Feel like I'm a rubbish parent

[Eminybob]

DS is 15 months old and has been going to nursery for about 6 weeks now, 2 days a week.

His development is really coming along but it seems that he is doing a lot more at nursery that he isn't doing at home and I don't know if it's something I'm doing wrong? For example:

His key worker says he has a lot of words, like ink when he wants a drink, ook if he wants to read a book, there when asked to point something out, amongst other things. He never uses these words at home. He does say mama, dada etc but far fewer words than he apparently does at nursery.

Also, she says he can point out different animals, vehicles etc when asked to, and he does actions to songs, like marching to the grand old duke of York. He doesn't do this at home.

And, he also eats all his food, including his veg, uses a fork and spoon independently whereas at home he's a right fuss pot, won't touch veg and doesn't seem to have co-ordination with cutlery, although he does give it a go.

I really try with him, we read books together, I try to get him to point things out to me, and ask him to tell me things he sees but he just doesn't seem interested. I just dont understand why he behaves so differently at nursery. Is this a common thing or is there more I need to be doing at home with him? I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced this?

Hello Eminybob,
You sound like a lovely parent, not a rubbish one. Its really normal for kids to be different at home and in other settings - and it carries on all the way up into secondary school. I think that even very young children are highly influenced by other children and stimulated by them. At nursery your DS is probably inspired to speak/do/try all sorts of things because there are other children there doing it too. Also, it may be that at home, he doesn't need to try because you are so aware of what he wants/needs/likes/hates that he doesn't need to do much work to express his preferences.
If you want him to use more words, perhaps try offering him choices at home that encourage him to verbalise his preference -different pasts shapes or biscuits veg for tea, and not accepting his response unless its an attempt at repeating the correct word.
He's also still very little and I'd be amazed if he could use cutlery independently. Sometimes care providers over state what children can do in their care to keep parents happy...

Thank you for the reply. He just doesn't even seem near to the level she says when he's at home. He doesn't repeat words I say to him or anything like that yet.
I do sometimes wonder if she's telly porkies but I don't know why she would, she knows I'm perplexed about the difference between nursery and home.