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Settling In Issues at Nursery

6 replies

FootieGirl · 24/10/2014 20:39

My little girl is 15months and has been attending nursery one day a week for a month (so 4 full days so far). Normally at home she naps twice during the day, morning and afternoon for at least an hour both times but when at nursery she is struggling to sleep at all. Today she only had 10mins sleep all day. She was happy when I collected her but has been very upset this evening before bed, probably because she is now over tired.

Last week when she came home she had a bruise and bump on her forehead which no one mentioned to me. And today since getting her home I've discovered another bruise on her head that wasn't there this morning and again nothing was said to me by staff.

The problem is my best friend works at the nursery so I feel I'm in an awkward position when it comes to being upset about something. I told her about the bruises last week and she tried to find out what had happened but drew a blank. I don't really feel comfortable mentioning this weeks bruise.

I'm just feeling quite stressed about the whole nursery situation and wish I wasn't having to put her there. The lack of sleep is stressing me and these two bruise incidents are troubling me too. I've started to dread taking her each week as she cries when I leave.

Am I expecting too much too soon in terms of her settling in yet? I appreciate only going one day a week is not ideal for settling in purposes.

I guess I'm just looking for some reassurances that this is normal and I should just stick at it. But the bruises are upsetting me.

OP posts:
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fanjobiscuits · 24/10/2014 20:56

The being upset and not sleeping I think is normal. We had this over a couple of months with 2 day attendance. The bruises I would not be happy with.

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RubyrooUK · 24/10/2014 21:00

I think there are separate issues here:

Crying when you leave may mean something or nothing. My toddler has attended his nursery for a year full time and still cries when I leave. Seconds later, he is fine. When I pick him up, he is having a great time. But he doesn't like leaving me so always has a brief cry.

So that alone wouldn't worry me.

Also if you take into account that your daughter has only done four days over a month, that's a very long time between sessions. It is hard to settle and will take longer when she goes so little. I think it's no surprise she can't get to sleep in an unfamiliar place, so that's just a side effect. It would take my children a month to settle full time at least, so I think you have to be prepared that it isn't yet her routine.

The bruises however....think this would bother me too.well, Yes, kids do injure themselves. My own toddler tripped at nursery and at home yesterday and now has two big bruises on his head. But whenever he has done that, I would normally expect to sign an accident book. So I would talk to the nursery manager about this.

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AlexD72 · 25/10/2014 18:33

I work in a nursery and I would not be happy that a parent was picking up a child with an injury and not being told about it.
This is not good practice. If a child falls or bumps their head a cold compress should be applied the Manager informed and an accident form filled in which the parent reads and signs. I also give parents the option of having a photocopy.
You should not feel that you cannot mention it because your friend works there. Your child is more important than any friendship. And if you feel uneasy follow your feelings and talk to someone at the nursery about it.
I hope your little one settles in soon.

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HamAndPlaques · 28/10/2014 15:55

I think that the settling in sounds fairly typical - my DD has been in for 3 days a week since the beginning of September and after about 4 weeks she started to sleep much better. She's in the awkward phase where two naps is too much, but she can't quite make it through the morning sometimes without a snooze.

However, best friend or no, the issue around the bruises is serious and urgent. Two unexplained head injuries would probably lead me to take my DD out of the setting and find somewhere else. Sorry.

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Twickersmum76 · 29/10/2014 12:48

I would definitely raise it with the owner. My DD is struggling to sleep at nursery too as it's so noisy, so that's normal, but the one time she had a bruise, they flagged it to us straight away (she was clapping along to music and threw herself off the key workers lap in her enthusiasm!) and made us sign an incident form.
I would a) want to know what happened and b) be concerned if no one had actually seen it happen - have they got enough people in the room at all times? Good luck... be brave!

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MrsSpencerReid · 29/10/2014 12:51

My son took a while to settle fully and he did 2 or 3 days a week, so I'd try not to worry too much about that (easier said than done I know) the bruises, I wouldn't be happy with at all, I'd want to know what happened

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