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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you view nursery staff?

173 replies

NancyFrank · 04/10/2018 18:07

I work in a nursery and love my job. However I sometimes feel it isn't viewed as a 'good' job or there is maybe a stereotype of who works in nurseries and pre-schools ect. The money is pretty much minimum wage (for caring for and educating children in their earliest years, but that is another debate) and the hours are long but I love working with children and struggle to think of a 'better' job that would give me the same satisfaction. I get comments quite regularly on what I will do 'next' aibu to view this as a career, albeit a badly paid one with not much progression..?

OP posts:
YeTalkShiteHen · 04/10/2018 20:05

MeYouWye I’m not a manager, I’m a mum. Sorry to mislead you. The nursery manager is ace at ours though, she doesn’t put up with heckling of her staff. I love her!

TheBigFatMermaid · 04/10/2018 20:05

I think when DD1 was little it wa very much a 'Mum job' in that it really was only done by people who had school age DC who needed pin money.

Things have moved on a lot though since then. OFSTED inspections, learning outcomes for the children.....

I would say a lot is asked of you, you deserve respect. Your role deserves to be respected.

Hidillyho · 04/10/2018 20:08

My DC nursery staff are amazing. I wouldn’t leave them with something I love so much if I didn’t have respect for them and what they do.
Honestly though, it depends on the nursery. There are some in my area that I wouldn’t leave a dead plant in their care

horizonglimmer · 04/10/2018 20:09

Move to Edinburgh and work in a council nursery. Proper career structure there.

The staff at my son's nursery were highly intelligent, reflective, lqualified and utterly inspiring. I learnt so much from them and have been inspired to a career change to early years work.

PeakTrans · 04/10/2018 20:09

I think it's a really important job! My DS was in nursery from 8 months & is now 2. The staff are amazing & he has flourished there. I would credit them with helping towards all his milestones & also providing a fun & structured environment.

Racecardriver · 04/10/2018 20:11

It depends on the staff member. Very few give off the vibe that they hate their job and they are only there because they are to stupid/work shy/risk averse to try to do something better for them. But the vast majority give me the impression that they are living the dream. They are into it 100%. They always seem so happy with all the children. They seem really passionate about learning about kids development etc. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't do the job in a million years (don't have the patience for that kind of thing) but I can definitely see how for the right kind of person it would be the best job in the world.

Deltaquinn · 04/10/2018 20:12

At least you don't have a bullshit job. www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17308744/bullshit-jobs-book-david-graeber-occupy-wall-street-karl-marx
When I read this, I thought about the men and women who work at my little one's nursery and felt dispair. I think you what you do is incredible. Really. I am so grateful knowing that I can go to work (in what isn't too much of a bullshit job) and know my child in not only in safe hands, but is having fun, singing, dancing, playing, learning, eating well... If anyone's on six figures, I don't see why it shouldn't be you.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 04/10/2018 20:16

I think they get paid very badly for what they do. I pretty much couldn't be paid enough money to work with pre school kids every day.

I saw a local job site recently there was nursery care person 10 pound ph and dog sitter 10 pound ph. I commented to my family it was appalling they were comparable wages.

The staff I have encountered are mostly great, caring, enthusiastic and give the impression it's a job they chose rather than they couldn't do anything else. There are some poor ones like in any job.

They are generally very young though which makes me wonder what happens to them after a few years. They are also not very PC in our nursery for instance I think gender stereotypes seem to be entrenched (my daughter will often be told she looks pretty in the morning for example. It's coming from a place of kindness) but I don't have experience of other nurseries so I don't know if it's just ours

glintandglide · 04/10/2018 20:18

I agree with racecar and also the childcare worker above who said if you want to work with children your options really are limited and neatly all types of childcare begin with nurseries.

It would surely be far easier to work in a supermarket or clothes shop for minimum wage? It’s a vocation.

TheSteakBakeOfAwesome · 04/10/2018 20:20

With the exception of one staff member at the preschool my kids went to (who quite openly disliked DD1 and said as much several times) they were superb. Few of the younger members were less knowledgeable than the more long-term staff who really really knew child development and planned out next steps very very effectively for my kids - my eldest was incredibly bright for her age (she's dropped back a little as they've got older and late starters have caught up so I'm not painting her out as some kind of mini Einstein) and they challenged her superbly... the key worker my younger one had was less knowledgeable and experienced but absolutely adored her - and to be honest the developmental pieces of her puzzle only really started to slot into place after she hit school age (I did make preschool aware - just in case they had another child come through with the same problems so it might point them towards an answer a bit easier).

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 04/10/2018 20:23

I don't think it's just nursery workers - I think traditional 'caring' roles are under valued. For example people that work in care homes, and nurses. I don't think I could be a carer, they are the primary contact for so many people at the end of their lives and are paid minimum wage and have shit conditions. I think the good ones are amazing and do it because they are good people.

HereBeFuckery · 04/10/2018 20:29

I view them like nurses/midwives, criminally underpaid, vital, incredibly hard working and kind (mostly). I am thankful that so many wonderful nursery teachers exist and are willing to work the hours needed and do the mountains of bloody paperwork required by stupid regs. I thanked them every day I collected my DD from them. It's a calling, not a job, if they are good.

That said, I've met some shocking nursery teachers, nurses and midwives. So I'm not blind to the possibility that some are bastards!

OpalIridescence · 04/10/2018 20:30

The women at our nursery are brilliant. Very clever, hardworking and dedicated. I really appreciate them.

Every time I pick my child up I can see they have done another well thought through activity, had a brilliant day and been really cared for.

They are really professional and I think the list of skills needed to do this job well are huge. Nursery staff are really important, they should be paid a real living wage.

Whereisthecoffee · 04/10/2018 20:30

My sons nursery teachers are amazing , I really admire them and don’t look down on them in the slightest. I admire them for how much they’ve helped my son already and at having the ability to deal with a class full of three year olds.

Groovee · 04/10/2018 20:34

@horizonglimmer but then you have to work for a council who don't tell their staff about the major changes happening to their setting and the staff find out via the planning portal.

I do love my job but I am concerned for the changes taking place.

divafever99 · 04/10/2018 20:36

Up until recently I have had one of my dc in nursery for the past 6 years. I have upmost respect for the staff, I think they are amazing! Never had anything to complain about and I thanked them everyday. There is no way I could look after several toddlers for 10 hours a day. I think the pay is shocking though, with many on minimum wage. I do a lot of work in care homes and it's similar there - long hours, hard work and minimum wage.

heidipi · 04/10/2018 20:38

I blooming loved the staff at the nursery where our DC went. A superb bunch of people, they got to know the children really well, were full of ideas, seemingly endless patience and apparently magical powers too - getting a group of toddlers to lie down on mats in broad daylight and go to sleep all at the same time anyone?

With no nearby family, the DC were only ever with us or with them so nursery was a huge support to all of us. A couple of the staff babysat occasionally too, which was fab. The same is true for after school club now and the wonderful women there who the DC adore.

Nothing but respect for childcarers here at all. Kepp up the great work!

AnotherDayAnotherDollarRight · 04/10/2018 20:38

I thought my dcs nursery workers were amazing. I would agree that it isn't seen as a career, as the majority of the younger staff leave to nanny for parents of children they have cared for at the nursery. It's a shame, and one I chat to at the school admits she really misses her nursery job and is quite lonely nannying, but the pay is much better.

LifeBeginsNow · 04/10/2018 20:39

I feel really grateful for the way they look after my son. They all know his name, all interact well with him and seem to light up when he's around.

I also feel a little envious/ jealous about the time they have with him but I know I'm not really cut out for the job. I think I'd struggle to fill our days with structure and I need that for my own mental state. I just don't know how they cope with so many little terrors running around (and getting them to sleep at the same time)!

StringyPotatoes · 04/10/2018 20:42

I work in early years and feel valued by the parents that entrust us with their children but less valued by society as a whole.

In the past it seems that those with little education and no grand aspirations shrugged their shoulders and said "well, I'll work in a nursery then. It's easy." And because no qualifications were necessary that's what they did.

Now, with further evidence of how crucial the early years are and a greater demand in the sector for qualifications and on-the-job training I feel that the tide is turning and we are, slowly, being taken more seriously.

Thanks to you all for your love and kindness! Thanks

bonbonours · 04/10/2018 20:45

I've experienced a nursery where all the workers are mature ladies with kids of their own and it was fabulous, they really cared about the kids and would do anything for them. On the other hand I've also experienced a nursery where apart from the manager, most of the workers were young girls who didn't know much about kids and weren't really that interested either. Every time I went in there (to run a music group) I felt glad my kids were in the other nursery.

Tomatoesrock · 04/10/2018 20:48

IMHO they are a 2nd Mammy to your DCS. A good childcare provided is definitely worth their weight in gold. DS is not the easiest child I was worried at first, all the girls seem to recognise this and help him ease in. His confidence has grown so much. It is a very meaningful job and I have total respect for the job you do.

stroan · 04/10/2018 20:50

The staff at my daughters nursery are incredible. How they manage to look after so many children and put up with so much crap from some parents is beyond me. I find them warm, welcoming, engaging and inexplicably cheerful! My daughter has very strong bonds with all of the staff in her room.

Her keyworker left today (to go from a private nursery to council-run nursery and I can’t blame her) and I cried when we gave her a gift. She’s been so wonderful this year.

Tomatoesrock · 04/10/2018 20:50

Sorry when I say girls, I mean ladies there is a good age mix of carers in DSs Nursery.

anothermnname · 04/10/2018 20:52

I am a nursery worker, honestly although hard work at times I love my job! There is never a dull day, the kids are divine and always make us laugh and my coworkers are all lovely and funny! Children are so adorable and today I have had one child run upto me hugging me telling me he missed me so much (I saw him yesterday!), one excitedly telling me all about his birthday today what he had got and the cake he was going home to and another child with additional needs make a breakthrough in her development, there are so many highs to working with kids and we mainly get to see the good points!

We are paid half decently compared to some nurseries and I think that probably does reflect on our staff - we are all older ladies not 16 year olds straight out of school on apprenticeships but still not paid a high enough wage for what we do tbh!

@RoboJesus if you are sending your child
To a nursery that just about keeps your child alive I am quite shocked and would wonder why you place your child at such places as they sound dreadful and would like to reassure you most places aren't like that and most of us really love and care about the children as if they were our own!