I can feel the looks when I'm with the kids

Damiano Nuzzo (43)head of a nursery in Volketswil

Oriented after a car accident new: Damiano Nuzzo. Photo: Sabina Bobst

"in the past, I was a blacksmith. However, after a car accident, I wanted to Orient myself. Many friends had small children. Constantly the Little ones wanted to play with me. I noticed that I had a good wire to them. So I made an internship. Now I have been working for 18 years as children's supervisor.

With prejudice, I am faced again and again. In the first daycare, I worked, took a mother and child out – because I'm a man. A mother has been regularly in the nursery to control me. Another didn't want to start that I wrap your child. Most of the reservations come from men. You will find: men do not belong in the crib, but on the construction. But from there, I'm coming.

After the last abuse case in Volketswil, that was a few years ago, we have completed a training. Now I'm thinking whether we should do it again. As a Team, we talk a lot about the current cases. To the parents, I go to active and search the conversation, encourage you, also to me to be needed.

The advantage with us is that the crib is small. One does not notice immediately when something is wrong. The rooms are quickly and straightforward. Someone puts the children to Sleep, is the door to this room is always open just a crack. The changing table is not in a separate room, but in the game room. And we control each other, I was the learner, but also me.

After the last case of abuse here in the area I felt the stares of people on the street, when I was with the kids. This is again the case. Of course I accept the reservations and concerns. Sometimes the eyes meet a but. Because we give a lot. It is not a work that closes in the evening, the door and forget it all."

Florin Weber (35)nursery in Basel

first learned bankers: Florin Weber. Photo: Nicole Pont

"I'm the first came on second-chance education to this profession. First of all, I've learned to be a Banker, but after the financial crisis of 2008, I wanted to Orient myself in a new and yet something entirely different. A good colleague was already in kindergarten, and his enthusiasm motivated me. So I hung for three years of full-time study and today I am very, very happy with it.

As a man it is issued, of course, a little bit, but in a positive sense. In the case of the application school principal does not take care to have only women in the College. In my district we have nine kindergartens, and at this stage I am the only man. I feel comfortable in this role, I was well received, the collaboration works very well.

I get a lot of feedback from parents who find it explicitly, that men are in this profession. Mothers will appreciate it, for example, that I play as a man with children also football – that's not pleased by the way the other kindergarten teachers, because they must then.

We all have a slightly different style, but this is just caused by personality as by gender. If we go into the forest, I am, for example, the one who makes a fire, and just for boys, this is super, and also the parents know.

In the days of the expiry of plays but my sex else much of a role, the children are in an age in which the roles identification is not so important. Of course, the girls prefer to doll corner and the boys build might prefer, but both offers are of course intended for both sexes."

Julian Glaus, apprentice, professional care for children in Zurich

no office job: Julian Glaus Wanted. Photo: Sabina Bobst

"After I had dropped out of high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. What I knew: not an office job. Without large expectations at a dream job, I applied at the crib. With small children, I have previously had little contact. The longer I work now in the crib, the more Fun my job is. The experience helps in dealing with the children, to learn to know you better, is less uncertain.

I think it's good if women and men are in the Team. Each Person brings a different way with the approach. This helps, for example in the conflict resolution. Personally, I don't have the feeling that I work differently than women.

at the beginning I was the only supervisor in the crib. Some of the children had a specially great joy to me. Others were more skeptical. In the meantime, it has compensated for all of this. We are now more men.

About the recent cases of abuse, we have talked in the crib in the breaks. I have also read about it. My work has not changed as a result. Sexual violence against children as a theme omnipresent. Also in our training. In teaching subjects such as abuse of power or the integrity of children intensively looked at and reflected upon. This is helping me. It makes a lot of aware of in dealing with the children."

Dario Abbot (34)nursery in Basel

"For me, it is normal that men take care of children, and educate": Dario Dept. Photo: Nicole Pont

"the fact That you as children of a gardener of a special position, is a conscious, if of a hundred students, three men and two of them go rather in the direction of primary school. For me, it was still so special. My parents had split the childcare 50/50, for me it is normal that men take care of children and educate them.

My gender was only the beginning of a topic. At my first Job there was a mother who had trouble with me because I'm a man. Again and again she wanted to be convinced that I'm doing everything right. I turned, and through the discussion they realized that the son benefits from me. When I went to another spot to be leaving this mother to me the most. Otherwise, I'm rather positive experience. Many parents, especially from formation of the middle layers, salute men in this profession specifically.

questions of Gender are hardly mentioned ever. Sometimes one has addressed in the training of the slightly different behaviour of men in dealing with children. For example, there was a Situation when a child cried, and the seminar leader asked me afterwards, why I didn't embrace it, to comfort it. But that's just not the way I react personally to something like that. You can give warmth and closeness differently, I'm guessing there's more to the shoulder than a hug.

The incidents in St. Gallen, the effect on my professional life. If you read something, it is as with other such messages, you think: but it's not possible!"

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 15.02.2019, 08:44 PM