Nursery World - Toll of long hours

In response to the letter 'A life balance issue' (19 October 2006), I still found the pressures of working in daycare too much, even without having a family to look after. At the time I thought it was the intensity and vast responsibility of looking after the needs of many small children. Now that I'm back in a nursery but with shorter hours, I have very different feelings. The nursery nurses working in this very important playing and learning environment do not seem recognised for the responsibility of the job they are taking on, in particular the care of children at the crucial stage of the start of their life.

The nursery nurses working in this very important playing and learning environment do not seem recognised for the responsibility of the job they are taking on, in particular the care of children at the crucial stage of the start of their life.

I disagree with the Children's Workforce Development Council saying that 'Pay is not the answer' (News, 2 November). Pay is meant to be a reflection of the job you do. If the whole world could work much shorter hours, there would be the so-needed time for reflection and improvement in all aspects of our lives.

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