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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to be furious with nursery?

33 replies

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:05

DS2s private nursery closed early today, 2 hours ahead fo the schools.

School is re-opening tomorrow, however the nursery owner has just rung me to say that they will not be opening, despite being 100 yards from the school. When I mentioned this, I was told it's her decision and it's made, end of story. Now it may well be that tomorrow turns out to be no beter than today, and the nursery would close anyway, but I think her attitude was blody awful.

AIBU to be fuming?

OP posts:

rubyslippers · 06/12/2010 21:06

Why aren't they opening?

Snow?

Are they usually pleasant?

frgr · 06/12/2010 21:07

She's probably had to make the same explanation over and over to parents all evening... yanbu to wish it were the other side of the decision, but you are being unreasonable to expect her to change her mind when you protest via the phone.

She has no reason to be rude though, so if her tone was really off then that's really not on.. (hard to tell from your post... "look, we're closed, my decision, end of story" in a huffy tone vs. "i'm really sorry, i think that's the best decision for me to make. i have thought about it long and hard, end of story") :)

curlymama · 06/12/2010 21:08

Is it a nursery that's affiliated to the school? Day nursery or pre school? Not that it makes much difference.

YANBU to be fuming at the way she spoke to you. YABslightlyU to be fuming because the nursery is closed. She should have given you a better explanation.

hairyfairylights · 06/12/2010 21:08

Yabu. It's her choice absolutely!

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:08

The staff are normally pleasant however I have always found the owner to be a bitch bit snooty.

It's due to the weather. As I ay, it may all go belly up tomorrow and the school might close. It was more her attitude of "Well I've been all the way down the regiser and you're the first person to say you were intending sending your child tomorrow" followed by the "Well it's my decision and it's made" which fucked me right -off-- annoyed me.

OP posts:

trixie123 · 06/12/2010 21:09

contrary to popular belief, teachers and nursery assistants don't relish the opportunity to close at the drop of a hat. YANBU to be peeved that you are inconvenienced and the manager could have done a better job of explaining herself but there will be good reasons. Maybe half her staff live a long way away and struggle to get to and from safely. She can't legally operate without a certain ratio and wouldn't want to risk having kids dropped off and then finding herself understaffed.

rubyslippers · 06/12/2010 21:10

I would write it off as deeply annoying

The owner could have handled it better

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:10

frgr it was the former "It's my decision, it's made" attitude in a huffy voice.

It's a day nursery curlymama. Not affiliated to the school whatsoever, but geographically close and, as I say, school is opening.

Perhaps I should ask for a refund... (Joke!)

OP posts:

ceebeegeebies · 06/12/2010 21:11

Is it a private nursery? I find it v odd that they wouldn't open as our nursery seems to open whatever (the poor owner, who is an elderly man, must be out at 6am clearing the car park of snow and ice every morning tbh) as I don't think they can charge for the day if they shut so they would lose a lot of money by not opening iyswim.

bigchris · 06/12/2010 21:13

Is it a private nursery? Do you have to take time off work? If yes then yanbu as you're losing money

curlymama · 06/12/2010 21:17

No need to joke, if they are responsible for looking after children when the parents have to work, then become responsible for you losing a days wages, too right you should get a refund!

I realise they can't open if there's not enough staff, but if you were the only person to send your child in, then there probably would be enough staff. I don't believe you would be the only one anyway, the other parents probably just accepted it easier.

I work in a nursery, and tbh, I'd be quite happy with a paid day of if my boss said she wasn't opening. But she always checks that we can get in before making the descision to close, and I can walk there so I have no excuse!

fluffles · 06/12/2010 21:20

my friend's MIL is snowed in with 7 nursery age kids whose parent's cant' get to pick them up.

not worth the risk really.

ChippingIn · 06/12/2010 21:27

I think it's unreasonable of you to expect her to open, you don't know where the staff have to travel from or how much effort she has put into trying to get agency staff.

What does your contract say about days she chooses to close? Is there a 'snow days' clause in it? If not, I would assume you would get a refund as it's her choice.

Although, that might not help you depending on what your issue is tomorrow.

However, no matter how many times she's had to explain herself (I know you said everyone else was fine about it - but she still had to call & explain) and no matter how long she's been trying to re-jig or get agency staff - it was rude and unprofessional of her to take a 'tone' with you.

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:29

Fair enough, fluffles, however there was no need for the attitude. It's not my fault that I am apparently the only parent who would consider taking their child to nursery were it safe to do so - he manner was appalling.

OP posts:

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:31

Just to clarify it wasn't her decision to close which annoyed me per se, it was the attitude she took when I questioned the reasoning given the schools were open. If the schools is open, I'm at least entitled to ask why my childcare is unavailable.

Anyway, maybe IABU but I'm still annoyed!

OP posts:

fluffles · 06/12/2010 21:38

ok, so she was rude, but she's probably totally frazzled... must be really hard to have to make the decision and then stand by it when really she's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't.

MadamDeathstare · 06/12/2010 21:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

towneral · 06/12/2010 21:42

I wouldn't joke about aaking for a refund.

Ds's private nursery closed for a day last year. We (politely) asked for a refund which was given without question. As it should be if you pay for a service and then don't get it

Have to say that I think the fact that they are close to the school is not relevant though. Maybe their staff live further away / in different places / their heating is broken etc etc. Just as there is probably a reason why your school has been closed when the nursery has remained open.

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 21:44

I have drafted an email and am now debating whether or not it is coherent I should send it

OP posts:

msbossy · 06/12/2010 21:46

Refunds are unlikely. We didn't get one last winter for the two days my DD's nursery was closed due to snow.

bluedolphin1 · 06/12/2010 21:51

I found that when I had dc at school and preschool the school closed when the preschool remained open. Funny that as you pay for preschool. However, when preschool closed we received refunds. I would have thought nursery should do the same.

ChippingIn · 06/12/2010 22:06

Try it out on us?

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 22:09

I deleted it ChippingIn, but thanks anyway!

The one thing which really, relly pisses me off is being patronised or being subjected to someone really rude. If I'd sent the email it would have kicked off another whole sequence of events and I would have just become more and more annoyed.

You can read my fantasy email though. It said:

"Dear Arsey McAttitude,

Have some bloody respect and ditch the attitude.

Love,

Me"

OP posts:

ChippingIn · 06/12/2010 22:38

Yes - I thought it might which is why I suggested sharing it here first :) I can't think of anything you need to say really. She's an adult with an attitude you don't like - that's life isn't it? She should be polite but really, you are paying for your child to be looked after not for her to have manners with you.

You can do better than that for your fantasy email surely

Original poster

NotFromConcentrate · 06/12/2010 22:44

Is that a challenge, ChippingIn?

OP posts:

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