To wonder if nurseries and childminders judge parents who send their children when they don’t work?

[Anotherdayishereagain]

Just wondering if they do. I know they would be too professional to show it to the parents face hope so anyway!

Why would they?

I don’t think they would, or id like to think not. I don’t think they care who goes there as long as fees are paid really.

My LO is only 4 months old and I’m extremely fortunate to be a SAHM but when he’s older I intend to send him for maybe 2 days a week purely for his benefit really and the social aspect before starting school. He’s a summer baby too so I think it’s will be positive for him.

I doubt it, plus after turning 2 or 3 isnt every child is eligible for childcare so they can socialise ect and help the transition to school ect whether the parent works or not?

I wasnt working when DS was around 11 months old and I put him in nursery as my PND was so bad I just wasnt coping and I'd been struggling since he was born ( single mum with no local family ), I wouldnt of given a toss if nursery judged me for sending him in. Those 2 days a week saved my life

They would have absolutely no idea. The state that I drop my DD off must look like I have no plans to work but I WFH mostly!

It never even occured to me that they would care really. I'm a sahm at the moment and my middle child goes to nursery 3 days a week. The nursery know I'm at home but he goes for the socialising and I think it's good to get him ready for school. My 6year old also goes to the nursery for an hour once a week for their after school clubs. Again this isn't because I need her there because I work but because I have a weekly appointment with my middle child and it's more convenient. Quite a few sahm mums also have their children in nursery for the funded hours

No. It is good for their development

There are so many different circumstances I honestly don’t think they see it as anymore than a business transaction. Their jobs rely on kids through the door so whatever reason a parent has is probably fine.

I think they do judge on how a child is cared for and how responsive and approachable a parent is with nursery though.

I don’t work but my 3.5yo goes to nursery 5 mornings a week and my 2.5yo goes 3 full days. On the surface of it probably sounds lazy but my 3.5yo is severely disabled so I have to try and split them up as he needs 1:1 care from me. I get all my errands and house jobs done in the 3 mornings they both go as I can’t do much at all with my son in tow. Equally having that time with peers and away from me/DB is amazing for DD aw DS can be very challenging.

I'm not sure why they would care, it's a paying customer and due to ratios they can only have a certain amount of customers anyway. The employment status of parents doesn't effect how many kids they have to look after.

I’m not sure how they’d know, or why they’d care, or why you’d care what they think even if they did know and care.

Was a CM was ten years and in that time had bang parents who sent their children when they were at home. I thought it was a great idea as children got stimulated and parents got a break plus I got paid lol I’d never judge

Mine will continue full time at nursery when I'm on maternity leave for several reasons, the main one is that we don't want to potentially lose his full time space by reducing days but also because I think keeping his routine as close to normal as possible will be best for him.

No I don't judge, I really don't care as long as they pay me! It makes no difference to me whatsoever.

I do however judge parents who send ill children or fail to respond when I'm trying to contact them for collection of a sick child. No need.

Tbh I don't know many households where the mum is on mat leave and the toddler/preschooler has been taken out of nursery to sit at home with their mum and a new baby. Almost all the families we know have kept the older child in nursery for at least 2/3 days a week, although a few have dropped a day or two. I realise that it is a privileged position to be in to be able to do this, but this is viewed as better than disrupting the older child's routine after the arrival of a new sibling (and when mum is exhausted and recovering in any case). I can't say it's ever struck me that nursery staff are judging in this situation. Or in the situation where a SAHP sends the child for a day or two to socialise with other kids.

During Covid, nursery was the only option for young kids to socialise since playgroups/classes etc were closed - I have a SAHP whose child (only child) was signed up precisely for this reason, and they've done the same for the second.