Have you considered a job at your church as the head nursery worker? Maybe you got the job, but are wondering what to expect? Perhaps you are just curious of what it might be like. Whichever your circumstance, this article is sure to offer some insight into the job.
What Is a Head Nursery Worker?
The head nursery worker at a church is the woman or man in charge of taking care of the youngest members of the congregation. Many churches encourage parents to drop off their babies to loving hands before service in order to create a quieter time of worship for both members and parents alike. As the head nursery worker, you are expected to watch, play with, and teach these young children in a safe and fun environment, along with instructing (if it is his or her first time) and supervising any volunteers. If any emergency happens to arise, you are also responsible for orderly taking appropriate action.
With Whom Must a Head Nursery Worker Interact?
As head nursery worker, you are expected to work well with the children (ours are ages 0-3, or until potty-trained), lead volunteers of various ages, work under and communicate well with the children's pastor, and be a professional and smiling face to greet parents each morning.
Why are Head Nursery Workers Important?
Aside from the obvious, watching the children, there are other reasons the role you play is an important one.
First, many parents are hesitant to leave their children in the arms of strangers. Building trust between nursery workers and families goes a long way, and remaining professional and cheerful can really ease minds. Simple things such as remembering the child's name, asking about the well-being of the child and her family (especially specific details), approaching the tasks at hand with enthusiasm, and remaining relaxed and professional at all times are sure ways to help get parents on board.
Second, someone needs to be responsible for anything that may go wrong. Generally, there are not too many problems to interfere with your ideal day in the nursery, but the day can quickly turn into disaster if something happens and no one is around to handle the issue. Whether it be texting a child's number to the media workers in the sanctuary to call parents in for an unruly or sick child, or evacuating in case of emergency, any situation that may arise can go smoothly (under the circumstances) under the care of a calm and prepared leader.
Third, even the limited time spent with these little ones can leave a lasting impact on their hearts. This age is a quite formative one, and while they may not remember these moments in its entirety, the fingerprints you make today may have surprising effect down the road. Teaching these kids about Jesus, prayer, sharing, playing well with others, manners, and responsibilities proves a fighting chance for them to become older children with good character. Furthermore, remember that sometimes the greatest lessons are not only taught with words, but observed through actions. Be intentional to act as a true and consistent role model for the young eyes watching your every move.
There are countless other ways your contribution is a vital one, but for sake of time we will move on. Just remember that your job is not to be taken lightly, since others are counting on you and your service.
Characteristics and Skills a Head Nursery Worker Must Possess
Every situation and organization differs, and this list is not all-encompassing; however, this is a good rough idea of what it means to be cut out for the position. Always check the individual requirements unique to your church.
- Follower of Christ, living out the Christian walk
- Full-time member of the church
- Clean criminal background (level of offenses accepted may vary)
- Good with babies and toddlers
- Leadership skills
- Professionalism
- Eagerness to learn
- Kind and gentle spirit
- Enthusiasm
- Servant's heart
- Ability to adapt to change
- First aid, CPR, and AED certified (preferred)
- Flexible in scheduling
- Willing to work with parents
- Intuitiveness
- Patience
- Faithful and committed
- Willing to reflect and build skills
- Commitment to praying for the ministry after-hours
Remember, this is not a complete list, but should give you somewhat of an idea as to what is desired in a potential leader in children's ministry.
What Does a Day in the Life Look Like?
Well, I am so glad you asked. Let me take you on a virtual walk-through of my day at work. Ready? Let's go!
Before I ever leave my house in the morning, I make sure I am dressed comfortably and appropriately. This usually means having my hair pulled back, comfortable shoes, and clothes that fit well without restraining movement. Keep in mind that while your new white blouse may fit well and look nice, it may end up covered in saliva, milk, mucus, mushy goldfish, and other yucky things. Moral is: do not wear your favorite outfit in the nursery. Next, I grab a water bottle (stay hydrated, folks!), cell phone, work journal, and other things I might need, before finally heading out the door.
Once at church (9 AM), I stop by the main children's area to check in and get the keys to unlock the nursery. I take this time to open the room, turn on the air conditioning, switch on the check-in system, look for any potential hazards, clean anything that seems dirty, and make sure we are fully stocked on supplies. I then meet back in the general children's area to get any needed supplies, and all of the children's ministry staff gathers to pray together. As soon as the "amen" is said, everyone leaves to our respective classroom to start the morning.
In the "in-between" time, I busy myself with chatting with my volunteers, performing a radio check, setting up the television and toys, and any other tasks that draw my attention. Between 9:30 and 10:00, parents begin to shuffle in with strollers, diaper bags, and fussy kids. Most parents are regulars and can handle check-in alone, but I like to make sure everyone remembers to tag their personal items and kids' backs, and remove their shoes before walking inside. We have this rule in place to limit the amount of dirt, wood chips, etc. the crawlers get on their hands and, ultimately, in their mouths.
Now that service has started, we have most—if not all—of the children we will have for the day, so we play with the children and watch their glee as they dump all of the toys out onto the play area. Most of them enjoy their time there, but others may cry relentlessly for Mommy and Daddy. In this case, we tend to use the "seven minute rule": rock and comfort the child while letting him cry, and if he does not begin to ease up after approximately seven minutes, consider calling the parents. Some days, Baby is just not having it and needs Mom or Dad... and that is okay. Occasionally, a child will act violently (consistently) in his interactions, or need a change of clothes, or become ill; now it is definitely time to call the parents! As the lead nursery worker, I make the final decision in whether the child can stay or needs to be picked up. If I do decide he needs his parents, I text the media worker in the sanctuary something along the lines of "This is nursery, would you please put up child number ___?" He then puts the nursery number on the screen so (ideally) the parents will see their baby's number and come to nursery. If no one comes, we put up the child's name. If a third time is required, the parent name is put up. Hopefully by then the parents will come!
In this job, I have to be especially aware of smells. A baby with a dirty diaper that is not changed can develop painful diaper rash, in addition to a foul odor and a generally unhygienic condition. When I change diapers, I make sure to adhere to my church's policies, for appearance's and safety's sake. I grab a disposable changing pad to spread over the changing table, then lay the baby on top of it before pulling on disposable gloves. When the change is finished, the dirty diaper, gloves, and changing pad are all wrapped up together and disposed of in the dumpster outside. A tip I have found is allowing the child to hold on to a toy during the change. She is less likely to wriggle around if she is distracted by play! This is also an especially nice time to bond with the child, since it is a face-to-face time for just the two of you. Sing to her, talk to her, make it a game. I cherish these moments I spend with the children individually, and it also diverts my attention from the less-than-pleasant task at hand. :)
Around 10:50, I line up chairs and ask everyone to remove toys from the table. Once I announce "Snack time!", it is like herding cattle trying to seat the little ones; but once we finally do, we have the children thank Jesus for their snack. Not all of them are able to speak, and even less understand, but it is a good habit for them to form. At some point, they will understand that they are expressing their gratitude to their Provider, and sometimes that time is sooner than you may expect. With a Dixie cup, I scoop a small amount of goldfish onto the table in front of each child, and then fill up several with a small amount of water for anyone who may be thirsty. Pouring only a small amount of water makes my job easier; since there is only a bit of water in the cup, there is only a bit of water spilled.
When service comes to a close, the nursery goes into a sort of frenzy as families crowd around to pick up their kids. This time flies by! The parents' tags are matched with the children's tags, and I hold on to both as they grab diaper bags and shoes before pushing through the door. Once the last child has left the room, all the toys are spread out on the floor and sprayed thoroughly with disinfectant. The check-in counter, cubbies, door locks, changing table, and handles are all sprayed down so as to help prevent the spread of germs. Each table and chair is also scrubbed down with cleaning wipes. After things are tidied up, I thank my volunteers and perform the finishing touches: put bins back in place for the school; set the walkie-talkie on the charger; turn off the television, air conditioning, check-in system, and lights; then grab my purse and continue on my way. The final step in my day is simply recording my hours on a log in the main children's building. Then wash, wash, wash those hands!!
The job is not always easy, but it is always rewarding. I encourage anyone interested in this job to go for it. While it is a serious one, it is equally enjoyable. I hope this post gave you some insight and encouragement! Comment down below if you serve in children's ministry, are interested in joining your church's nursery team, or just enjoyed the post.
God bless you in your journey, and your ministry also!
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