Male Nursery Nurses - What do you all think?

[M2T]

At ds's nursery they have just hired a male Deputy Manager. He is really nice and the kids love him. I thought it was nice to see a man working in a predominantly female stereotyped role. I work in an industry where women aren't really welcomed, so I know how awkward he must've felt at the beginning.

DH, however, wasn't so keen on the idea. He didn't like the idea of a man changing ds's nappy and stuff. I talked him round and he has spoken to the guy now, but I think that his reaction is probably quite common.

I've never heard of a male nursery nurse and wondered if anyone else had. Are there different rules for what a man can do and not do within nursery??

I'm all for it and think we need more men coming forward and doing what must be a very tiring, but rewarding job.

My ds goes to nursery two days, the other days he is with dp as primary carer....I wouldn't mind ds being looked after by a man - he already is most of the time! I know people do have concerns about this, (same with male midwives - there is one training in my local hospital and we were asked what we thought...) but I think why not?

Think it is fine - don't get the thing about men not being able to do stuff???

The previous manager of DS's nursery was male and there was a male member of the staff. We think it's great that DS saw adult males in the daytime.

ds2 had one - he loved him

Twinkie - I mean that they may not be 'allowed' to change nappies. I know that some people might not be happy about a man touching their childs bits even though its just to clean them up! THat's not how I feel BTW..... just going by the reactions I've had from DH and a few other parents I've spoken to.

I agree completely with your reaction M2T. I would guess that there are no additional legal guidelines covering male as opposed to female nursery nurses in terms of nappy changes etc. I think they are all subject to standard vetting procedures.
As ds' old nursery there was a male nursery assistant in the toddler room who therefore did nappies and potties as part of his work. It never occurred to us to be bothered by it. But I think initial reactions like your dh's are pretty common.
Maybe your dh will be reassured by the location of the changing areas - ours were not open-plan exactly but designed to ensure for everyone's protection that they were not too secluded - ie, not behind a closed door.
Our nursery assistant was young, funky, cheerful and full of energy. For some of the children he was also the only positive, constant male presence in their lives at the time.
I was very cheered when ds said he wanted to be a nursery teacher, like X. Made a change from wanting to pilot pan-galactic gargle-blasters etc.

I think it's a shame there aren't more of them I would have no problem with DD being cared for by a male nursery nurse at all, any more than a female one. I would assume the man was trained for his job and vetted.

Unfortunately it is rare to find male nursery nurses and even primary teachers. And more and more children could benefit from extra male role models in their life too

lol Marina

Daycare Trust did some work on this last year called 'Who cares wins'. Interestingly, the blokes who do work in childcare find themselves in a bit of a midway position - parents want them to be a 'good role model' but that combines both being Ever So Manly and Ever So Sensitive.

My nephew had a male key worker at nursery, who was apparently quite lovely (and confounded everyone's expectations as he looked much like the other Geordie blokes around).

There's a male childminder in our area but I've never met him. I think it's all fab.

I agree with everyone else - there are male workers at my dd's nursery and there were a few a her old nursery and I never had any problem with it - I also agree that it is good for children to see men in nurturing and caring roles.

My DS goes to a day nursery and we are lucky enough to have a bloke in his room (as well as the two girls), though I do not believe he is allowed to change nappies.

DS loves him, and he puts a lot of effort into DS as well, taught him how to use the pedals on his trike etc.

Actually having a male nursery nurse was one of the reasons for picking the nursery we did - even though it's now a differnt bloke.

I think it is positive in every single way. All the reasons mentioned below, but will have a good knock-on side-effect for women, too, as childcare is accepted as men's work. Pay, status...9things that ought to be improved with or without men in the profession, but have to be pragmatic sometimes)

Have to see it as positive. Also don't see difference between male professional and female professional changing nappies. Doesn't seem very fair on the female workers at your nursery debbiethemum... At DS's nursery changing tables in baby and toddler (1-2) rooms are in the actual room - no screening whatsoever.

Unfortunately no male workers at DS's nursery. Have a neighbour (don't know him but know his wife) who teaches reception. Think this is very unusual.

Surely not allowing a male nursery nurse not to change nappies would be sex discrimination?

Interesting. I have a different view. I am intrinsincally suspicious of men who want to work with young children. Sad, maybe, but I know of too many dodgy blokes working in boys prep schools to feel otherwise about it. I'd feel bad about it, but I would view him with suspicion until I knew him well enough to be happy with it.
Sad, isn't it? I feel the same about male primary school teachers I'm afraid. No-one else the same?

My ds has a male nursery nurse at nursery and I have never thought any different of it. My dh did comment on it though, he said ' there was a man in there when I went to pick ds up' I said I know and that was the end of the conversation!!

I know in ds's nursery there are CCTV cameras anyway havent they got them at your ds's nursery M2T? If so tell dh to shut up

I had a male midwife when I was pregnant with DS, no diffence to a male doctor. I think there should be more male Nursery nurses and midwifes.

ds 1s teacher was amale(reception teacher ) and deputy head

I think its sad that you are suspicious pph but I think that things are alot different now to the private sector 20 odd years ago.

He views teaching little ies as ar ather interesting intellectual occupation looking at learning skills and so on

I think it's sad that you're suspicious of male primary teachers PPH. At my sons' primary school there are 5 male class teachers (out of 14), which we view as a massive benefit, one of the (many) pluses of the school. My son had a young male teacher last year in Yr1, and had a superb time with him, it really was just what he needed. I think it's a great shame there are not more blokes in primary teaching and childcare. Often the only male at a primary school is the Head. (Our Head is female btw).

i wouldn't mind my dd having a male teacher for classes but i have to admit, i wouldn't let a male teacher/nursery nurse change her or take her to the toilet.
Sorry, i know i seem to be in the minority but i'm just very paranoid about these things.

I feel exactly same as you, Angeliz...DS's nursery also had a deputy male head who filled in for breaks, etc. I had mixed feelings about it. Last year we were asking a male friend (SAHD) if he wanted to be our childminder; truth is, although I suggested it, I still felt uncomfortable about it! He didn't take us up on the offer, actually.

I'm sure there are some great male primary school teachers around, I'm just saying that my instinct would be not to trust them until they had earnt my trust, which isn't the way I view female teachers. I agree it is sad. But of the xthousand people who the US authorities reported to the UK police as having given their credit card numbers to a child porn ring last year (what was that sting called? can't remember), something unbelieveable like 65% worked with children in one way or another. Horrible

I'm surprised some people feel a little cool, shall we say, towards male primary teachers. Actually, I'm not surprised but think it is quite depressing. There is one at my daughter's school and I was rather hoping she would be in his class since, at that time, there was no regular male role model in her life. Thought it would be a good thing. I was recently trying to encourage my boyfriend to become a primary teacher, think he'd be really good.

Most of my babysitters are men and I've never thought it odd. Did have one strange comment from a friend though. Left my (different) friend and her husband to babysit, husband was an ex-heroin addict. First friend asked if I was concerned about that, as though he was going to stick a needle in her thigh whilst she was asleep.

i had male primary teacher and never thought about it being odd till reading this. ds has a male nursery nurse, although I did think it a bit odd I think it is good to have a male person around ds. no problems about him changing nappies!!

At the nursery I work at, we've had 1 male student doing his workplace assessment and he really was great! My older DD was there during his time there and she absolutely loved him! Didn't occur to me to have any concerns although he wasn't allowed to change nappies anyway (but that's standard practise at our nursery for all students).

I really do think that male childcare workers should be actively encouraged and think they would be of great benefit to the children. But unless we get off the "Minimum Wage" then I suppose childcare is not very attractive to men.