To object to my DD's nursery letting her play with windolene?

[MamaMia100]

She is 2. They do 'polishing' with diluted windolene (it's a Montessori nursery). I love the nursery in all other respects, and my DD adores it. But I am REALLY not happy about this! Firstly, it's a hazardous chemical. Why can't they just polish with water or vinegar or something leas dangerous? Secondly, her clothes are soaked in it. The last time I washed this sort of thing in the machine (after my husband had been painting, think it was white spirit), the smell lingered for ages and made everything else I washed/dried smell the same. I called the nursery to ask what her clothes were covered in and their response was 'we've been doing this for 18 years and never had any problems, font dress her in her best clothes for nursery' (which I don't, but I can't afford to chuck her clothes after each session at nursery and it's that or poison the washing machine!! My main concern is the health risk though - my DD puts everything in her mouth and I'm sure the fumes aren't good for her. So, AIBU and if not what do I do???? Thanks (and sorry for the rant)

Is this a joke? So in essence, your nursery is feeding your child Windolene? Why on earth would they dilute Windolene to teach children "polishing"? That's just weird. Complain, and maybe print this out and show them:
this

Just quickly want to refer to the above form:
"The product possesses no known toxicological hazard. The surfactants present are biodegradable." BUT FURTHER ON IT SAYS:

"Whilst the product is not classified as dangerous for supply in the EU, the following safety phrases appear on the pack copy:
S2 Keep out of reach of children
S46 If swallowed, seek medical advice immediately and show this container or label."

So it should be kept out of reach of children.

Thanks though, you've given me a windolene craving...I want to go and smell some now, but I don't have any in the house

No YANBU! How weird to even think of giving kids strong chemicals like this (even if they are diluted) to "play with"!!!

How odd. I believe it has formaldehyde in it. Press a large bottle of vinegar solution upon them.

Thank you!! I agree it's totally out of order, I just wanted to check if I was being over protective before I tell them I'm really not ok with it. Can you request that your kid doesn't take part in a particular activity at nursery? I'm new to the whole childcare thing. I can't believe I'm the first parent to have a problem with this in 18 years!

What part of 'keep out of the reach of children' don't they understand?

Or 'seek medical advice if swallowed', for that matter?

I'd be absolutely crystal clear that I expected potentially hazardous materials NOWHERE NEAR my child.

Wow. Crazy.

Good old Montessori. It's a fairly staple part of the curriculum - along with how to polish a table, how to move a chair, and how to roll a table mat. Don't get me started. At the Montessori that I worked at, we used cheap moisturising cream for doing the polishing (it doesn't polish very well, but neither does it poison anyone).

Would be interested to know how these activities are justified in the 21st century - if you ask the Montessori staff (which of course I did), they get very defensive about it all.

Are Montessor regulated by Ofsted? If so I'd have a word with them

tbh if OFSTED has okayed it I would assume its safe. So talk to OFSTED. Warning stickers on stuff is often extreme though to protect the manufacturer. For example, read about a warning sign on a bottle of distilled water. These can be to protect the company from being sued rather than any real danger.

love the way that mrbloom has a handy fact sheet to hand like that!!!!!!!

yanbu. i would speak to nursery manager and ofsted

I would'nt be happy either, why the hell do kids have to use harsh chemical to learn to polish ffs. I would request my child be kept from that activity.

i used to like to sniff windolene as a child, i also used it to help my mum polish the windows. don't see the problem myself!

I find it bizarre that they teach children to polish at nursery, but maybe I am just missing something.

Yanbu, as you say it would be far better to give them vinegar or something. I wouldn't be happy about it.

Teaching them to polish sounds just a bit like Dotheboys Hall to me!

Learn to polish?? WHY??

suppose it cuts down on the nursery employing cleaning staff .. . .

wonder when she is promoted to cleaning the toilet

i learnt how to polish brass in the brownies.

really i would not find this a big deal

It is part of the montessori philosophy of them learning to do everyday tasks. But as thsi is part of their philosophy presumably the OP is fine with the actual activity.