When doing my shopping the other day I overheard a conversation among some old ladies. One of them was telling the others about a visit she had with her grandson. Her great-granddaughter had recently started at a nursery that employed two male childcarers. This caused great disgust with several of them, but one said something that I thought hit the nail on the head. 'With so many single mums around, surely it's better that the children learn what is a suitable relationship with a man than have an inappropriate experience and think that that is the norm. After all, aren't fathers males? And we don't object to them looking after their children.'
When doing my shopping the other day I overheard a conversation among some old ladies. One of them was telling the others about a visit she had with her grandson.
Her great-granddaughter had recently started at a nursery that employed two male childcarers. This caused great disgust with several of them, but one said something that I thought hit the nail on the head. 'With so many single mums around, surely it's better that the children learn what is a suitable relationship with a man than have an inappropriate experience and think that that is the norm. After all, aren't fathers males? And we don't object to them looking after their children.'
I thought this was a valid point, especially from someone of the 'older generation' who are traditionally supposed to be anti-men in childcare.
K Smith, Swindon, Wiltshire
