My pet hate

[Twinkles]

..at toddler groups is the person 'helping' with the craft activity actually doing the craft for the child.:angry:

On Friday we went to toddlers at our Church. I had two children involved in the craft at opposite ends of the table :rolleyes: . I turned my back on one to talk to the other and when I turned back child 1's gluing had been done 'ever so beautifully !'and the 'helper' was sticking the cotton wool on in the 'right' places ( snowman ). Child 1 was just sitting there watching her.
Now it's not that child 1 ( funny name I know ) was not interested or incapable of holding the glue stick or cotton wool. It's just that she wasn't putting it in the 'right' place.

I'm afraid I was a bit sarcastic and asked if the helper was going to take it home to show her mummy :blush: ( I know, I know, bad, bad Twinkles ).

But to me it devalues the child's creativity. So what if the whole page was covered in cotton wool and you couldn't actually see the snowman ( child 2's picture ) at least mummy knows she did it herself.

So for future reference how would you nicely point out that the children should be allowed to do their own craft ?

[wendywu]

Back away from the child, and place your hands in the air.

Oy you keep your grubby mitts off.

Oh didnt i tell you that child 1 had the black death and scabies.

Take your pick :thumbsup:

[rhea26]

This does annoy me when you see mums doing it for them then wonder why the kids get bored and wander of and the mum says looks like I'm doing it all!
I always think kids enjoy the process, sometimes my mindees paint lovely pics then cover them in paint so you cant see anything but hey there pleased with it!

[Twinkles]

Back away from the child, and place your hands in the air.

Oy you keep your grubby mitts off.

Oh didnt i tell you that child 1 had the black death and scabies.

Take your pick :thumbsup:

Thanks Wendy I knew you'd come up with something reasonable :rolleyes:
Think I'll go with suggestion A.:thumbsup:

[ziggy]

I went to toddler group last wednesday where the activity was door signs for santa, just amazed to see 4 mummies at the table merrily glueing and colouring and not a child between them lol

At our local playgroup every christmas there are 24 identical snowmen on the windows, all supposedly done by the children

I so agree it is one of my biggest 'pet hates'

One day last week i just put glue, glitter, pens, crayons n paper out and left the after schoolies to get on with it, never known them so quiet...............was still sweeping glitter up for 3days after but heyho

[curlycathy]

I'll come to your toddler group and defend your los from "helpers":laughing:

Last Friday I went to our toddler group with my friend who used to cm. We had no children of our own - just went along to see everyone and had a whale of time holding babies, helping with letters to santa (my neighbours boy and me were covered in glue hee hee!!). It was fab!!!

(and we had no paperwork to fill in afterwards:D )

So I offer my services to you as baby holder, nose wiper (los not cms!), bottom wiper (ditto!!!!)and Defender of the Child's Right to be as creative and messy as they want to be!!!!

[singingcactus]

You don't tell them nicely, you just tell them!

(might want to remind them to put their own name on the one that they have just made so it doesn't get muddled up with anyone elses)

[EmmaReed84]

Funny you should mention this particular activity. I did that yesterday and like you I let the children be creative. They had glue on their hands were picking up the cotton and getting it all stuck to them. We all just laughed and said they were turning in to snowmen as well. So what if it is not in the right place, or there is a bit of a mess... That is the fun of it

[littletreasures]

One of our Toddler group is very good at letting the children do it, but the other is like yours and the helper likes to do it for the children.

My pet hate is also at Toddlers.

If you forget the money to pay the "Leader" will seek you out in the playground at school in the afternoon to get it from you!!!!
She can't possibly wait for you to pay double the following week.

[miffy]

I always have an extra one for me so I can join in the fun and not be tempted to "help" anyone else! :blush: :laughing:

Miffy xx

[uf353432]

Have been guilty of it in the past I have to admit - but I am getting better. Normally I set up the activity and let them see what the ingrediants 'could' make and then let them continue lol! I've managed to get my 'oh wow!! thats AMAZING' voice down to a fine art.

[EmmaReed84]

I always have an extra one for me so I can join in the fun and not be tempted to "help" anyone else! :blush: :laughing:

Miffy xx

I do the same thing. My excuse is "I can do it and the children can copy me, rather than me do it for them"... The truth is I think I enjoy making things more than the kids lol I am getting so excited for xmas... Oh the possibilities are endless

[flora]

Back away from the child, and place your hands in the air.

Oy you keep your grubby mitts off.

Oh didnt i tell you that child 1 had the black death and scabies.

Take your pick :thumbsup:

oh Wendy !!!!! That is priceless and has made me laugh outloud.

i personally favour a too :thumbsup: :clapping:

[ajs]

I always have an extra one for me so I can join in the fun and not be tempted to "help" anyone else! :blush: :laughing:

Miffy xx

Me three.

At the group we went to on Friday, the organisers had printed off a load of beanstalks on sheets of paper then asked the children t o make a beanstalk by gluing two or three bits of paper together no creative flair whatsoever and to make it worse the helper was wiping the glue off th sheets and resticking them straight. I just asked her not to redo ours

[breezy]

I hate that too, as a mum I'd rather have a creative mess than the perfect picture someone else has done for my child:mad:

Saying that I was really fed up last week little one did a lovely glitter snowflake picture, really took her time was careful spent ages on it, proudly showed it to mum at collection time who said " who did that for you then?":angry:

[wendywu]

[Q
UOTE=miffy;1017230]I always have an extra one for me so I can join in the fun and not be tempted to "help" anyone else! :blush: :laughing:

Miffy xx

[/QUOTE]

Ha ha i do this as well :laughing:

[The Juggler]

that makes me so cross. i would say loudly 'oh it's ok, there's no point taking it home if she's not done it herself is there;;)

[snufflepuff]

I have to admit I find it really hard not to do this! I have to sit on my hands sometimes! I tend to do one myself to stop me from helping with the LOs, lol!