Q) We have a little boy, just two-and-a-half years old, in our playgroup, and he really cannot settle although we try to adjust activities for him. We had his older sister at this same age and she was happy. But her brother is very distressed when his mother leaves and nothing we try is making the situation better. His mum is very keen that her son 'starts his early education', but we can't see that being so unhappy can be good for him.
A) Children cannot learn when they are distressed and there is a risk that this young boy will come to think of any pre-school setting as a source of misery, rather than interest and friendship. It sounds as if you are careful to adjust for your youngest children and, as you say, some two-year-olds are not ready to deal with playgroup. It is not a failure on your part if the usual strategies have not enabled this young child to settle.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here