To think my baby shouldn’t be in this nursery room?! Or am I being precious?

[Hippan]

DD is fifteen months (last week). She is quite big but can’t walk yet. I was told when joining the nursery that she would be in a room for 8-9 months to 16-18 month olds, depending on her physical development. Every day I have collected her in the last 2 weeks she has been in the room up which is 16-18 months to 24 months. AIBU to think this is wrong? She is still crawling around two years olds above her?

So she's been moved a month ahead of time, is that right? Have you asked the nursery why the change? Seems strange they haven't informed you.

When you drop her in the morning which room is she in?

Im told she likes the other room so sometimes she is in it.

It’s not as simple as a month ahead of time @mikado1 , as i wasn’t expecting her to move at all until she was walking…

I'd be only happy. Isn't it better for her development to socialise with more advanced children?

It's quite normal for rooms to be merged at the end of the day if there's only a few kids left in one room. Is she one of the last to be collected?

Either way I wouldn't be too concerned surely she will be moving up to the new room pretty soon so it won't do her any harm to be spending time with some of the kids in that room or the staff.

I think this is a total non-issue. I agree it's probably better for her development and if she likes it, then that's great too. You're being a bit weird about this.

Ok maybe I’m being precious then. She just seems much much younger than a two year old and they are often dashing around in there

As long as the staff ratios are right and she’s happy, I wouldn’t mind which room she’s in. Different environments throughout the day are probably a good thing.

What harm do you think it's doing? This wouldn't even cross my mind as an issue.

@renthead i don’t think it’s weird to question what is normal in a nursery setting, when it’s the first time you’ve experienced one.

I’m an ex nursery manager - yes crawling babies shouldn’t be in with walking toddlers full time, but it is ok to merge rooms at the end of the day if they have enough staff to maintain ratios properly. I would check how much of the time she’s in there.

@KrisAkabusi i am worried she is around children more physically developed as she isn’t walking so could be pushed etc.

@Purplestorm83 thanks, that’s what I suspected. I would like her to be walking first.

Many (most?) nurseries have a baby room from 3 months or whatever to age 2. I think it's unusual to have a 16-24 month room at all. Neither of mine ever had any issues as a 11 month old alongside 23 or 24 months olds in the baby room.

This was me a month ago! My 16 month old was moved to the 18m-2.5years room at nursery (from the baby room) and I was concerned. 18 children rather than 9 and its much more hectic. But now I can see there are much things for him to do, and developmentally it is better for him.

If they are only in that room til 24 months then they are at most 9 months older than your DD. She'll probably be up on her feet soon and then won't seem so much younger. I think as long as the ratios are stuck to, it's not really an issue.

Sometimes the preschool kids are in the toddler room at the end of the day eating their tea together, I think they just condense them when some have gone home. They all get along well and the older ones like to "look after" the younger ones.

@anicecuppateaa was your child walking? It’s that part I am worrying about

I really wouldn't over think it

But equally, there may be teeny babies in the baby room that your bigger child is crawling over.

I think it might be a positive thing. Kids copy eachother don't they, so it might help to be with older ones. They said she liked it in there? I know this is much younger, but In some primary schools they have mixed classed of 2 or sometimes even 3 years. It can really help sometimes as the little ones get mentored a bit by the bigger ones, and then it's their turn to be bigger and help smaller kids. Rigid year groups in education often aren't positive before secondary.

Firstly you should raise your concerns with the nursery if tou haven't already, they should only be too pleased to explain the arrangements and their reasoning behind their decisions. From what I remember my child's nursery made a big thing about transitioning so group/room changes would be made taking into account many factors not just age and developmental stage but also continuity with key staff or other children. It may be that they think it is not worth getting your child settled into the younger room only to have to move after a short time and that they think she is better off starting in the one she is hoing to stay longer term, but only they will know really! Just ask and if they can't give you a satisfactory answer look elsewhere if possible. Best wishes!

Mine were both late walkers. I would have been pleased for them to be moved up so that they were socialising and being offered age appropriate activities rather than held back in the baby room just because they were happy to crawl and not walk.

Mine was a late walker. I would have been very unimpressed if his nursery had kept him in a room with younger children just because he couldn't walk. The room has children in who are a similar age to her it's not like they've shoved her in with preschool aged children.

Children this age don’t “socialise”. If you’re not happy, speak to the staff.