids push behaviour boundaries a lot more with their parents. I've seen it from both sides, with my nephews and with my own children!

[HerRoyalFattyness]

Honestly, it's witchcraft. I know. I work with 2 year olds.
They'll tell you I'm a witch (they won't, they'll tell you that xxx is silly and has been trying to go down the slide in the garden but she's too big)

[Bubspub]

Nokids, the staff ARE excellent, I'm sure that has bearing on he children's behaviour. But even taking that into account I'm still shocked to see little ones so small being that cooperative and attentive!

[splendide]

Yes it's spooky isn't it? DS is pretty placid for me and at nursery but the naps are witchcraft.

He just lies down on a mat and goes to sleep! I've seen it on their CCTV! At home he does nap but it requires a nice dark room, his cot, his animals and a dummy.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Nothing but a car drive will make DS2 nap at home. At nursery he starts nodding off at the lunch table, then takes himself to a mat and conks out little sod

[Oogle]

No idea. My DS refuses to try new things at home and point blank won't eat pasta. Eats everything they put in front of him at nursery.

He also sits nicely and listens to stories and nursery rhymes. Never sits still at home.

"Oh he's so lovely and never tantrums" REALLY?! We barely get through an hour without a tantrum at home.

[IckleWicklePumperNickle]

DS1 was the same. Had to boob and cuddle to sleep. At nursery he went to sleep in the cot and then the mat later on with no issues. Baffling.

[dollydaydream114]

My mum worked in a playgroup for years and was constantly being told by parents that their three-year-olds wouldn't ever sit quietly, wouldn't eat certain things, wouldn't share with other kids, wouldn't listen to a story ... and yet she never had any problem with them. You could give her 15 toddlers to look after and she'd honestly have them all sitting playing happily or finger-painting or sitting in a circle singing or listening to a story within about five minutes. Zero tantrums, zero chaos.

She is basically like some sort of magical toddler-whisperer.

I don't know how the hell she does it and I certainly haven't inherited the skill.

[Naty1]

Unfortunately dd1 used to behave the same (or actually worse) at nursery. They managed just about to have her sitting for stories by the end of the yr, at 4yo.

[ASeriesofFortunateEvents]

And they do all that for national minimum wage

[StubbleTurnips]

Our nursery took 30 x 3 year olds to a Chinese restaurant, on the bus (!), for the new year this week.

I am genuinely awe struck by they achieved that. I tried herding 2 in the same direction at weekend and it was impossible.

[Bubspub]

They definitely deserve more than national minimum wage in my opinion. I think they do a wonderful job.

[DJBaggySmalls]

YABU. I've just watched a documentary on North Korea and they manage it with no drugs. Maybe brainwashing or fear, but not drugs.

[splendide]

I hope the ones at DS' nursery are on more than minimum wage - I pay so much!

[SimplyNigella]

Exactly the same here- at nursery my 3 year old, is sweet, compliant and eats all of his meals. He will also wear weather appropriate clothing outside and not take his gloves off every 30 seconds.

At home, not so much.

His nursery staff are amazing, through in some herd mentality and a liberal dose of stickers and there's your magic.

[Fuckityhi]

I'm a childminder and I can get 2 year olds to behave perfectly

Or rather, they just behave brilliantly of their own volition. They eat their nutritious lunch, sit quietly when we do stories, and play nicely the rest of the time.

My own 2 year old is feral though. And yet the few times we've used a childminder for him, he's been a little angel for them.

It's just the way it is! Kids behave "better" for people that aren't their parents. I watch how my little angel mindees transform into something resembling my own "spirited" child the second their mothers come to pick them up.

[wifework]

Institutionalisation.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing - my kids went to nursery and go to school and I have a similar experience - but that's what it is!

[Bubspub]

Update:
Went to collect him this evening and of course "he's had a fantastic day". Ate all of his finger food, a scone and banana. At which I nearly died, a banana?? He won't eat any fruit at home, ever! We constantly put blueberries, banana, mango on his tray and he lobs it on the floor. "Oh yes", she said, "he always eats his fruit". Whaaat?? I asked, did he join you on the mat for Sing and Sign and kneel without keep getting up and running off?? "Oh yes, he sat for a good ten minutes, he rarely runs off". So I told her that I think she's does a bloody fantastic job and thank you for having him doing all those things and eating those things. She must think I'm crazy, stood at the door open mouthed at everything she tells me each week!