My (only just) 3 yr old has just started a seemingly good, caring and well respected local nursery. He was upset to be left at first but after a week or two seemed to settle more easily.
Doubts - seem to be A LOT of children within fairly limited space. Many little ones walking around crying (most are comforted but some trying to do puzzles etc. whilst crying). Obviously it's early days and the staff all seem very caring. However, when I picked him up last week he was trying to tell me something which had happened whilst playing outside but not managing to explain things too well. So, I phoned up the nursery and spoke to a member of staff who had been outside with them and was told that they had been playing outside with a group of older ones (nearly 4's and just turned 4's I suppose), and that the boys had started playing rough, kicking and hitting each other. She said mine had been with them and had been told off.
I feel really upset as he's never displayed any tendency to play rough, and he seemed really upset by the whole thing as he's still mentioning it now. He even has older siblings and so is used to older kids around, but it's just not like him. I wonder if the little ones should even be playing with the older ones. I've explained that hitting and kicking isn't good, and when you play you must keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Fact is - I don't want him turning into a rough kid and I'm obviously not there to explain things and put him right - I just have to hope that they'll do this.
My other worry is that the nursery is a series of separate rooms and that sometimes there are kids playing in a room and there is no adult supervising (although I guess and hope that all rooms are properly staffed and perhaps they just popped out of the room).
I suppose what I'm saying is that, am I being picky and over sensitive, or are my doubts well founded?
Any advice please?