Q) In our nursery we encourage the children to be involved in ordinary domestic routines like wiping the table or using a dustpan and brush. We also value mealtimes and encourage the children to dish up their own vegetables and make their own sandwiches. A problem has arisen recently because one mother has challenged why we get the children to help in this way. Partly she seems to feel this is not 'proper nursery education'. But she seems to be equally put out because her son wants to help in a similar way at home. The mother's view is that her three-year-old does not do a good enough job. She says, 'It's quicker if I do it.'
A) I support your approach in encouraging children to be active working members of the nursery. Children are much better occupied by helping out, at home or in an early years group setting, than being required to wait while adults do domestic tasks.
It is up to parents what they do in their own home. But you could share with this parent that some adult patience now, and a tolerance for a domestic job done 'well enough' will pay off later. Competent young adults have to learn their skills some time and it is much better to start with enthusiastic three-year-olds.
Perhaps this mother has voiced what some other parents also think. Your team may have a clear understanding of how much children can learn through involvement in regular routines - physical skills, the emotional pleasure of being a helper, cognitive skills of recall, planning, early maths and so on. But some parents have a more formal image of what should happen in nursery. It could be worth planning a display, with photos taken by the children, to highlight 'what we're learning when we...'.
