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Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum.

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Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum.

Nurseries

Why would a nursery insist that children of 3 who are potty trained, still wear nappies in the daytime?

27 replies

Caligula · 18/04/2006 19:55

I was intrigued and a bit shocked to hear about such an institution yesterday. A friend of mine has a friend who is sending her DD there, who is 3. She is fully dry in the daytime (barring the odd accident) as are most of her playmates, but the nursery insist on them wearing nappies "just in case" they have an accident.

My DD's nursery insists on a change of clothing just in case of accidents, which always seems quite reasonable, but nappies? Doesn't this undermine the whole potty-training experience? I was astounded and told my friend that I wouldn't even consider sending my child to a nursery with such a bizarre and disempowering policy. I think she thought I was a bit nuts. Am I?

OP posts:

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Katemum · 18/04/2006 19:56

I would not send my dd to nursery in a nappy if she was potty trained. Strange.

bourneville · 18/04/2006 19:57

you're not nuts, i agree with katemum.

Belo · 18/04/2006 19:59

I wouldn't send a child of mine there. Aren't nurseries supposed to help develop the child, not make them go backwards? Sounds like lazy staff if you ask me.

Cadmum · 18/04/2006 19:59

I couldn't even consider sending a child to such a nursery. Our DD1 was dry from 21 months. I cannot imagine her in a nappy over a year later... (The boys may have found it easier than taking time out to go to the loo but even they were out of nappies before they were three.)
What other policies might they have that limit a child's independence? What does you friend actually think.

busybusybee · 18/04/2006 20:02

I think it is odd too - bizarre in fact!

Caligula · 18/04/2006 20:19

My friend thinks it's mad too, and her friend isn't very happy about it, but thinks the nursery is a good one apart from this one policy, so it's not worth rocking the boat over.

I guess it depends on what your priorities are, but I personally would find that a) it is worth rocking the boat over because a child being dry and independent about going to the loo is quite important to me and b) it just made me wonder what sort of attitude is behind it. Interesting that you say lazy staff Belo, because I did wonder whether maybe they're understaffed or something and don't have time, but then I remembered that there's quite strict regulation about staff to child ratios. I just wouldn't like the attitude it implies, tbh.

OP posts:

hulababy · 18/04/2006 20:25

I would have simply refused to put Dd into a nappy again once she was potty trained. What's more I doubt you'd have got dd to wear one again! DD never had an accident, and even if she had have had one her nursery would have just changed her until her spare clothes. Ridiculous rule IMO I'm afraid.

FrannyandZooey · 18/04/2006 20:31

Do they discourage them from other developmental advances too? Walking can be quite a pesky activity, can't it? I mean, surely safer to keep them in a highchair "just in case" they have an accident, or something...

Unbelievable. I am quite anti early potty training but to make a trained child revert to nappies beggars belief.

Caligula · 18/04/2006 20:33

F&Z - I said I'd want to report them to OFSTED and then felt that perhaps I was mad!

Hula - there's no way my DD would get into a nappy!

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FrannyandZooey · 18/04/2006 20:37

Caligula - I think you should. It can't be right - it just can't be.

PiccadillyCircus · 18/04/2006 20:38

DS is 29 months, has been potty trained for a couple of months and would think I'd lot the plot if I suggested he should wear a nappy in the daytime.

Very weird.

Clayhead · 18/04/2006 20:39

Personally, I would be worried that, if that is their attitude to the odd 'accident', what's their attitude to other stuff/mess? Samcks of taking the easiest option for the staff and not doing the best for the children IMO.

It's really odd.

Caligula · 18/04/2006 20:55

Well I'm glad everyone else feels like this. I thought maybe that I'm overreacting, but I was just so shocked. And I suppose the nursery would go out of business if every parent felt the way I did, because no-one would send their kid there. I still think they shouldn't be allowed to do this though, even if some parents do reluctantly go along with it. It just doesn't seem to fit in with the idea of a stimulating, positive environment which promotes independence, confidence etc.

Might go and find out a bit more about it now I know I'm not just a mad old fanatic.

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annh · 19/04/2006 21:15

That's the most bizarre thing I have ever heard of in connection with nurseries! So do they make fully trained kids take off their own nappies when they go to the toilet and put them back on afterwards?! And presumably there must be some children at this nursery who have turned 4? Are they still in nappies too?

lockets · 19/04/2006 21:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beauregard · 19/04/2006 21:25

I take it that this bizarre request is extended to any of the staff who might suffer an incontinence problem? and should the children happen to want to speak could they be gagged just in case they cant stop talking?and maybe they should consider a ball and chain just incase the children were to move about more than the staff would like!

Gillian76 · 19/04/2006 21:29

Bonkers. Wouldn't co-operate with such a bizarre policy no matter how good they were in every other respect.

jolly4 · 19/04/2006 21:49

i agree this should be reprted too offstead how ridiculous ...........

secur · 19/04/2006 21:50

cause they are rubbish and should be reported with utmost haste?

seems very sad if they are otherwise quite good?

melissasmummy · 19/04/2006 21:51

Sounds like the staff are saving themselves the clean up of any accidents. Very lazy IMO. If they don't want to clear up after children then they shouldn't be in the job.

I think it sends a rather mixed & confusing message to the child too!

Sparklemagic · 19/04/2006 22:52

definitely take this to OFSTED. As everyone has said already, it's pure laziness by the staff and has to be indicative of a general attitude, unfortunately. Poor kids!

Actually I find it hard to think that a whole nursery load of parents have AGREED to put their child back into nappies - no-one here would! As Franny said, early potty training is no great shakes, there's no hurry and nothing wrong with kids going to pre-school in nappies - but to make them revert is dreadful practice.

handlemecarefully · 19/04/2006 22:59

With you all the way on this one Caligula

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mumtoone · 23/04/2006 15:37

The kids at that nursery are going to be very confused when the leave nursery and go to school if they have worn nappies during the day and then they are suddenly expected to wear pants!!! This does sounds very weird.

Socci · 23/04/2006 15:47

It sounds ridiculous. IMO children who are potty trained should never be put back in nappies ever. Dreadful - clearly a policy which benefits the nursey and nobody else.

TwoToTango · 23/04/2006 16:02

Never heard of a nursery with a policy like that. I thought they were supposed to encourage independance. It could only make like easier for the staff - I would wonder what other things they did to make their jobs easier!

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