Nursery: Children painting with no clothes on?

[Jzee]

I'm pretty sure I heard this correctly, but it was mentioned to me recently that so as to stop the children's clothes getting covered in paint a nursery allows the children do painting naked. I don't know if this a regular thing, or perhaps they started off with nappies and knickers and ended up with nothing? I imagine the children find it fun, but personally I think it's a bit cold and a bit unusual. What are your opinions?

When i worked with under 2's i let them paint naked just with nappy on. Its not as if perverted strangers were able to see in.

Under 2 year olds, obviously don't benefit much from sitting at a table fully dressed, and being told to neatly paint with a brush, but don't get it on your clothes.

So instead we put a massive sheet of paper on the floor, stripped them all off and let them paint with their bodies! An excellent learning experience and not at all weird or unusual.
We did the same with other textures, such as jelly, cornflour mixed with water, pasta etc.

Also, in hot summers, when the air conditioning would break down, we stripped the children down to nappies for their own sake.
We'd have a paddling pool which they would be completely naked to play in.

If you're a parent that doesn't want your child to be undressed, let the staff know, and they will respect that.

Believe me we (staff) felt we were giving the children freedom, comfort and a good variety of experiences. No parent ever complained to me, i only heard compliments, as they were grateful we'd put up with all the mess at nursery, so they didn't have to do it at home.

I think it you have an ian huntley amongst the staff, hes more likely to strike when hes changing your child's nappy in an enclosed bathroom, than in a group of staff and children!!

And its true, if your crb isn't through, you will not be left unsupervised, i didn't employ people until it was through.

Have faith people please! and if you don't like something just talk to the staff!

To me there is a big difference between the children being completely naked and them having nappies/underpants on. If they were naked I would consider that completely inappropriate. To be honest, even stripping them down to their undies seems a little inappropriate, and not because I would be worried about any abuse. You may strip them down at home, and even on the beach, but there's something different about being with you and being in a nursery setting without parents.

IMO parents should always send their kids to school or nursery in clothes they don't mind getting spoiled. And the experience I've had with my little ones at pre-school is that they put "smocks" (old grown ups t-shirts) on them for messy work.

what a heated thread! I wouldn't be concerned about my children being naked in summer on a hot day (although I'd worry about sun exposure) but would be concerned about painting naked in winter. Either they should have old t shirts or they should be wearing pants/nappies. They can foot and hand paint with something on their bottom! Its unnecessary, odd and therefore it makes me feel uneasy.

be careful calling it unnecessary Tatt - I agree with you and said something similar last night using the same word and it was then called "offensive"...oh, well, all in the name of healthy debate and strong points of view. Was tired last night and annoyed, this morning after my nightmarish cc finally seemed to work with DD2, feeling a bit more positive but still totalll agree with your point of view. In Nov I don?t see any logical reason behind stripping children off to paint and so would be mightily concerned and suspicious - even of people who I believe to be doing a good job.

Blind faith in childcare is naive IMO - try to be positive and always supportive but constantly monitor and double check if/when not happy is my approach. When I worked as a teacher I would expect nothing other than this from parents and would be suspicious of parents who never questionned anything!

yawn...Stripymouse

Being accused of having ulterior motives because we did underdress kids to paint/bubble play/foam play was the thing that understandably pissed me off last night.

But hey...time to move on - MrsMiaWallace and I managed to draw a line under it and move on.

Notice i said i did it with children under the age of two.

Older children yes, wear aprons. But still can strip off in summer for water playetc. we always smothered in suncream and kept them in the shade. And of course its the children's choice.

And i know you say parents should send them to nursery in scruffy clothes, but this is not always the case. Most parents do, but others wouldn't and then we would see them scold their children for getting dinner or paint on the sleeves of the designer tops.
So it was a priority of ours to ensure clothes stayed spotless. On a couple of occasions (when i knew of parents who had smacked their children for soiling their pants or getting clothes dirty). I would change the child into a set of nursery spare clothing, and put them back in their own spotless clothes in time for the end of day. This was a rarity, and to save the child from getting a smack. But you see not all parents think the same.

My dd is at a nursery now. She's 3.8 and they do gymnastics in vest and knickers. TBH, even THAT makes me a little uncomfortable, why can't they have a little gym kit? However, i do NOT want to pass my fears and doubts on to dd. (It's not all about pervs either, it's the same as this painting thing- it's bloody freezing in the hall at times! DD loves comparing vests with the other girlies though so i'll live with it. I beleive they have a gym kit in reception and also some of the apparatus used in gym class could be quite dangerous if clothes were caught!)

ANYWAY, on the painting one, i am in full agreement with Stripymouse on this one. I think dd's teachers are wonderful, they made the parting for both of us, (she only started in September), that little bit easier and her main teacher seems to really understand dd's traits. I couldn't be happier. However, dd told me that she'd gone upstairs to do a special job one day and i quizzed her. (She'd gone to help with books in the library-great), i just don't want to get complacent and assume she's in safe hands 100% of the time. Caution is good for me.
Also, what about students-prospective parents-visitors to the school? I just wouldn't be happy at all, (personally), with dd naked in nursery!

I agree 100% with KATG post - v. similar to the one I constructed last night and then deleted.

Also, someone posted that their 9 yr old daughter got undressed in a classroom with a male teacher present - I would most definitely not be happy with that at all. I'm actually quite surprised at that.

It was my DD who gets undressed in the classroom - and I used to do the same thing when I was at school.

I am not naive in protecting my kids - but on the other hand I CANNOT pass on my fears to them. My dad did this to me and for years I would assume that EVERY male I met was going to abduct.

The fact remains - once your child starts school, they will be in contact with many adults that you DO NOT know. An example I thought of last week - DD1 was on a school trip. Obviously parent helpers are required. DD1 was placed with a man I didn't know (a dad of one of the other kids - but still I didn't know him as he doesn't usually come up to the school). Do I stop her going on school trips??

Another example - my children go on playdates after school. Obviously I know the mums, but usually have never met the dads. Do I stop them going to friends houses because I've never met the dads?

And as for the VERY RARE occasion of "no clothes painting" (TBH far more hassle then its worth) in my case, it was a private day nursery - temperature usually around 70C, people do not have the ability to walk in and swan around unannounced and no-one can see in through the windows.

Have made notes on this thread for discussion tomorrow - with the Early Years Coordinator at school, DD2s Reception teacher and the nursery staff. Will report back on views.

slinky at our school men accompanying school trips are those who already work with children/have been vetted (e.g. policeman, probation officer). I believe women working with the children are vetted too - I know that's true for some but are not sure if it is true for all of them.

As for playdates fathers aren't always there. If I heard any parent had been letting the children paint naked I wouldn't let my children go there again.

slinky - you yawn away.
I stand by my suspicious self and am happy to disagree with you. Sorry if my repeated and constant posting has bored you. If you see my name on any postings from now on, please remember that none of us expects you to waste time reading every post especially if it is boring you so perhaps I could suggest you merely skip over mine from now on rather than write such dismissive comments?

Slinky - no of course, I agree, you don't stop your child going on school trips but presumably they are not getting undressed? It's the undressing in front of the male teacher I'd be uncomfortable with, particularly at age 9.

I would have been really embarrassed getting undressed infront of a male teacher aged 9, (Though i know we're not all the same and it obviously doesn't bother your dd slinky, i worry for the ones who DO feel uncomfortable! ).
I remember arguing with a female swimmming instructer aged 12 because i wouldn't take my cossy off in the girls showers. I stood my ground and won , (can't remember if my parents complained but i'd be FURIOUS now for dd).
Anyway, i do worry about playdates and everything already, i'll just have to cross each worry as it comes and teach dd to be as open and honest with us as she can.I wouldn't leave her at someones house at the moment though with adults i don't know so don't have that one yet.

its still causing a lot of controversy this one isnt it!
slinky, did you chat with the school about it? what was thier view?
i know everyone ive mentioned it too felt the same as me, but again we all feel differently

Hello MMW

Haven't been out today so didn't manage to get opinions - DD1 had sickness bug overnight/this morning.

Have you been back to your playgroup yet or is that later in the week?

hi slinky
sorry didnt see your message last night.
im at playgroup friday and am gonna have a quiet word, just explaining mum to mum that im concerned dd may get scalded if the tea is carried round the room and how would she feel about letting the parents get their own tes from the kitchen, then its up to them to keeep it safe?hope it go's ok.
off now as dd not been well and need some sleep before im up all night again.
take care
x

My MIL used to strip DH and his sister (born 13 months apart) naked and sit them in the bath to feed them their tea. This is not the weirdest thing about my dear MIL (see a million other threads) but one of the funniest.

hi slinky, spoke to playleader today, was quite tactful but expressed my concern that i would rather prevent than cure, she agreed as did another member of staff(think they'd have thought of it first though wouldnt you!!!)
i suggested they leave all hot drinks in kitchen, then if adults do take them into play area, its their responsability(still not 100% safe though!)
however when it came to 'tea' time, they still brought the drinks round, but one at a time and very cautiously, making sure they were out of way on high surface. so it is an improvement!!
also mentioned this thread and she said she would never agree to something like that and has even previously been warned not to 'deal' with certain children(shes a child minder too and has worked in nurseries) even if they get messed up to the eyeballs as the parents have requested they dont remove any clothing!, bit extreme, but shes always been told to err on the side of caution and its for their reputaion and credability as well as making sure the parents can relax knowing there will be nothing odd going on that they dont know about!
again, her opinion and what she has been taught! what did yours say?

IMHO, can't see what the problem is. However, have noticed that people put a lot of faith in CRB checks... feel a need to point out that these only show up things that people have been 'caught' doing.

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