Nursery World - Ask the expert (3)

Child psychologist Jennie Lindon answers your letters about child behaviour QIn our nursery we have a rabbit and a hamster, and we take time to help the children learn how to treat them gently. A four-year-old girl, who has been with us for a couple of months, seems to find it very hard to be kind to the animals. She chases them round the garden, pulls their fur and once actually hit the rabbit. We have talked with her father, who says his daughter is too young to understand. We feel the little girl is getting better, but still cannot be trusted completely. In the holidays, the animals go home with one of the nursery families. This family has asked to take the rabbit next half-term.

QIn our nursery we have a rabbit and a hamster, and we take time to help the children learn how to treat them gently. A four-year-old girl, who has been with us for a couple of months, seems to find it very hard to be kind to the animals. She chases them round the garden, pulls their fur and once actually hit the rabbit. We have talked with her father, who says his daughter is too young to understand. We feel the little girl is getting better, but still cannot be trusted completely. In the holidays, the animals go home with one of the nursery families. This family has asked to take the rabbit next half-term.

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