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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Drinks in nursery

133 replies

Alicetherabbit · 02/10/2017 09:53

My dd has just turned 2 and moved to 2-3 year room last week, she's been coming home dehydrated, so I raised it today (amongst other issues) and was told that the children in that room get their own drinks.
Am I being unreasonable to think ajust turned two year old is too young to remember to drink water?
Also shouldn't I have been told this so I can help with transition at home?
Thanks

OP posts:
Autumnskiesarelovely · 02/10/2017 12:11

YANBU
It's a fact, kids aren't very good at knowing they are thirsty, and need to be encouraged to drink.

QueenUnicorn · 02/10/2017 12:11

Some 2 year olds cant talk to ask for water.....

strongasmeringue · 02/10/2017 12:12

Once you're thirsty you are already starting to dehydrate..

brasty · 02/10/2017 12:13

I worked in a nursery in the past. All children got a drink with their snack or meal. In between they would have to ask for a drink. They were all fine.

brasty · 02/10/2017 12:14

strongasmeringue That is medically incorrect.

RedSkyAtNight · 02/10/2017 12:14

Presumably they get given a drink at snack and meal times anyway? Maybe the issue is she's not drinking enough at these times.

strongasmeringue · 02/10/2017 12:15

Is it bratsy? Where would I find that info?

steff13 · 02/10/2017 12:17

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3498380

NannyR · 02/10/2017 12:24

From my experience of working in a nursery, children were given a drink of water with each meal and snack and we had a table with cups and a jug of water that they could help themselves to (as part of encouraging independence), obviously very young children would be helped. That seemed to work well and children didn't seem to be thirsty.

rightnowimpissed · 02/10/2017 12:32

That terrible I'd expect tem to be giving my child a drink. they are still babies at 2

Original poster
Alicetherabbit · 02/10/2017 12:33

Helen, am sure even getting own drinks theyd end up sharing and also toddlers have no respect for space so catching germs is the norm.
To the other poster who asked why I didn't ask about the system when told this morning, not to drip feed but the drinks issue was a very small area of other issues and I was focusing on them. The reason I am asking if the water issue is unreasonable is that the manager could respond on that issue and I wondered if it is the norm for nurserys. I can see from responses it is mixed, so when choosing next nursery I'll ask the question to ensure it's the right setting for dd.

OP posts:
sirfredfredgeorge · 02/10/2017 12:35

If kids need to be reminded to drink, why don't puppies, or kittens, or piglets?

BellyBean · 02/10/2017 12:42

Our nursery have a low table with cups, each has a picture of the child tied on, and the children are able and happy to pick out their own cup to drink from.

MrsOverTheRoad · 02/10/2017 12:43

DIdn't they tell you to send her in with a water bottle OP? Therein lies the real issue.

EvilDoctorBallerinaDuckKeidis · 02/10/2017 12:43

YANBU. I have to nag my 6 and 10yos to drink.

Original poster
Alicetherabbit · 02/10/2017 12:45

Belly, Thats what they have in the previous room, it worked for her as only had this problem since she moved last week.

OP posts:
tittythatwalk · 02/10/2017 12:46

When I worked in a nursery, even the 4yo were reminded regularly, with set times to stop play and get a drink (as well as with meal times)
Allowing a 2yo to be in control of their fluid intake seems a bit of an ask... kids vary so much, some forget, some are shy etc.

And puppies kittens and piglets either still drink from their mother, or have open access to a trough or bowl, so I don't see the comparison there Hmm

Original poster
Alicetherabbit · 02/10/2017 12:46

Sir Fred, not sure, but then puppies and piglets are much more developed when born, they walk much quicker than humans too.

OP posts:
Zebrasinpyjamas · 02/10/2017 12:49

In my dc 's nursery at 1-2 yrs old, the cups are visible and they are encouraged to go to the right area and find their own cup (has their picture on the label). They are all offered drinks at regular intervals though.

At 2-3 yrs, they were encouraged to fill their own own cup from a jug of water at a low table. They were obviously helped and reminded every so often to have a drink.

Nursery should go through key changes when you change rooms so that you can talk about at home too.
I don't think their system at your dc 's nursery is unreasonable but they should be reminding dc to drink as well.

skips5678 · 02/10/2017 12:52

We used to have the childrens own water bottles on a table with their name printed so they could help themselves.

We can't do that anymore as we had children who'd drink out of others bottles, children who would want someone elses bottle and one child who would open the childrens bottles and chuck the water on the floor/table, which meant we then needed one member of staff to clean it and another to make sure the kids didn't go over there until it was dry. A lot of parents complained that their childs bottle was coming home chewed, cracked, dirty and saying it wasn't from their child. We also had to stop this as we had a child who had a specific condition and needed to drink a specific amount a day and it was difficult to monitor if they'd drank their water or someone else had.

Now, we have the water bottles up high and we'll ask the children if they want their drink (often they play in groups, so we'll ask who wants a drink) and we'll get the drinks down for all children in the group, even if they haven't specifically asked!

Zebrasinpyjamas · 02/10/2017 12:54

From your update, it seems the nursery needs to talk to your child to teach her what she needs to do. Maybe they've not explained it clearly enough.

Birdsgottafly · 02/10/2017 12:54

"If kids need to be reminded to drink, why don't puppies, or kittens, or piglets?"

Humans aren't the same as animals, hence why we need so much assistance during and after Birth, or did you see to yourself in a barn? and then just put bowls of water out for yours?

OP there is obviously a load of the usual arseholes on this thread,

A 2 year old should be assisted to drink enough. I was a CP SW if that wasn't happening at home the 2 year old would be on a CP plan.

However, children do get thirsty and forget to drink when they are playing.

Your DD,though,still needs encouragement and that should be written into her care plan.

brasty · 02/10/2017 12:55

In the very recent past,most kids and adults drunk at specific times. Unless you have any medical problems, or it is very hot, humans do not need to be reminded to drink. They may feel thirsty, but that is not an issue. And it is a myth that you have to drink a certain amount. A much better guide than amounts, is the colour of your pee.

brasty · 02/10/2017 12:56

Birdsgottafly Really??You would put a child on a CP plan because they were given drinks at snack or meal time and not reminded the rest of the time to drink?
I don't believe you.

Starlight2345 · 02/10/2017 13:04

I am a childminder..All the children are different. I have some who will drink and help themselves some who need a prompt. My 10 year old has gone to school this am and only drank half his drink and he will go all day and not bother till bedtime then realise he is thirsty. So even at 10 he fails to remember sometimes to bother drinking.

It depends how nursery have responded...We will prompt her and get her to go and get a drink and hope she picks it up would be the response I would want.

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