to be uncomfortable with toddler's key worker smoking

[Stokey]

Dd1she(3 next month) has just started a new nursery. When I went to drop her off today about 10 this morning, her key worker was having a fag outside. She dropped it as soon as she saw us but I feel a bit uncomfortable with a smoker looking after my child. AIBU?

What is the nursery policy on staff smoking (if indeed there is one)?

Ask the manager (but do not mention your specific concern).

If you don't like the answer and are still concerned, then find another nursery.

If you walk down the street with a small child who is level with bus fumes, lorry fumes, all kinds of fumes, that is far more detrimental to her health that being in contact with someone who has had a cigarette outside of the child's vicinity.

I'd be more worried about workers not washing hands properly.

I'm a non smoker by the way, just in case that makes a difference.

Happy Smoking isn't exactly the same as drinking wine??

Well not unless turning up to work drunk... but still!

It is interesting though how smoking is becoming more and more reviled. It's almost seen as a moral failing rather than a health issue. I wonder how many years till it's banned completely in Western Europe. Well UK/Ireland, I can't see the Italians/Spaniards giving up their cigarettes at the same rate.

yes totally theDective, I think it was just saying nursery worker or no nursery worker she probably has a life too!

squoosh, couldn't agree with you more. My CM has a passionate dislike of the low slung 'underneath' seats like phil & teds for the reasons you have stated as the baby is at the exact height as all the traffic fumes when walking along the road.

squoosh, travelling recently in Eastern Europe too.. no chance of the a ban!

I'm surprised at how many people feel YABU for feeling uncomfortable. It would make me feel uncomfortable too. That's not to say I would do anything about it, unless I had more specific concerns such as her smelling strongly of smoke when looking after my child/not washing her hands/changing her clothes then holding a baby etc. I selected a childminder and would not have chosen her had she been a smoker - even if she only smoked when my children were napping and she was in the garden.

Smoking is becoming increasingly seen as a "bad thing" and antisocial, due to the overwhelming body of evidence proving how detrimental to health it can be, particularly the health of small children.

I am however a never smoker, and I don't allow my children to stay in houses where occupants smoke, including the inlaws'.

It is amazing how antisocial smoking has become in such a short time.

I used to smoke up to 20 a day. My mum and sister also both smoked, even in my sister's house where she had four young children.

It's ten years since we all gave up and I don't think 3yo DS has ever been around cigarettes because you just don't see people smoking any more. I don't think he would know a cigarette if he saw one.

So I suppose yes, I would feel uncomfortable about this momentarily, but obviously wouldn't feel I could or should do anything about it. The woman is perfectly entitled to do it wherever it's legal.

It wouldn't bother me. What people do in their own time is their business really.

There is a massive difference between the nursery worker having a glass of wine (or 12) if she's at home, or away from the nursery setting. In this case she was stood outside of the nursery about to go back in to a room full of children.

I personally have no problem with adults who choose to smoke but I'm shocked a nursery would let staff smoke outside and think this is more of a reflection on the nursery to be honest .

Yanbu, my little Tarquin wears a gas mask when we step outside the house just incase his nostrils are assaulted by a stray waft of smoke. Can't be too careful.

Op, I wouldn't be happy about it either. I would ask the manager about their smoking policy. If it wasn't helpful, I would just leave it.
But, if I could actually smell smoke on my toddler, I would not be happy and complain!

When I worked on hospital wards quite a large proportion of staff smoked in their breaks. They used to have a discrete area round the back then smoking was banned on the entire hospital site so they could be seen in the surrounding woodland hiding behind trees. I guess the thing about it is that it is addictive, so banning smokers from smoking on their breaks at work is not very feasible.

Thanks for the response. I don't have a problem with people smoking in their free time, I guess it was just there fact it was mid morning and she was outside in her uniform. FWIW I'm not a particularly precious Mum and I don't think it will harm dd, It just made me feel a little uncomfortable.

It would bother me. Nothing you can really do about it, though.

So seeing someone smoking made you uncomfortable, and you say you're not precious ?

Was it a cig or a crack pipe?

UANBU.

I also hate seeing chefs outside having a fag....yuk !

does the link to third hand smoking provide evidence of an actual person becoming ill from it?

i think your dc is at a extremely low risk from this key worker smoking so YABU

What is the solution though?

Smokers shouldn't ever become nursery workers? Or they can but they must not smoke for 10 hours?. Considering the stress of their job and the long hours i would rather they have a fag break and be in good mood. a smoker with no fag for 10hrs is more dangerous than passive smoking

As long as they wash hands etc.

YANBU

YABU

I know what you mean. Staff at my children's nursery used to stand outside and smoke on their break and, aside from the fact that it didn't reflect well on the nursery, it made me feel a bit funny.

I don't think you're being unreasonable to feel uncomfortable about it. It never occurred to me to actually do anything about it as my children were very happy and well looked after at their nursery, although there were complaints resulting in staff having to move out of site of the nursery to smoke, which I agreed with.