Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Working Women -> Teachers' Room
I really want to cut my preschool students nails....
1  2  3  Next



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 12:56 pm
I have a playgroup in my house, and one of my students nails are soooo long and dirty!! I really want to cut them. She is otherwise pretty well groomed. (I think!)

Would you as a mother get insulted if you noticed that your childs nails were cut by her Morah?

Btw, I have never seen that they were short. Either I only notice when they are long since I don't check their nails everyday! Or, they have not been cut in a long time....

Mothers- I urge you as a Morah please please try to make sure your kids nails are cut often. It is so unappetizing !!
Back to top

harriet




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 12:59 pm
I wouldn't be insulted-just embarrassed !

But, it would be great-one less thing for me to do!
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:01 pm
my toddler recently went through a stage of being afraid of having her hair washed. she shrieked in utter terror whenever I tried, even just as a sponge bath. this stage lasted a couple of weeks. every once a week or so I just did it and let her scream, but it was terrible, she was really so frightened. the whole time I was just hoping her gan morah wasn't judging me as a horrible mother.

be dan l'kaf zechus. you say she's otherwise well-groomed. chances are there is a good reason her nails aren't cut. and no, I don't think you should cut them, that is way overstepping your boundaries.
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:02 pm
I've cut plenty of kids nails - especially when they're overgrown & growing dirt monsters in their beds ... age was of no limitation to me & I'm not a teacher ... man if I were a teacher ...
Back to top

mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:02 pm
I would be upset. my kids' nails are long too. they will do anything to avoid a manicure. once in a while I manage to get it dealt with. I was the same way when I was younger. it's a sensory thing for me, having short nails is uncomfortable, and having someone cut my nails tickled terribly. I would not be ok with my kids' morahs taking this upon themselves. and what if you cut the kid's finger? it's one thing when a mom does it by mistake, it's another when a morah does it when it's not her place to do so anyway. send home a note if you want it taken care of.
Back to top

MaBelleVie




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:03 pm
I totally hear you! I wouldn't cut though. First of all, its a major liability in case you hurt her. Second, it is very offensive to the mom. I don't think its a big deal to say something, though. Just casually mention something like "the kids nails grow so fast! I can barely keep up. If you have a chance it would be great if you can cut Sara's nails, I noticed that she scratched someone by mistake when they were playing. "
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:07 pm
if you cut the kid's finger - you're an idiot & shouldn't be cutting your own nails ...

you're not supposed to cut that deep - leaving a little white & filing the rest smooth
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:07 pm
I had a first grade teacher who was famous for inspecting her students' nails to see if they were properly cut, on a weekly basis.
(anon because of this....keeping my origins private...)


Maybe you could do a lesson on proper grooming with your students, complete with accompanying chart, where the students could earn a small prize if they come in the following Monday with all the items checked off. Some examples would be:

I brush my teeth
I keep my finger nails short and clean
I wash my hands before dinner
I brush my hair

etc...etc...
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:08 pm
I assume that there are other toddlers just like mine who allow refuse to allow their mommies to cut their nails. When it gets really bad, I cut them when she's asleep. It cross my mind several times to ask her morah to do it for me (she's much more agreeable in playgroup).

I would ask the mother if the child is giving her a hard time with it and based on how she responds, you can then offer to do it for her.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:12 pm
Op here- Thanks for all the replies....I really did think I was overstepping my bounds thats why I did't do it yet- even though I was tempted many times!! I was just wondering what you all thought...

IMO I feel I cannot tell the mother anything, because I am dealing with the child's other behavior issues and am in touch with the mother and I don't want to sound like a nudgy teacher.

mummiedearest- I would pin my child down and make her scream rather then let her walk around with such nails!! I am not judging the mother, I just want the child to be appetizing!
Back to top

flowerpower




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:12 pm
I agree with you op. Coming from the other side I know how gross it is. I make sure that my kids nails are always cut. I do it in a fun way while securing them so they are distracted when cutting them.
Back to top

mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:15 pm
greenfire wrote:
if you cut the kid's finger - you're an idiot & shouldn't be cutting your own nails ...

you're not supposed to cut that deep - leaving a little white & filing the rest smooth


greenie, I am very talented. I have managed to cut two children's fingers while using a nail clipper. my kids don't stay still, as I said. and they have very short nail beds, they do need to be cut that deep to be able to clean them. it has happened twice to me a few years ago. it doesn't take an idiot to slip.
Back to top

mummiedearest




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:17 pm
amother wrote:
Op here- Thanks for all the replies....I really did think I was overstepping my bounds thats why I did't do it yet- even though I was tempted many times!! I was just wondering what you all thought...

IMO I feel I cannot tell the mother anything, because I am dealing with the child's other behavior issues and am in touch with the mother and I don't want to sound like a nudgy teacher.

mummiedearest- I would pin my child down and make her scream rather then let her walk around with such nails!! I am not judging the mother, I just want the child to be appetizing!


why would you want your child to be appetizing? no one's eating her.

pinning my child down for this would be traumatic for both of us. if you say this student of yours has behavioral issues, please ignore the nails. let the kid be.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:26 pm
When my oldest child turned 2 years old he suddenly developed a phobia for nail cutting. He wouldn't let anyone touch his nails even if he was distracted. He would go weeks without it being cut and I would shrink from embarrassment since he was in playgroup too and it was just sooooooo obvious. I'd beg my dh, parents, siblings to somehow get my son to agree to let his nails be cut but he screamed until everyone left him alone. I knew it would be a passing stage and in honor of his 3rd bday he allowed me to cut his nails. Since then he was completely OK with it until he reached a different stage where he can't tolerate even a bit of an overgrown nail so he bites them.
I would advise u to ignore the long nails and please don't bring it to the parents' attention. They are more than aware of it.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:28 pm
mummiedearest wrote:
why would you want your child to be appetizing? no one's eating her.

pinning my child down for this would be traumatic for both of us. if you say this student of yours has behavioral issues, please ignore the nails. let the kid be.


Op here- Huh? nobody's eating her?? I don't understand that. I am actually spending 5 hours a day with her and I want to be able to give her my full love. It's hard if each time I look at her and see her hands I get grossed out and need to turn in the other direction!

I am pretty 100% sure that the child would not make a fuss if her mother cut her nails. She does not have sensory issues and is not at all hyper. I do know her well as we are 7 months into the school year.

I am not doing anything about it, I love her and don't treat her differently. Although maybe I will do a unit on hygiene and include cutting nails...
Back to top

MMCH




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:35 pm
op im with you with the 'unappetizing nails'
I cannot stand when my kids nails get long and dirty, and my dh gets soo annoyed at me that im always chasing after my kids to cut their nails.

first of all, I can't stand the way when they grab me, they scratch and hurt me, and second of all they get dirty.
I completely understand why you would want to cut their nails, but yes I do think its over stepping boundaries, and I can see a lot of mothers being embarrassed.
Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 1:41 pm
The parents may not be aware of it. Not every child has parents that can manage to stay on top of everything. I work at a school and I had a child who came in disheveled daily. Her hair hadn't been brushed in who knows how long. She had so many issues in school. As a reward, she was allowed to come to me (school nurse) and I would brush her entire head and give her a fancy hair do. The parents never said a word. I mean - didn't they notice that their child had her hair done? These particular parents, while loving, were extremely disorganized and could not manage certain tasks. As a school, we worked on those tasks.
Back to top

Ruchel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 2:10 pm
I wouldn't mind if you cut my child's nails as long as s/he not in pain.
Back to top

greenfire




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 3:39 pm
when you look at a kid with snot running down their face ... hair unkempt ... nails with a week's full of dirt ... it's not only unappetizing - it's nauseating

do we give our kids choices if they want to poop in their pants ~ nopes
do we give our kids choices if they want to shower ~ nopes

I don't care what kind of kid it is ... the parent has the duty to keep said child groomed for hygienic purposes as well as self-esteem which can become a b!tch when you're going through puberty and your classmates smell you

Back to top

amother


 

Post Mon, Mar 10 2014, 4:18 pm
One of my child's teachers is totally crazy about nail length. She checks the kids on a regular basis and sends notes home to cut the kid's nails. It's offensive but I ignore it as her mishegas. If she cut my kid's nails, there would be a big problem.
Back to top
Page 1 of 3 1  2  3  Next Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Working Women -> Teachers' Room

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Stolin BP- sneakers in preschool
by amother
2 Yesterday at 8:38 am View last post
Am I cut out for this???
by amother
13 Wed, Mar 27 2024, 6:43 pm View last post
How can I keep cut soup veggies?
by seeker
10 Thu, Mar 21 2024, 11:20 pm View last post
MM to students from teacher… is this weird?
by amother
15 Thu, Mar 21 2024, 7:39 pm View last post
Purim packages to gap year students
by amother
17 Tue, Mar 12 2024, 7:08 am View last post