by: Annette - 09-03-09 11:55
Did you see the feature in The Telegraph this weekend - 'Rise of the nursery for newborns'?
It reports that new mothers are returning to work sooner, when babies are three or four months old, because of fear of redundancy and financial worries.
Are you noting a younger intake of babies in your nurseries? Does this concern you?
by: purepurple
we have a waiting list for baby places and I think it is very sad
this is one aspect of working in a day nursery that I don't agree with
I don't believe that nurseries are the best place for babies and I can not understand why anyone would pay someone else for a service that is second best for their baby.
I have 2 children and have never used a nursery for either of them , only playgroups and a nursery school at 3.
I understand that women do want to work etc but I do wonder what the effects of babies in full time day care will be on the future generations.
I would be interested to hear anyone else's views. Did you put your babies into childcare?
by: joshuajones
Before the maternity laws changed it was common practice for people to return to work when their babies were only 3 months old, as Maternity leave/pay was only for 18 weeks anyway.
As the law has changed,and maternity leave extended, so we have seen a decrease in children as young as 3 months entering nurseries, and we have got used to this.
We are seeing an increase in younger babies entering the nursery, but I don't think this is causing us any particular difficulties, or raising any particular concerns. I have wonderful staff in my baby rooms, who are caring and knowledgeable about their work and enjoy all the extra cuddles that they are getting !
As ever things seem to go full circle regardless of the underlying reasons.
by: Mandy
My two children are grown up and i never put them in a nursery until they where three, they went to playgroup at 2 and we use to go to parent and toddler groups. I believe that babies should be with one parent so that a bond is developed. I would not want a 17 year old who cannot look after themselves looking after my baby. I do know that not all 17 year old are useless but the ones i have met in private nurseries are. My sister has 6 children all went to nursery as soon as they were able none of the children have ever bounded with their mum not sure if this is because they went to nursery or for another reason.
by: Annette
Sorry, the link above doesn't work. Try this: 'Rise of the nursery for newborns'
by: Mickey
It Does Seem a pitty That Babies are at a very tender age, They really need to bond with The Mother/father. Because of Work commitments. My neighbour During her Pregnancy, Was setting up aNew Wedding Shop, All i see from Day to Day, is dad with this little girl, Of a night, She only calls for her dad.Over the last Year i've not seen Mom with her Little Girl. So work, Work and ore Work, is some parents priority and not so much the child.
I'm not sayingthis is right, But i think it's the times we now find ourselves living in. You and your Nursery know doubt do a fantastic job, with your Babies, keep up the good work. It is a shame though some parents can't wait to off-load their Baby so early in the morning.
Can i finally say, Even though this situation remains the same and as done for years, Whats the answer to alleviate this. Is it fair on the Babies, May be not.. What say you?
by: purepurple
the government need to realise that caring for your own children is an important job, and pay parents to do this instead of trying to justify the fact that a lot of children spend long amounts of time in childcare by introducing the EYFS.
Just because a baby is in a nursery with a curriculum it doesn't mean the baby is receiving better care than it would have at home or with a childminder.
My daughter would love a dog. We both work full time so there is noone to look after the dog during the day. So shall I pay someone else to look after it? What's the point of having a dog then? I wouldn't pay someone else to look after a dog so why would I paya completestranger to look after my baby?
What a strange world we live in!
by: Lolly
To answer the question YES I feel we are getting more tinnies in our baby unit in recent times. However, as a mother who's baby is now a big girl at school, I enjoy these times with the tiny babies and feel honored at their parents feel happy and secure enough to leave their tiny treasured bundles in my care. I personally stayed at home with my little one until she was 16 months old and as everybody knows they do grow and change so fast, so I do feel sad that many of these parents will miss out on a lot of these times and they will never get them back. It's a real shame, but society today is cruel, mortgages, bills, rise in food prices and now to provide a roof and food for our children they have to come second to money. We can all sit and say in an ideal world parents should stay at home and look after their children, however, each family has individual needs and we just need to be understanding and support them in anyway that we can.
by: Annette
Catherine Gaunt has written a news story that expands on the one mentioned above: 'Credit crunch is driving babies into daycare' (published on the home page and will also be in this week's issue out Thurs 12 March).
by: timmylums
Purepurple I think you make a great point about the dog!!! I couldn't agree more, my daughter never entered a nursery until she was three and it has done her no harm. What amazes me about babies in nursery is the lack of compasion shown to them when they are upset or suffering from discomfort (i.e. teething pain). These babies are dropped off early and often the staff are trained to care for them, (feed, change, play, planning etc) but how much training and understanding is put into acturally showing compassion and comfort for the child. Often a child that needs some extra cuddles is seen as a hinderence as there is no time to do this. Babies are not able to cope in strange surroundings and need constant reassurance from close adults something that does not always happen in nurseries. Using supply staff or temporary staff should not happen with babies,I feel that if extra staff are required thn they should be deployed from other areas of the setting so that there is some familiarity and continuity of care. If a baby cant have a parent looking afterthem then they deserve a caring and compasisonate keyperson who knows all their needs and requirements.
by: leanne
I would do anything to be able to stay at home with my little girl but unfortuantly we couldn't afford for me not to work so she has been going to nursery since she was 9mths and she loves it to this day (she is now 19mths old.) Nursery has not done any harm to her at all and we have a very strong bond with each other. The days I do get to stay at home with her I make the most of it and give her all my attention.
It took me a while to find the right nursery though with that feel you get when you know its the right one and most the quallified staff are over 21 and provided a very loving and homley enviroment. However this nursery have now stopped taking babies as they are finding they havn't been having any requests for baby places recently.
by: allie
I agree, i would have loved to have stayed at home with my son. he went to a childminder from the age of 6 months. unfortunatley, my husbands wages alone was not enough to support us. I had no choice and went back to work. Morgage, bills etc.
I must say i feel alittle offended about the dog comments in previous posts. It is my right to have a family, if my husband was earning pots of money then obviously i would stay at home to raise my son. Am i a bad mother? No, I believe the time i spend with my son is quality! He gets the best of both worlds! My childminder is regarded as a member of our family.
Its our duty as practitioners to support these families with their choices and provide the children with an environment that is secure, loving, warm, empathic etc.
RE: RE: Young babies in nurseries - 11-03-09 20:43by: joshuajones
Well said Allie XX
Isn't part of our role to be non judgemental ?? None of us know the circumstances behind the decisions these parents have to make, and we SHOULD support them, and make sure that these babies get the best we can give them.
by: Mandy
I am not making judgements on anyone or at least i hope i am not in my post i was talking about my own two children i stayed at home until they went to a school nursery. My partner went to work and it was a struggle we didnt have holidays abroad or nights out but that was our decision. If parents want to go back to work that is up to them but me personally i am glad a didnt as i said from my experience and it is only my experience i didnt want my children looked after by a 17 year old who cant look after themselves.
RE: RE: Young babies in nurseries - 11-03-09 21:20by: joshuajones
You really shouldn't tar everyone withthe same brush - lets be non judgemental here !!!
Some 17 year olds I agree can hardly look after themselves BUT not all. I have a young girl in my baby room and she is excellent, sensible, mature, responsible and I trust her. I also have a 26 year old who is scatty, irresponsible and I do not trust her to be unsupervised - who is the better member of staff ?? I know who my money is on !!!
by: Mandy
I did say from my experience would agree that some 17 year olds are very capable but not the ones i have met looking after children.
by: nikki2407
Purplepurlple speaking sense as usual! I think that in an ideal world babies should not be allowed to be placed in child care before the age of 12 months.
But hey we don't and as people have pointed out one salary usually does not suffice. However I have known women who have gone out to work because they couldn't bear the thought of staying at home and being a full time mum. And sorry if this comes across as judgmental but I think to those women, why the heck did you have children in the first place.
I work in a private nursery baby room and believe we give, compassinate and quality care to all our babies. We are dedicated to each and every one of them. Our age, as practitioners should not be judged at all, i am offended by even the mention. I am 19 and leader of the 1-2's room and I know our baby room staff are fantastic regardless of their birth date!!!
by: purepurple
that's not the point, the staff in our baby unit are fantastic, but it is my fundamental belief that I am responsible for my children's upbringing and I wouldn't pay someone else to do it, when I can do it better.
My children deserve the best not second best.
But, if you believe that for you, putting your baby in a nursery, is best, then I respect your wishes.
Doesn't mean I agree with you. But it doesn't affect the way I do my job.
by: Mia
I'm very much in 2 minds with this 1, I returned back to work when my baby was 6 months old but I work in the setting where he is, I can honestly say it was the best thing for us both, I'm career minded but firstly a mother, I saw it as a chance to give my baby independance, friends and confidence, He thrives brilliantly thanks to the staff there. My child is very active and loves attention from everybody and being at home with him full time I know I couldnt meet his every need (not meaning I am a bad mother but meaning he needs other faces/friends around) I also believe that by working I value the moments I get to spend with him even more and I can say that I have provided well for him which by staying at home I know I couldnt of done that. In my experience the babies and toddlers that we have cope brilliantly then some of the 3 year olds we have start with us that have purely know there mum and no one else - This makes it very hard and takes longer for them to settle and even harder for the parent to leave them, which is more upsetting. Would I leave my baby in a setting where I didnt work? I honestly dont know but I am 100% with the parents that have to leave there baby at nursery for finacial reasons etc