Male pre school workers

[Flopsy145]

My DD is due to start pre school in September and I found out her key worker is a male. I'm very ashamed to say my first thought was not to be comfortable with it, I acknowledged and corrected my thoughts but why did it happen in the first place!
I've heard great things about him on reviews and he's got the same qualifications as the women in the setting, I'm also the first to correct people if they think a female electrician isn't as good as a male for instance. So why did I immediately feel uncomfortable with this?

To add, I now feel ok and look forward to meeting him at the next visit, and I'm also aware that the key workers really only write reports/observations on their key children and all the staff chip in with all the kids especially at that age.

Because Vanessa George was a man wasn’t she…

I honestly don’t care what the stats are or if you can prove there was a woman convicted of sex offences.

I wouldn’t leave my baby or toddler in the care of a man other than my husband*. It’s just wouldn’t happen.
my CM is divorced and it’s a female only household which was in part why I selected her.

(*our respective DBs and BILs are incompetent and childless 😅 Our fathers are dead.)

The world won't change without male pre school workers as well as female electricians.

It's good that you are checking yourself and recognise this is your issue

Some of the replies 😳😳😳

Will this male be taking femal children to the toilet ?

So because Charlie2121 has a nice male colleague, all women should feel comfortable with leaving their young child with a man they don’t know? Of course you’d be instantly weary because the world we live in is fucked. It’s nothing personal, it’s just life.

And to add, is he surprised that women judge him as a potential risk? Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?

I’m in agreement with you, especially your first paragraph!

@Rycbar

It's about lessening the risks. Plenty of children will have been terribly injured on bikes without helmets on. I still make my child wear a helmet.

I can't, and don't want to, make a perfect world for my children with no risks whatsoever. But I do want to lessen those risks where I can. I do not want my pre-school child being given personal care by a man. It's as simple as that.

I have no problem with a man working with older children. We need more male teachers in this country, they are a huge benefit to children, particularly young boys who are mostly taught by women.

I'll say again, why are adult women without capacity attended to by female carers? My father is a carer and he gives personal care only to male clients. This is done for reasons of privacy, dignity and safeguarding. The school I worked in was for young people who couldn't communicate. They had 2 members of staff providing personal care always. Two women for a female pupil, a man and a woman for a male pupil.

The world is the way it is and I want to navigate that safely, with the best intentions for my child.

@Rycbar

I'll add that this...

Yeah you’re right… no child has been abused in a nursery by a woman before..

Is the argument of someone who doesn't have an argument to make.

I would have felt similarly to you OP, except that my daughter's nursery has two male keyworkers and they are both brilliant. Really professional, my daughter loves them and they seem to take genuine pride in their job (as do the female keyworkers!) Personally I think it's nice for my daughter to have men as carers modelled to her from a young age.

There are two male workers at my son's nursery and I am delighted about that. He spends a great deal of his time there and I'd far rather he was around a variety of role models.

Both my DC had a male nursery assistant in their preschool. He wasn't their key worker, but they absolutely loved him. He was the loveliest guy and made them all laugh (and the parents!) Another male joined a couple of months before my youngest moved to primary school. He wasn't as outgoing, but very thoughtful and sensitive and a big hit with the wee ones. It honestly never crossed my mind to be concerned. I tend to assume the best of people until I know different - that includes both men and women.

There were a couple of men at our nursery. They were absolutely fantastic! So caring and great with the kids. One ended up training to be a support worker for older children. He's such an asset to the school he's at now.
Honestly, I wouldn't worry. The pedophiles I've read about in nursery settings in recent years have all been women. I'm well aware that this isn't the norm but the fact is you can never be 100% sure about anyone who looks after your children.

This!!!