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!

[Bubspub]

Shouldwestay that's a well known phenomenon with little ones; child presents as seriously sick, take them to a doctor and they put on their best self, laughing and giggling and making us look like a twat. DS was once blue lighted in a rapid ambulance with suspected meningitis, he looked DREADFUL and was screeching like hell. We get to a&e and even the nurses looked concerned. Consultant came in, DS starts cooing and laughing. Made us look like right twats

[icyfront]

Toddler-wrangling is both a science and an art. Nursery staff and childminders learn the magic tricks, partly from courses and partly from the job. And they have an end-time, when the little darlings get picked up. But many are also parents and know that parenting is 24/7, which is a completely different kettle of fish. Talking of which: how many of you resort to Finding Emo or The Octonauts when trying to toddler-wrangle AND cook dinner? (I can't remember what I used back then when my offspring were little. But if I'd had the technology, you bet I would have used that.)

I reckon that being at nursery/childminder is a bit like toddler daytime reality TV. They learn a heck of lot from observing the behaviour of their peers. And in a good environment, they learn that this is what 2-year-olds do – go bat-shit crazy when chasing bubbles, go messy when it’s painting, and go quiet when it’s story time. It’s pretty much like what happens in higher primates that have strong social groupings.

On the other hand, I sometimes babysit my 3-year-old grandchild. You’d think I’d know it all by now. Nope.

[HumptyDumptyBumpty]

Dog I didn't realise that. I take my hat off to you, then, I find juggling 'life' and childcare bloody hard work.

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

@Bubspub Fortunately mine are a little older now. Youngest is 7. Before the dr we rehearse why we are going. What our symptoms are and how we are feeling. In the dr when they ask me what the problem is I turn to child and suggest that they explain. I am sure that my likelihood of munchausen by proxi has been downgraded substantially since I adopted this strategy and of course I am teaching my child to interact for themselves with medical personnel, fostering independence. I adopted this strategy after realising that at a&e they always asked dd for her version of what random injury had befallen her this time anyway so just get her to say first and I fill in the gaps. Can do that from about 4/5. Same with dentists, they don't want me in there now, they just go in alone.

[coxsorangepippin]

@thisrabbitthatrabbit thank you very much!

[insancerre]

No admin 🤔
Or household chores 🤔
Okaaaay

If that's what you think
It's not true though
And yes we do do it while toddler wrestling too

[UnbornMortificado]

Tiggy are you/were you a nursery nurse/witch?

You don't have to answer, I just had no idea.

[TiggyD]

I am a nursery worker (and attempted children's author). I did work in a nursery that also had a witch working there, but as far as I know she used no magic on them.

[Bobochic]

The DC are a bit frightened.

[Pocketsizedpixie]

I had an appointment yesterday so picked DD up half an hour later than usual (lunchtime) - she hasn't napped in weeks at home, but I got there yesterday to find her asleep on a cushion on the floor (they have little camp beds, but she wasn't due to stay long enough for a nap) because "she was a bit tired so just went to sleep" - she has never "just gone to sleep" in two years..... Witchcraft I tell you. Witchcraft.

[UnbornMortificado]

I think nursery nurses are very under appreciated.

I struggle with two DC never mind 30. I love the staff at DD2's.

[HerRoyalFattyness]

Actually laughing at the thought of no admin or chores! I'm only a volunteer but I have to do that! I have 1 key child. The other staff have around 4/5 each. Each with their own set of needs and admin that goes with that. Then there's washing pots, cleaning tables and floors etc etc. All needs doing more than once a day which means it gets done while toddler wrestling too.

[Afreshstartplease]

No admin or chores is ridiculous

They have a curriculum to follow. There are observations and assessments to be done. Tracking. Planning. Additional support for those children who need it. Plus ongoing training which needs to be refreshed and learning to implement new strategies etc

It's not all playing play dough you know!

[heron98]

I was always an angel at school but a right little shit at home.

My mum tells a story of when I was about 6 and having a huge meltdown in the street.

By chance, my teacher appeared and I immediately stopped crying, put on my best smile and said "hello Mrs X!" before waiting until she'd gone round the corner and resuming my hysterics.

[TinselTwins]

At DDs nursery they used mind control!

She was HORRIBLE at home before a nap! fighting it and having tantrums. But at nursery they just got out their little mats (which IMO emit mind conrolling radio waves) and she'd just trot over, lie down, and go straight to sleep!

[MrTCakes]

There is magic happening at my ds's nursery. I went to pick him up early one day and he was sat down in a circle with the other children listening to a story, like a normal little human. Couldn't believe my eyes.

[elliejjtiny]

Sounds about right. My children are angels for everyone except me. Dn is a horror at home but if I ask her to do something she just does it with a cheerful "yes auntie Ellie".

[SugarMiceInTheRain]

This amazes me too. DD (2.5) goes to kindergarten and I turn up at the end and she's sitting on a chair, singing and doing actions - at home she's practically feral!

[Wixi]

I always get comments about how well behaved my daughter is, and on the one occasion she kicked off for me when she was in pre-school they kept saying "but this is not like you" :-) She's a totally different child when she's not with me. School now praise her for her attention span and calm and friendly temperament - must be a different child :-)

[middlings]

I remember telling our then-soon-to-be childminder that there was NO WAY DD1 would sleep unless she was in a cot, in a room with blackout blinds and no noise of any description. She smiled, and nodded, and DD1 spent 18 months sleeping in a buggy in her kitchen for an hour and a half a day.

I luffs her more than life itself (the CM, also DD1, but mainly the CM).

[Mynestisfullofempty]

They use tasers the first day a child is there, after that they don't need to. It's very simple and effective.

[EffieIsATrinket]

The notoriously hard-to-please inspector at my DD2's pre-school described the children's behaviour as 'exemplary' in his report (he was much harder on the school itself so not having a kind day!). There were a couple of livewires in the class three holy terrors. Assuming they weren't locked in the cupboard that day (!) I am in awe of the nursery teachers - okay older kids but how on earth did they manage it?

[gillybeanz]

conditioning in an institutional setting with clear expectations.

[Bubspub]

This is making me chuckle. The idea of tasers and witchcraft! After DS's feedback of "oh yes he always eats all his fruit", I can't even get him to eat a Fruit Winder today!!! And they've got sugar in, which I didn't realise when I bought them, but he still looks utterly repulsed and won't even try!

Agree that nursery staff are generally under appreciated. I really appreciate mine, they deserve a bleeding medal as far as I'm concerned! X

[MiddlingMum]

Part of my work is with small children. As others have said, it's down to routine, expectations and experience. For me it's totally normal to have 15 - 20 two year olds sitting in front of me, listening, joining in and generally behaving well. With the odd exception, it doesn't occur to me that they won't and I think they somehow absorb that idea.

At one place I go to, the staff say that after lunch they put the sleeping mats on the floor, each child finds their own (marked with a picture), they switch off the light and say "Time for sleep". Within five minutes they are all fast asleep. A parent asked them to video it as they didn't believe it was possible. This was a child who apparently had to be driven round in the car to get to sleep. Again, it's peer pressure and expectations.