2 Year Old

[MacdonaldL1984]

Hey!

I was wondering if anyone can help.

My little one is 2 and has been in nursery from one year old. When she was in the baby room she strived the teachers loved her and would engage in full conversations with us and really ask questions about our life at pick up time.

She recently had moved to the toddler room for 2-3 year olds and now they are talking to me at pick up time as if overnight she should know how to act.

They are telling me she hasn’t had her listening ears on and what can we do to sort it.

They have went from such a great nursery to now moving into a different room now I feel like my wee one is being treated differently. I have said something to the management a few times as the last few months she has came home with two jackets ruined due to painting and eating lunch outside. I have asked them to use cover ups on many occasions and they just keep apologising.

i feel now I have complained a few times now they are picking on my wee one for any little thing. It’s making me so upset as she is a great wee girl just being a typical 2 year old.

Any help would be great!

It does seem a bit sudden doesn’t it, because the baby room is all child lead and then the toddler room is much more structured with a set routine, and they do move one day to the next and just have to adjust. However, I wouldn’t take it personally. They have to tell you about issues and how their day was, even if it’s not what you want to hear. Doesn’t mean there’s much you can do about it because you can’t talk to a 2YO hours after an incident and expect them to understand, but just treat is as an FYI and say thanks for letting me know. I’m sure she’ll adjust to the stricter routine and higher ratios soon.

Also it’s a much higher ratio in the toddler room so you can’t expect staff to have the time for chit chat about your life in the same way. Doesn’t mean they don’t care! Just that have 4 other 2YOs to care for.

As for the clothes accept that the cover up is just never going to happen. Give up and just buy cheap clothes for nursery. Paint may stain but it doesn’t ruin them and they’re still functional. Keep your nice stuff for weekends and holidays! That goes for coats too. Always have a second nursery only coat that isn’t too expensive so it’s not a big deal when it gets mucky or worse lost altogether!

Unfortunately, the ratio is higher with the older age groups. Less staff per group means that staff don’t have as much time for chats at the end of the day, it’s often just not possible.

in regards to the clothes, you need to send your daughter in clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Usually, kids would wear some sort of apron for painting but not necessarily eating at that age.

2 is a big age for change, both in nursery and in general. All of a sudden they're capable of misbehaving and you need to manage that and give out to them as appropriate so they learn.

First of all it's normal to get a shorter handover with less detail in the toddler room and it will reduce again in preschool.

Secondly, you need to view the nursery as working with you on your child's behaviour. No two year old in the history of the world has used their listening ears all day every day. But by hearing the "Jane didn't use her listening ears", "oh dear Jane I'm sad to hear that, you'll try harder tomorrow won't you?" exchange, your DC learns what the expectations are. Nursery are having this conversation with the parents of every toddler at some point (every day for some of them ).

You're into a new phase of parenting now - it's not just about meeting their current needs (fed, clean, entertained, comforted), it's time to turn your eyes to the future and the values and behaviour you want to instil (listening, sharing, kindness).