Early years education
The Early Years education continues to receive considerable media attention. Talk of a “toddler curriculum” with goals and targets contributes to parents’ anxiety about how and where their young children should begin their educational journey.
Some parents will begin to consider these issues before their child is born, particularly if there is a high demand for nursery places in the area and they expect to return to work. Whether or not you return to work and where and how your daughter will be cared for if you do, will be very significant decisions for the family. Advice abounds and you may be surprised by the passion with which otherwise mild-mannered and well-meaning friends and relations will put across their view on what’s best for your child. Always remember that it is your child you are dealing with and that it is you that has to live and work with the decision you make on a daily basis – trust your instincts.
For some families needing childcare, a nanny will be the answer, for others a childminder and for others a nursery. In many cases a combination of care will be best – one day a week with Grandma, two days at nursery and two days with Mum or Dad who is now working part-time or flexibly.
It will always be a question of juggling priorities so ask yourself a few questions:
- Is it important to you that your daughter is cared for in her own home or by a family member?
- Do you want your daughter to learn to socialise with other children as early as possible?
- Is your daughter a confident, out-going child who loves new experiences or is she more home-loving and reserved with strangers?
The government’s public service website has helpful information for parents on all aspects of childcare at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Childcare/index.htm , The National Day Nurseries Association, www.ndna.org.uk, the National Childminding Association www.ncma.org.uk and the parenting section of the BBC website – http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/childcare/choose_index.shtml all offer insights and assistance with finding appropriate childcare in your local area.
All young children attending a formal childcare setting will follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
Tips for parents
- Research childcare options early; many day nurseries have long waiting lists so it makes sense to register even if you’re not sure.
- Talk to other parents in the area to make sure you’re aware of everything that’s available.
- Listen to your instincts when exploring any childcare options. The best facilities and equipment do not necessarily make for the happiest children. Will your daughter be played with and listened to?
- In all childcare situations trust and confidence in the carers are of paramount importance. In a nursery, chat to as many staff as possible and form your own impressions. When talking to a childminder be very frank about your views and expectations to see whether you share a similar approach.
Your comments
My daughter is 15 months old now & I was in a real quandry as to what to do about childcare when I returned to work (when she was 6 months old). Eventually, after much deliberating, we settled on sending her to a childminder. This seems to have been a really lovely balance between being at home and going to a nursery. The childminder has her home set up in a similar way to a nursery with pegs, play areas, sleeping zones etc. but has a maximum of 4 children at any one time. She takes the children to various toddler groups and meets regularly with other childminders so my daughter has plenty of interaction with other children.
She has been the youngest in the group by a few months and I’ve seen a real change in her development and abilities which are largely, I think, down to wanting to copy the slightly older children.
I have been delighted with my choice so far, but I reserve judgement for when she starts a pre-school!
My daughters both went to full time nursery from the age of 6 months – my reasons may have been selfish at the time (i.e. not wanting them to get overly attached to a nanny instead of me!) but with hindsight I am delighted with my choice. They had constant playmates and stimulation, consistently good care, and a safe structured environment. Of course not all nurseries are the same – you need to choose carefully, and it has to feel right, and similarly not all kids are cut out for that kind of full-on structured environment.
I can see that Grandparents might be a good alternative, but how many of us are lucky enough to have them a)living nearby and b)not too busy with their own lives to take on childcare again?
Some people might see the nursery environment as harsh but for my daughter it was a friendly home-from-home that she still remembers fondly. I believe being there helped her breeze through the arrival of her sister without any jealousies or tantrums, and ultimately walk confidently through the school gates aged 4 and a half without a backward glance or any tears (except ours!)
Edited by the author on Tuesday 24th February 2009, at 8:07pm
My son (now 12) was entirely happy, well-developed and sociable up to the age of 2.5, while he was being cared for at home by a nanny; he was then put into full-time nursery and became fearful, withdrawn and unhappy, and upset when he started school. Having a gentle daily routine which included daily interaction with other children (for short periods) and one ‘activity’ each day (music class, art, etc.), plus a walk, good sleep(s) and being at home, suited him perfectly. Being in a big room with 20 or more other children of varying ages, and being told just to ‘play’ for 2 hours or more at a stretch, and being shouted at frequently (by other equally-stressed children) and having to conform (nobody charting his day closely enough, so no responsive care re: the mild fluctuations of mood and how you feel from day to day) – all of that was such a shock to his system that he simply crumbled. It was terribly sad, and my 10-month-old daughter will now NEVER go into any kind of nursery as a result of my experience with my son.
It is, I think, very important that a child have security, stability and routine, in the comfort of their home environment. A nursery is actually quite a harsh place, however bright the pictures … Just try getting on all fours and following the regime for a day, and see how you feel at the end of it! At home, with a dedicated carer such as a grandparent, parent or nanny, someone is responding to the child on a minute-to-minute basis. As long as there is variety build into the day, I think it is absolutely the best care for a child. If they feel sleepy one day and need a quiet time and an extra hour or so, they can have it; in a nursery, nobody quite notices, and they have to soldier on – should a 1 year old have to soldier on?? Absolutely not. It practically amounts to child abuse, and certainly neglect, I now feel.
Have to go now as baby has just woken up : ) but could add a lot more to this …
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I have had experience with both nursery and childminder- my oldest went to the former, and my youngest to the latter and I could not agree more with joanna – I think it is a real dog eat dog world in a nursery and only the children with the loudest voices survive- for mild mannered children it can be an absolute nightmare! A childminder can be a really good and affordable alternative