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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

AIBU to expect a bib to be used for a 2 year old?

33 replies

pixipie151 · 09/04/2011 22:38

My DD has just transferred from to the over 2 section at her nursery. Near enough every single day she has had to have a change of clothes and the clothes she has changed into are filthy with food.

When I tackled this I was told rather defensively that it was to help her transisition to independent eating and that most parents prefer this to wearing bibs. But that if I wanted, they could make my daughter wear a bib.

I was made to feel that I was either:

A) Inappropriately infantalising my own child.

B) Had OCD.

I should also add that I had a battle in the under twos to make them wear bibs, but eventually the clothes did come home cleaner.

Am I a freak or are they just plain lazy?

I have a background in child health, and as far as Im aware, a 2 year old is not developmentally capable of the fine motor coordination to eat food without spillage, and I dont believe making her go without a bib will teach her than any quicker.

I just feel it lacks a certain respect for a child's wellbeing (as well as being a nightmare and costly to clean the clothes).

What should I tell them to do? Use a bib (at risk of her standing out from her peers), or stick to my guns and assert myself?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

moaningminniewhingesagain · 09/04/2011 22:41

I would think it was a bit odd if a 2 year old did routinely wear a bib TBH. My 2.3yo hasn't tolerated one for a long time - thats what Vanish is for

Although my 4yo does ask for a teatowel if she's eating pasta, she is averse to getting messy.

I would send tatty clothes with spares in case of disaster, and not worry about it.

bronze · 09/04/2011 22:44

Nope I agree normal to have a bib on a 2 old. If people choose not to thats fine but oesnt make using one wrong or strange

RitaMorgan · 09/04/2011 22:45

If you want them to use a bib then ask them too. Maybe suggest the nursery gives the children napkins to tuck into their tops?

llareggub · 09/04/2011 22:45

My 23 month old doesn't wear a bib and hasn't done for months. That doesn't mean that your 2 year old shouldn't have one. I know adults who could do with one sometimes! We're all different.

winnybella · 09/04/2011 22:46

Tbh DD who is 26 mo at the moment hasn't wore bib for quite a few months now- definitely stopped it before she was two.

It's very rare that she spills food on herself. I can't actually think when was the last time.

I would let it go, tbh. You wash the clothes anyway?

reddaisy · 09/04/2011 22:47

My 2 year old sometimes wears a bib, sometimes doesn't. I insist if it is something very messy like tomato pasta. But I also wouldn't let her eat something like an orange that stains without a bib unless I didn't care too much about the top.

She still wears one at nursery but not at the childminder which is fine when the clothes wash clean but annoying when clothes get stained.

PurveyorOfBologna · 09/04/2011 22:52

TBH I think maybe you are being a bit precious. Firstly at around 2 they should be getting used to not needing a bib, and secondly clothes for nursery are meant to get dirty - I certainly wouldn't send them in in anything that wasn't OK to get dirty.

FWIW my 18 month old DS routinely does not wear a bib. I force one on him if it is something really messy and liquid like soup, but the rest of the time he does a pretty good job.

rathlin · 09/04/2011 23:04

My 2 year old wears a bib all the time as he still dribbles constantly. For eating at nursery, the staff put the plastic bibs with the crumb catcher bit on all the kids in that age group. Not sure if the 2+ yrs wear them too. It's not so much about clothes getting dirty, more about getting wet when drinking.

Zimbah · 10/04/2011 05:12

My 2.5 year old still wears a bib. Otherwise her clothes would end up filthy, starting with milk spilled from cereal at breakfast and getting worse throught the day! No intention of stopping with bibs until she can manage most meals without spills. They wear bibs for meals at nursery.

WidowWadman · 10/04/2011 05:18

My 27 months old hasn't worn a bib for over a year. But then I don't mind it that much when she gets mucky (food or otherwise) anyway.

I'd say the thing with fine motor coordination is bobbins - but then she was allowed to practise hers from 5 months onwards

Rillyrillygoodlooking · 10/04/2011 06:13

WidowWadman - why on earth is the fine motor coordination thing bobbins? In your DD's case I think, but not everyone's.

DD still wears a bib for most of her meal, until she takes it off towards the end. She is 21 months.

DS still sometimes wears a bib as he is quite messy and he is 3.5. But if it is sandwiches, then no bib.

Fair enough to want your child to wear bibs if she is coming home really dirty.

seeker · 10/04/2011 06:32

Washing a bib/ washing a tshirt. What's the difference?

SuiGeneris · 10/04/2011 06:37

What on earth is the problem with small children wearing bibs? Surely they should be worn ubtil the children can eat without making too much of a mess using a napkin?

OP: would insist on the bib. I guise the only reason the nursery Are not using one is because they don't have to do the laundry...

SuiGeneris · 10/04/2011 06:38

YADNBU of course.

SuiGeneris · 10/04/2011 06:40

Sorry: I guess, not "guise"- iPod spellchecker...

seeker · 10/04/2011 06:43

So you use the same bib more than once, no matter how messy it is? If so - theyn yuck. But if not, and I assume not, it has to be washed, then why not just wash the t shirt?

Rillyrillygoodlooking · 10/04/2011 07:34

you can get wipe clean bibs.

seeker · 10/04/2011 08:26

I'd rather handwash t shirts in a stream than put one of those awful plastic things with the "catcher" at the bottom on a child of mine!

FriedEggyAndSlippery · 10/04/2011 08:26

I think it's a bit odd to make a 2yo wear a bib. DD wore them until just over a year. DS hated them from the start so we just never bothered. He was BLW so it was very messy but babies get filthy one way or another anyway.

I don't think oh my god that's so wrong, I just wouldn't do it myself.

susansocks · 10/04/2011 08:32

what age group is the section 2?

is a large age group, in which case they hve a point -

wineclub · 10/04/2011 08:34

Ds (25 months) hasn't worn a bib for ages, he just pulls them straight off or gets really frustrated if he can't get it off.

He has global development delay and has shite fine and gross motor skills but he doesn't get that mucky.

I don't think its odd for a 2 yo to wear a bib but I wouldn't have assumed someone else would put a bib on one.

ballstoit · 10/04/2011 08:50

DD (21 months) only wears a bib for stuff like soup, tomatoes or oranges - I find it prety annoying when clothes she's only worn once or twice get stained and think it would BU to expect her not to drip with these foods.

My DC have all had pretty good motor control, DSis boys have not, her Dc wore bis til about 3 and my didnt.

YANBU to expect nursery to put a bib on her if you want them to, you pay for both her clothes and for them to care for her. I guess they wouldnt let her paint without an apron so dont see this as being any different.

She will learn to eat independently whether she's wrapped up in bibs or naked - the clothing doesnt affect the development of the skill. AT 2 I think kids have little clue about standing out from their peers, unless a big fuss is made of putting the bib on. DNephews never seemed to notice or care.

WidowWadman · 10/04/2011 09:30

Rillyrillyetc - the claim "Im aware, a 2 year old is not developmentally capable of the fine motor coordination to eat food without spillage, " is a generalisation which does not sound true looking at the 2 year olds (and there's more than just my daughter) I know, hence I called it bobbins.

pirateparty · 10/04/2011 09:40

My ds is 27 months and hasn't had a bib for about 6 months or so. He doesn't make much mess though tbh. He just started pulling it off and I decided to pick my battles. He's washable and so are his clothes. Certainly none of ds's peers still have bibs either and there is little mess that I've noticed.

However, your child, your rules. I think in this instance nursery should do as you ask. But it's not abnormal nor wrong not to put them in a bib either.

bronze · 10/04/2011 10:25

I must be the only one who struggles to get stains out of clothes then. a stained bib I wouldn't worry about, stained clothes are horrible. That's why I see a difference.
Whats this magic formula for stainfree clothes please?

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