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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To start a thread of appreciation for nursery staff?

49 replies

StrugglingAlbion · 22/12/2017 18:28

I recently saw some charmer on another thread describe nursery childcare as "leaving your children in the care of disinterested 18 year olds" or something to that effect. This is so far from my DD's experience at nursery that I really wanted to post a positive nursery thread. I may have had a prosecco or two...

My daughter (about to turn three) attends a private nursery three days per week, and has done since she was 10 months old. This enables me to work. I won't lie, I was hugely trepidatious about leaving her in a nursery at the time, but she has been so, so happy there.

Today I attended their wee carol concert. It was a lovely afternoon, carols out in the garden. It really brought home to me that my DD is so lucky to go there, and to have these women in her life. They have worked so hard with the kids to learn the carols. They have made the Christmas period so special for the kids, with stories and arts and crafts and singing and dancing. They've built up the Santa excitement, they threw a really lovely Christmas party for the kids. They even taught them party games (my DD struggled with musical bumps and they worked so hard. She ended up winning the game at the party 😭)

Every day DD comes home with new things that she has learned. She raves about these women, she just adores them. She made them all Christmas cards (off her own back, I didn't suggest it to her).

These women, often paid little more than minimum wage, really genuinely care about the children in their care. They are warm and gentle and they spend their own time and money planning activities etc. They give cuddles when the kids are sad or sick. They sort out bickering and arguing and take it all in their stride. And yes, some of them are only 18 or 19 and they seem to me to be every bit as good as their older, more experienced counterparts.

These lovely people have enabled me to return to work, safe in the knowledge that my daughter is happy and well cared for. I'll be putting my now-six month old into the same nursery in March and I feel fine about it.

So, if any of you are out there, thank you xx

OP posts:

Indie139 · 22/12/2017 19:25

I work in a nursery and love it. Thanks for sending us nursery workers some appreciation

Me264 · 22/12/2017 19:33

DS's nursery workers are incredible. He's been there almost a full year since he was 10 months old and has just blossomed so much with them. They are so caring and affectionate, he is always giving them hugs when I drop him off and blowing them kisses. The crafts he's brought home are amazing and so much more imaginative than anything I'd do without him at home. I wish they got more than minimum wage but like others I don't know what the answer is - I can't afford to pay much more than we already do!

MotherWol · 22/12/2017 19:44

I'm so grateful to the staff at DD's nursery - she's been there for nearly a year now, and she's really blossomed since she started. You can tell that they put a lot of time and effort into making sure the children are happy and engaged, and they really love it. They're brilliant, and I'm filled with admiration for them.

TeenTimesTwo · 22/12/2017 19:49

YANBU
My DD1 has been at nursery now for 5 months.
Despite a number of accidents (all of which were her fault), she is really progressing well. She found it really tiring to start with, but seems to be in the swing of it now.

Oh, my DD1 is 18 and is doing a nursery apprenticeship.

She also really appreciated the cards and gifts she came home with today. So thank you. On

Original poster

StrugglingAlbion · 22/12/2017 20:27

Aw I'm so pleased I started this thread now

OP posts:

wineandcheeseplease · 22/12/2017 20:33

As a nursery assistant myself... thank you. I love my job and all of the children I care for. It is the best career move I made.

Allthetuppences · 22/12/2017 20:39

I know a 39 year old woman who works in a nursery. She spends all her time at the school gate bitching about how shite she thinks the parents of her charges are. She goes on a lot about how parents should be checked on etc.
It's definitely soured me towards other nursery staff that possibly are not such horrors.
Saying that. My cousin's wife, who works in childcare is a complete bitch about her stepson.
Maybe it's the norm.

EmilyChambers79 · 22/12/2017 20:42

Ex nursery staff here too. Again not 18, almost 20 years over that and have worked in childcare since I was 16. I finally left in May due the uncertainty of private nurseries in the future.

Have to say, the majority of parents are wonderful too!

Still in childcare but now Nannying for a family that I babysit for and also do lots of babysitting. Not sure I could ever go back to a nursery.

youhaveafacefortheradio · 22/12/2017 20:43

As a Nursery practitioner in a baby department for the past 20 years can I just say thank you OP for starting this post.
What a lovely thread to read.
The pay isn't the best at all but it is the most rewarding job in the world and I absolutely love going to work every day 😃

LuigiB · 22/12/2017 20:44

DS2 has just started school, but I can’t praise enough the wonderful staff of the nursery he went to. We were really struggling with his behaviour and eating habits but they worked on it and also gave us plenty of tips so things improved massively in the time he was there. DS2 now attends the after school club on the same site and he always goes and gives the nursery staff a hug when he arrives so I’m told. Both of our families are overseas, so these women have been like extended family to us.

NeverSurrender · 22/12/2017 20:47

The staff at my dd nursery are all lovely people who I trust 100%. There is a male member of staff there which I think is great and he’s the only one I’ve seen in all the settings I looked around and in elder D.C. nurseries.

Goldenbug · 22/12/2017 20:48

Yay! We rock!

user9217 · 22/12/2017 20:49

Nursery worked here for just over 8 years. Love it! And love all these posts too so happy you've found a great Nursery with wonderful staff 😁

BrawneLamia · 22/12/2017 20:54

What a lovely thread. My Ds goes to nursery and the staff are lovely and caring. I love the bond he has with the staff and how they all have silly nicknames for him

elliejjtiny · 22/12/2017 20:59

Ex nursery assistant here, now sahm, partly because nursery fees would be more than my wages. I still think fondly of the toddlers I looked after, who will now be young adults.

Darcydashwood · 23/12/2017 05:05

My son has been in nursery 4 days a week since he was just 1 and I have nothing but gratitude for the genuine love and care shown to him by the staff at his nursery. They do an amazing job.

Aleciahartismyhero · 23/12/2017 05:58

I love our nursery, they take and comment my dd from school on days they have my ds, go completely above and beyond for all children and are wonderful people!

likebeyoncedoes · 23/12/2017 06:18

They are brilliant and undervalued! My boy loved his key worker! And he's not the easiest of kids ! X

AlwaysColdHands · 23/12/2017 06:42

I hear other parents making small criticisms of staff but I think unless you've worked in such a setting yourself, you have no idea what it's like. I have, I know how thankless & exhausting & monotonous it can get on occasions and I am grateful beyond belief that there are people who choose to do this job to enable my DD to flourish & me to have a career and sanity.
It's a small nursery, and the thing that impressed me most was how long some of the staff had been there, 15, 20 years - great indicator in my book.
I would like to give them all a Christmas card full of money (if I could afford it myself!) to let them know how much I appreciate them, and that I realise they are often undervalued by people, both financially and in other ways.
They all deserve a lovely break over Christmas, which I hope they get (ours closed til 2nd Jan now)

TooStressyForMyOwnGood · 23/12/2017 07:05

What a lovely thread! My two are at school now but I was hugely impressed and grateful to all their nursery / pre school staff. I tried to write individual things in thank you cards for them to keep for portfolios etc.

Also have to say a thank you to childminders - mine has unlimited patience and cares so much.

Callamia · 23/12/2017 07:08

Yes! My son’s nursery workers are brilliant people. There a a genuine and caring atmosphere in the place, and some of them have helped me work out parenting, when my own family live 300 miles away - I see them as an extension to our family. Many have their own children, from grown up to school-age, and their empathy has been supportive and welcome.

My son has developed in confidence and has had some great opportunities while he’s been at nursery. I’m so grateful to his carers there for understanding each child, and working to get them to thrive.

MrsPringles · 23/12/2017 07:12

My ds started nursery school in September but prior to that, had been in private nursery 2 days a week since he was 9 months old.

Leaving him with a stranger was the hardest thing I’ve ever done but his key worker was amazing and I felt so reassured by her.

She loved him to pieces (and he loved her too) and would have literally thrown herself in front of a bus for him. Bless her she sobbed and sobbed on his last day, I will never forget her and the little bond they had 💙

(We’re Facebook friends now and she loves seeing updates on him)

scrivette · 23/12/2017 07:40

The nursery DS attends is amazing. It has only been open for a couple of years and he has been there for most of it.

The staff are all so caring and kind and he rushes in without a backwards glance.

I couldn't do what they do.

ZZZZ1111 · 23/12/2017 07:42

I love our nursery! My toddler has been there for a year and loves it! It's so lovely to see how excited the workers get about his milestones, and just generally about fun times they have had with him. He loves them so much. Thank you to Nursery workers reading this for everything you do!

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