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Original poster

How do I remember every kid and their coats

24 replies

Middaysupervisory · 14/09/2023 13:45

Been in a new dinner lady job for 2 weeks now and I can't for the life of me remember the childrens names, their faces and who's belongings belong to who. Today I had 12 coats no names inside and no idea who they actually belonged to. Tips would be very welcomed!

OP posts:
Thecomfortador · 14/09/2023 13:50

I don't think you should have to. Their coats should be named, appreciate that doesn't help you now though. Do they not recognise their own coats?

anniegun · 14/09/2023 13:52

If there is no name in them just hand them out randomly. Not your problem

Wilkolampshade · 14/09/2023 14:37

In my TA years I used to sniff them.... (coats, not children)
You'll get used to it. All a blur when I started, but by the end was familiar with pretty much all 300 kids.
If coats aren't labelled it's tough. Into lost property they go.

Outnumberedbyboys2 · 14/09/2023 15:50

You will probably find it's the same 12 children who lose thier belongings all the time and recognise the same coats/water bottles/lunchboxes over and over again. My child is like this and I've got to know the dinner ladies because of having to go and find his stuff at the end of the day so often. (He's 7 and drives me mad, but everything is labelled.)

AliOlis · 14/09/2023 15:57

Why do you have to hand out their coats? Put them in lost property and let the parents go and rummage through when their kid's coat can't be found at home time.

AliOlis · 14/09/2023 15:58

Wilkolampshade · 14/09/2023 14:37

In my TA years I used to sniff them.... (coats, not children)
You'll get used to it. All a blur when I started, but by the end was familiar with pretty much all 300 kids.
If coats aren't labelled it's tough. Into lost property they go.

By smell?? Sorry, but that just sounds weird.

TantalisingCantaloupe · 14/09/2023 16:02

I hand out all unnamed jumpers this way too! I was literally doing that with 6 unnamed jumpers and 6 confused children only an hour ago!

TantalisingCantaloupe · 14/09/2023 16:03

Bum. That was meant to reply to @AliOlis .

steppemum · 14/09/2023 16:06

as a teacher/TA, if you have an unamed jumper and ask whos it is, the childrne with ALWAYS come up to you and smell it and then tell you who it belongs to.

It is actually quite stunning that it is universal. Children obvioulsy have better sense of smell than me as an adult!

I should add it isn't a nasty thing. It is the smell of wahsing powder and shampoo etc

steppemum · 14/09/2023 16:07

OP - if you ever meet the parent with an unamed coat, keep a sharpie in your pocket and whip it out and say - shall I just write his/her name in it so that it doesn't get lost again???

BluebellsForest · 14/09/2023 16:10

It took me way longer than two weeks to get a handle on names. I thought it was impossible, but it stuck eventually, I think as I got to know them better. Good luck.

1daughterand3sons · 14/09/2023 16:11

Years ago when I worked in a nursery the staff used to write the kids name on the coat if the parent had not labelled it.

My son's school wrote his name on his swimming crocs cause I forget too.

SequinsandStiIettos · 14/09/2023 16:14

In my TA years I used to sniff them.... (coats, not children)
Grin Erm...I'm not sure I'd have coat-sniffing on my particular set of skills! That's beyond the call of duty.

CaptainMyCaptain · 14/09/2023 16:15

AliOlis · 14/09/2023 15:58

By smell?? Sorry, but that just sounds weird.

Show quote history

A lot of children recognise their own clothing by smell but I've never met an adult in school who could do it.

TheBestUsernamesAreGone · 14/09/2023 16:16

I'm a TA. One time I was walking in Tesco and could smell one of the kids in my class. I rounded the aisle and there was his mum.

SequinsandStiIettos · 14/09/2023 16:17

Well, there's two on here apparently! I'm gagging at the thought of smelling anything my secondary school students leave behind. it's all going to smell of heavily-scented Lynx obviously

SequinsandStiIettos · 14/09/2023 16:18

Good God. Is this a parasite thang? I mean the film not the inhalation of threadworm eggs Envy not envy

WhiskersPete · 14/09/2023 16:20

Wilkolampshade · 14/09/2023 14:37

In my TA years I used to sniff them.... (coats, not children)
You'll get used to it. All a blur when I started, but by the end was familiar with pretty much all 300 kids.
If coats aren't labelled it's tough. Into lost property they go.

This is beyond weird.

ValerieDoonican · 14/09/2023 16:24

Haha re the smell thing - my kids both used to do this to identify the owner of clothing, eg if someone left a jumper after a party. The kids think it's perfectly normal 😅.

steppemum · 14/09/2023 16:25

ValerieDoonican · 14/09/2023 16:24

Haha re the smell thing - my kids both used to do this to identify the owner of clothing, eg if someone left a jumper after a party. The kids think it's perfectly normal 😅.

yes it is a thing all kids seem to be able to do!
I can't though. I'm obviously too old.

JiffLemon · 14/09/2023 16:27

Yes, we do the smelling thing at school too!

familyissues12345 · 14/09/2023 16:29

Ex nursery nurse here and I feel your pain! We used to change shoes to slippers too, so had to match children to coats and shoes! You could guarantee they all looked the bloody same too

And I get what someone said about smell. It's weird but you do get to a point that you can smell what belongs to who..

Namerequired · 14/09/2023 16:32

Wilkolampshade · 14/09/2023 14:37

In my TA years I used to sniff them.... (coats, not children)
You'll get used to it. All a blur when I started, but by the end was familiar with pretty much all 300 kids.
If coats aren't labelled it's tough. Into lost property they go.

Brilliant! I love this. I hate when my child has been on someone else’s house though and smells of it. Again it’s not that it’s bad, it’s just not our/his smell. Myself and my children all have heightened smell. And I’m old lol

user12345678912334 · 14/09/2023 16:35

My kids do the smell thing. As do their friends. I can with DCs friends, if I know them well enough.
Because of this, I use very distinctive detergent and my DC are known for it.

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