My daughter is childminder/pre school teacher, she reckons they know exactly what you mean when you say 'no thats not a nice thing to do' two years old is the ideal time to start teaching them right from wrong, they well understand by then.
We take three 2 year old out every Wednesday to the Eden project, they make a bee line to the 'smelly' plants just rub them and sniff, they are beginning to identify herbs and flowers already.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Oh my goodness! Could we aim for a bit more charity towards the babies, here! If we don't encourage them they won't be around to take over gardening in the future. There is nothing more joyous than a small child in a garden, even if, on closer inspection, it is holding your very best plant upside down and in three pieces. Just take deep breaths and think of England.
Very funny Edd, but seriously it is really difficult to get 1-2 year olds to understand to just look and not touch. I have similar problems with my grandaughter. I am teaching her to respect flowers as I love my garden and I do have some plants that are poisonous.
HH3 rather than cover with netting would it be easier to put a net fencing around the raised beds. They couldn't reach over but it would allow you to look after the plants. Easier than moving netting everytime you needed to remove a weed etc.
The children know that they're not supposed to do it but that doesn't mean that they won't! Some of them are very helpful but it's the one or two others that are the problem.
I've tried just encouraging them to be gentle but it's now at the point where I can't be bothered to keep repairing it and the plants just won't last.
I particularly like the boxing glove idea or maybe I should put a few Cacti in there?
Just a thought maybe the little rugrats have been helping mummy/daddy in their gardens pulling weeds and think they are helping you by doing the same thing
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My daughter is childminder/pre school teacher, she reckons they know exactly what you mean when you say 'no thats not a nice thing to do' two years old is the ideal time to start teaching them right from wrong, they well understand by then.
We take three 2 year old out every Wednesday to the Eden project, they make a bee line to the 'smelly' plants just rub them and sniff, they are beginning to identify herbs and flowers already.
Oh my goodness! Could we aim for a bit more charity towards the babies, here! If we don't encourage them they won't be around to take over gardening in the future. There is nothing more joyous than a small child in a garden, even if, on closer inspection, it is holding your very best plant upside down and in three pieces. Just take deep breaths and think of England.
Very funny Edd, but seriously it is really difficult to get 1-2 year olds to understand to just look and not touch. I have similar problems with my grandaughter. I am teaching her to respect flowers as I love my garden and I do have some plants that are poisonous.
HH3 rather than cover with netting would it be easier to put a net fencing around the raised beds. They couldn't reach over but it would allow you to look after the plants. Easier than moving netting everytime you needed to remove a weed etc.
The children know that they're not supposed to do it but that doesn't mean that they won't! Some of them are very helpful but it's the one or two others that are the problem.
I've tried just encouraging them to be gentle but it's now at the point where I can't be bothered to keep repairing it and the plants just won't last.
I particularly like the boxing glove idea or maybe I should put a few Cacti in there?
EDUCATE THEM AND EMBED A LOVE OF NATURE IN THEM
Edd
Just a thought maybe the little rugrats have been helping mummy/daddy in their gardens pulling weeds and think they are helping you by doing the same thing
Edd..think you have missed your true vocation.....schools inspector or crowd control at a footie match !!
pansyface
how true
There was a famous saying in the 60s and 70s
With children we love them and with sadness we let them go............or something like that
And someone added
And if they dont come back and visit we hunt them down and kill them !!