Male Early Years Worker

[NewGrandad]

How would you feel about a 20+ yr old male, over 6 ft, 16 stone or so being appointed as a trainee early years worker in your child's nursery?

I would be happy. I think it's a shame more males don't want to do it.

I dare you to post the weight of any of the female nursery staff you know

Aaaaaand just read your following post.

Seriously?! How would you feel about a female doctors, pilot, engineer ... anything else traditionally male?

We had a male childminder. He was great with the kids, we only left because he moved away.

Wouldn't bother me a bit. Dp is a bloke and built like a brick shithouse but 100% better with kids than i am.

Things are getting better but there is still a significant degree of misandrist prejudice in Early Years childcare and education. I suspect this will continue until it is seen as 'normal' and no longer seen as 'special'.

Some aspects of this prejudice are particularly hard to deal with.....

Some parents regard this sort of prejudice as 'natural' and entirely justifiable in a way they wouldn’t accept as excuses for other forms of discrimination. The classic argument being, "this is different because it’s about my child."

There’s the odd, particularly nasty (though mercifully rare) incident I recall where a family used gender as leverage against a childcare provider. A childminder I know (now an ex-childminder) got fed up because any time there was a dispute over a bill or something, client’s would imply how easy it would be to make people believe he was abusing children.

Sadly, as this thread demonstrates, there is still a surprising amount of resistance and anti-male feeling amongst some self-styled 'professionals' within the childcare/education industry. I’ve witnessed this at our village school and within the EY sector at first hand.

callmerachel do you ask women what their career motivations are if they are entering a male dominated professions?

And this idea that baby men don't step up to parenting with their own children is not true. The majority of men I know are excellent parents and do get involved in all aspects parenting. Then men you describe are rare in my social circle and are viewed negatively by men and women for not stepping up to their responsibilities.

There is a male nursery nurse at my son's nursery. I've never felt it appropriate to ask what his motivations are.

@PurpleDaisies you're not doing yourself any favours here. You're coming across as quite bitter about something. In reality I suspect that you are a hardworking teacher who has sadly gone unacknowledged and unappreciated. I don't mean money or promotion, but I sincerely hope that the parents of your students have thanked you from time to time. I have 3 kids, the eldest of whom is 7 so my experience to date is largely in the area of early years education. Seeing a child settled in the education setting not only brings happiness to that child but it adds to the overall well-being of the whole family unit. So if that's what you are a part of, and I'm sure you are, thank you...you're a hero

@NewGrandad Congrats to your DS. My own DS who is 7 has a male teacher this year and reckons it's the best thing that's ever happened to him. DS2 (4) is quite jealous and wants his own male teacher in preschool The parents love him and the kids live him...not because he's a bloke but because he's a great teacher who has an amazing connection with the kids.

I have to agree, those comments do come across as bitter. It’s just the sort of view that an easily lead to discrimination and bullying.

The sad thing is that those remarks about 'glass elevators' and male colleagues being 'worshipped' and 'fawned over' are horribly familiar. It’s precisely the same embarrassing language that was used against women in my last job, which was in a highly male-oriented workplace.

There’s naturally going to be a certain amount of fuss about a colleague who is seen as 'a man in a woman’s world'. And that’s likely to be lauded as a positive thing if it is redressing and historic imbalance. Anything that means the nursery/school environment is more a reflection of the real world is probably going to be lauded.

Has anyone stopped to ask themselves whether these male teachers/nursery workers actually like being the centre of so much unwanted extra attention? I expect they would much rather be seen as 'teachers' or 'nursery staff' rather than 'male teachers/nursery staff', in much the same way that my gap has every right to be called a 'doctor' and not the cringe-inducing title of 'lady doctor'.

It’s not directly analogous, but I’m reminded of something Tanni Grey Thompson said about disability sport only really breaking down barriers when paralympians started to be seen as 'athletes' and not as 'disabled athletes' or in any way brave or needing special attention.

Sadly, I can’t see that happening until we’re much closer to a 50-50 female/male workforce, rather than the current 98-2. Perhaps some of the prejudice and resistance could be because some teachers/nursery staff see males as a threat to 'their' female closed shop environments?

Yes it must be infuriating for women to see their male coworkers fawned over for doing the same job but it does those men no favours either if everyone thinks they get ahead just because they are male.

Good luck to your son.

Our previous childminder is male and my days has the most fantastic relationship with him.

Hope he gets the fulfilment from his role 😀

I’m the acting manager at a nursery and we have one male worker, he is amazing with the children and has had a great impact already and have had nothing but positive feedback from parents and staff!

There isn’t enough male nursery workers in my opinion!!

I’d think it was great, not enough men in early years. We have a male nursery nurse in our nursery and it’s great for the children.