Nursery World - Juggling act (1)

A reality of family life with more than one child is that children's abilities and interests will be different as a result of their age, as well as any individual variations in temperament or talent. Nannies may have taken on a job with such a family or see it arise as the parents add a second or third child. Nanny-share arrangements, too, will spread the age range, and a friendly local neighbourhood or lively social life will bring other children in to play. Initially it can seem very hard work to balance up the care needs and play interests of children stretching perhaps from babyhood into nursery or the school years. If you have previously worked in an early years setting such as a day nursery, the broad age range may feel rather odd. But of course, this is normal family life. The narrow age bands of pre-schools and nurseries are an oddity in terms of childhood, and some settings look for ways to bring children of different ages together for at least part of the day.

Initially it can seem very hard work to balance up the care needs and play interests of children stretching perhaps from babyhood into nursery or the school years. If you have previously worked in an early years setting such as a day nursery, the broad age range may feel rather odd. But of course, this is normal family life. The narrow age bands of pre-schools and nurseries are an oddity in terms of childhood, and some settings look for ways to bring children of different ages together for at least part of the day.

Part of your responsibility as a nanny is to create a day and a week that has something for everyone. Weighing up what everyone needs can be even more pressing as the long summer holiday approaches, and there is no nursery or school to structure the days. But children are more likely to be patient and understanding when they feel confident that their needs are going to be at the fore at some point.

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