Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Hi, I just wanted to get everybody else's opinion. I am working as a nanny at the minute and it's really different from my previous experiances as a nursery manger. I am really close to the children and feel quite protective of them, as a result I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable to feel a bit annoyed, please tell me the truth, I can take it The other day I dropped the child off at playgroup and left her coat and bag in the cloakroom. When I picked her up later on I asked her if she had a nice time to which she replied she was shaking (I should probably mention that she is a really robust child, rarely becomes upset, if she falls over just picks herself up and dusts herself off) so I wondered what she meant. I asked her what she meant and she said again she was shaking at 'pre-school' and her dress was getting wet. I asked her if she'd been outside and she said yes. Then I asked her why she didn't put her coat on and she said she couldn't find it. I told her that it was in the cloakroom where I left it. Anyway noone had ever told me where to put coats, bags etc I just put them where all the others seemed to leave theirs. Anyway I thought I'd ring the pre-school to check so I'd know for the future, the lady that I spoke to said they didn't know which one was hers was it the flowery mac which it was. Now if there was a flowery mac left over then surely they would have asked the child if that was hers which she would have known it was, and even if they weren't sure would you not just let her 'borrow' it to play in. I have nothing against children playing outside in the rain, infact we often do it ourselves but surely the should wear the appropriate clothing, as she would have then had to sit in a damp dress. Now my question is, is this just me being a wuss and over reacting??? I just hate the thought of her being upset and cold. It is soo hard going from being a manager dealing with parents concerns daily and sometimes thinking they are making a fuss about nothing, to actually becomming one of those people. Am I becomming one????? Maybe next week I'll send her in designer clothes then have a moan when she gets paint on them Anyway just need to hear from people who know all about it, am I becomming one of 'them' Rapunzel x x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_1999 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 HI It's a bit of a 'day after the night before' for me today but if I undestand your message correctly this child was playing outside in the rain without a coat. As a practitioner this would not happen in my setting and as a parent I would not expect it to happen to my child. The fact that she was 'shaking' presumably means that not only was her dress getting wet but she was cold too My vote is NO you are definitely not becoming one of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Common sense doesn't seem to have been the order of the day, as you say, there's a mac left and a child without one .. it's not really rocket science is it! We have a spare warm anorak and two spare waterproof macs as well as some all in one waterproofs, so it wouldn't happen with us. No, you are definitely not 'one of them'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_12108 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Sounds to me like she is old enough that they could have just asked her which was her coat? That's what i would do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Oh thank goodness - I thought I was going over to the dark side . Pleased to hear you don't think I'm being unreasonable Rapunzel x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Hi. i agree with the comments above, and if for some strange reason she had been out in the rain, why hadnt they changed her wet dress??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Hi. i agree with the comments above, and if for some strange reason she had been out in the rain, why hadnt they changed her wet dress??? No idea, she did have spare clothes in her named bag but they probably couldn't find it. I have to say she was felt dry to me however if she was upset because her dress was getting wet then I'm sure it was initially damp when she came in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 I don't feel you are being unreasonable at all. In our setting we have a set of "spare" waterproof coats as so many of ours come without a coat (driven to setting). That said we don't always insist the child wears a coat as we try to encourage them to understand what it feels like to be warm, cold, etc. Now I realise this is a bit contraversial (sp?) but saying we do that we also carefully monitor the children. So if one is outside and is running around in dry conditions we would probably leave them to it for a short while. If their friend is simply sat around we would keep checking discretely if they were showing signs of cold and encourage them to either run about more, put a coat on or go inside for a bit. In wet weather we try to encourage them all to put coats on especially if it is tipping down, and on the whole they are very good at doing so. We often get one or two who refuse but after about a minute run in to get their coat. However any child who plays out and gets wet through the rain or water play is helped to change into some dry clothes from our spares and would never be left sitting in wet clothes, so even if they point blank refuse a coat and get soaked they would be changed into something else and warmed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 If it was bucketing down I would insist they had coats on or found a spare one. The other day it started raining a bit, most children were out with no coats on as it has been nice. We got the umbrella's out and they all had lots of fun with them, but some of them didn't have them over their heads very often. I was a bit concerned about them getting wet, and talked to some of them about getting their coats, but one little one was happy as larry and really didn't want to be interupted. As it was, the rain stopped, but if she had got wet, I would have then talked to her about what had happened, how she had got wet, and perhaps she should get her coat next time, but would most definitly have changed her into dry clothes. Clare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 To be honest, I wouldn't have been that bothered that she was out without a coat on, like I said she is quite robust it's more the fact that she was upset about it, by saying that she was shaking she was obviously feeling the cold and the fact that she was complaining that her clothes were getting wet. This is something that would never normally bother (maybe she was feeling a little under the weather - pardon the pun ) her and it's just frustrating that her coat was inside the whole time and the whole thing could have been so easily sorted out. Thankyou for all of your replies Rapunzel x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_20748 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 We all have a duty of care for the children attending our groups, it would appear this was neglected, it makes me cross. how difficult is it to help find a coat ANY COAT or change a child's clothes Its very sad and it neglect how is that promoting the well being of the child? Sorry rant over back to work doing my head count sheets now Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 (edited) Possibly due to free flow it wouldn't have been a case of one coat being left over which was easily identifiable as hers since there would have been many coats left, however common sense would surely dictate that they put her in a spare one if she was getting cold and wet or at least changed her clothes when she came in. How ridiculous that they couldn't find them as well if they were in a named bag. Obviously someone couldn't be bothered to spend a great deal of time looking! Edited May 2, 2010 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Least they're going out in the rain, my pre-schoolers were took back inside on Friday when it started to rain! They're not made of paper! But yes you would think they'd ensure she had a coat on in the rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_7437 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 This sounds awful! As a pre school manager we have a "rainy Day" box to provide the children with clothes, shoes that they need so they can still go outside whatever the weather. But to have a child without a coat and soaked through so she was physically shaking i think is disgusting and bad reflection of the setting's practice. If it were me I would complain because this isnt acceptable. what were the other pracitioner's doing exactly to not notice that she was outside? Even if she was outside for 5 minutes and nobody had noticed, at least they should have thought to change her clothes and put her wet clothes ona radiator to dry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 children are waterproof they are not soluble, they don't disolve in rain!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_20748 Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 children are waterproof they are not soluble, they don't disolve in rain!! NICE ONE MY FRIEND Guess we know where that one is from!!! BUT LOVE IT!!!!!! Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 children are waterproof they are not soluble, they don't disolve in rain!! No but they can get very chilled and miserable and uncomfortable, and common sense surely dictates that reasonable measures should be put in place to ensure that they don't. I know I wouldn't like to spend an afternoon in clothes that were soaked through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 No but they can get very chilled and miserable and uncomfortable, and common sense surely dictates that reasonable measures should be put in place to ensure that they don't. I know I wouldn't like to spend an afternoon in clothes that were soaked through! No, nor would I! Neither would I allow this to happen to any of the children in my care - we play very happily in the rain but always suitably dressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_20748 Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 (edited) children are waterproof they are not soluble, they don't disolve in rain!! Knowing Suer as a Practitioner I know this comment was also meant in the right way, she always has appropriate clothing for her children in her setting (full waterproofs and wellies for everyone including staff plus spare clothing if they do get wet) and common sense is always in her mind at her setting. I believe what she was saying was 'lets get the children outside and reap the benefits of outdoor play' BUT ALWAYS dressed approriately! Edited May 15, 2010 by Bigsue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Hi, Just to let you all know, I have no problem with children playing outside in the rain and we often do it ourselves, too be honest I wouldn't even have been that bothered if she had made the decision not to put a coat on (aslong as it wasn't reallt tipping it down then I would like her to be told 'no coat means your not going out') What I didn't like was the fact that she was upset because she didn't have her coat on because noone knew which one was hers even though it was named. To me the whole point of any kind of play (including playing outdoors in the rain( is that children are learning through it. If a child is upset then how can it be a poitive learning experiance for them? Rapunzel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Yes, absolutely! So did you say anything, was there any more follow up from the nursery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Hi Cait, No I didn't say anything else. I think they got the hint that I weasn't happy when I rang up, and next time I got there they had different coat racks out that were at a height that the children could reach their own. It's so difficult to get the balance right between knowing what you would do yourself as a professional, to knowing how difficult some days at work can be. Anyway the good news is, is that for the first time yesterday when I told her we were going to pre-school soon she went and got her bag and coat and said 'can we go now'? As long as she's happy I'm happy Thanks for asking Rapunzel x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 why do I have sooooo many spelling mistakes whenever I opst on a forum??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_13453 Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Don't you do a screen spellcheck? Mine's set up and does wiggly red underlines if it doesn't like it. If you right click when you are writing, one of the options is to check your spelling and it should have a tick next to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Hoorah this is going to save me from so much embarrassment!!! Thank-you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Knowing Suer as a Practitioner I know this comment was also meant in the right way, she always has appropriate clothing for her children in her setting (full waterproofs and wellies for everyone including staff plus spare clothing if they do get wet) and common sense is always in her mind at her setting. I believe what she was saying was 'lets get the children outside and reap the benefits of outdoor play' BUT ALWAYS dressed approriately! I'm sure that's true.......but that leaves me even more confused....that's exactly what rapunzel had said in her original post.........she was concerned about a little girl who was not dressed appropriately, that's all........ That made suer's comment seem rather 'trite' to me....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Thank you Sue exactly what i ment i would never dream of sending a child out without appropraite weather gear and as stated it makes for a miserable time for all if staff or child is not dressed correctly. But what i do get fed up with and this is not what anyone has said on this post i dont think is that we dont go out if the weather is not the correct sort of weather or we cant get out cos we have not got the right kind of door or garden we all face problems in our settings and we have to manage the best we can no setting is ideal least one that is run out of a hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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