Parent’s concern #2
“My toddler gets very active around bedtime
in the evening at home. I prefer if my toddler
doesn’t take a nap at the nursery, so he’ll feel
tired and go straight to bed.”
Medical experts recommend toddlers to nap for around two hours in the daytime, in
order for them to grow and develop at the optimal level. After a full morning of activities
at the nursery, it’s normal for toddlers to feel tired and sleepy by midday. They need a
nap to recharge their energy. Otherwise, they tend to become cranky and unhappy
and neither able to concentrate nor join in the nursery activities. Nurseries with good
practices adopt a child-centred approach and are responsive to children’s individual
needs. If a child is observed to be dozing off in the middle of an activity, then
practitioners have a ‘duty of care’ to ensure toddlers get some rest before continuing
the rest of their day.
Parent’s concern #3
“Please feed my child so that she eats
everything in her lunch box and doesn’t spill
any of the food.”
It is part of the early years curriculum for children to learn self-care skills during routines
like snack time. Children as young as nine months are encouraged to start practising
doing so by picking up finger foods to feed themselves. As part of the learning process,
they might create some spills which is perfectly normal. When children are given an
opportunity to feed themselves, they are learning fine motor skills by bringing food
to their mouth either with their hands or a spoon. They are also gaining a sense of
self-confidence for being able to carry it out independently. Practitioners are always
there to guide children through the learning process, and may support a child by feeding
her when required. Some parents have been known to send a bit more food to nursery
to help their little ones through this process. If a child has been observed to be a fussy
eater both at home and at the nursery, then it’s advisable to contact a nutritionist for
further support.