Should I mind my own business?

[charlieandthechocolatecake]

I walk past the same gp/chemist at the same time (9pm), 4 days a week. It is on a corner with a car park to the rear. Without a doubt, I always see the same woman and 2 children in the rear of the building or in the car park.

I always assumed they lived above the GP/chemist but in the last week, I've realised that the whole building is taken up by the GP/chemist and that the woman is the cleaner and she has been taking her 2 children to work. They are primary school aged.

Today, the girl, who cant be any older than 7, brought out a yellow biohazard bag to put in the bin.

This doesn't sit well with me but I need to know if I should mind my own business...

I should also mention that looking back, it is obvious these kids are helping with the cleaning.

I think you should indeed mind your own business. What exactly are you worried about? The biohazard bag is presumably sealed and therefore no more of a risk to a child than an adult if she is simply slinging it in a bin. It's the school holidays and she probably can't afford childcare. Do you want her to lose her job? Stay out of it!

You can't know for sure that the kids are helping with the cleaning, and frankly, if they are, so what? It's not going to be anything worse than normal domestic housework. Just because there is the odd biohazard bag involved, they aren't going to be touching any of the contents as only the clinical staff who chuck stuff in there ie used dressings and the like are going to be touching it.

I think you should mind your own too. Sorry OP. The kids would be in a worse position if their mum hasn't got a job....

I am sure they are coming to no harm, unless of course they are being sent up the chimney or onto a a high ladder, but as you can't possibly know that I would stay out of it. 9pm is probably a bit late for a 7 year old on a school night, but the Mother may have no choice - it might be that if she can't work and take them with her they don't get to eat.

mind your own business.

I think you should mind your own business too.

My mum was a cleaner 30 years, and we used to tag along with her. It was a printing factory. We used to help with the bins, and wipe down sinks and work areas. We then learnt to help clean around home through this. It was only at holiday times, as mum couldn't afford childcare, and our gps were in another country.

I think on balance it's better that she takes them with her than leaves them home alone.

As they are there, they will get bored. Keeping them amused by helping Mummy seems to kill two birds with one stone. My (admittedly younger) children fight over who gets to help me with the chores - they enjoy the time with me even if the task isn't all that.

I'd be vaguely concerned if they are still out late on a school night, but even so there might be no other alternative for the family. During the holidays a law night is no issue.

All that said - good on you for noticing, and posting. Keeping an eye out is important, as recent news stories so tragically show.

Yes, mind your own business... I think it would do a lot of children good to experience what their parents do to support them, and if they are helping by popping some bags out, then all the better... As someone else has said, the biohazard bags will not pose a risk when they are sealed.

I'm sure the mum is not sitting with her feet up watching the kids do the cleaning op, but the loss of her job or having to find childcare on what may very well be a low wage would potentially devastate the family

Thanks for your replies. I shall mind my own business, the children seem happy enough. I think its better that kids go to work with mum than mum not going to work at all. I was more worried about the bio waste being a potential hazard. The thought of them coming into contact with anything infectious makes me feel sick. I know, I know, the chances are minimal!

I've worked in a pharmacy and there's no bio-waste to speak of - it's not like a hospital where there are used dressings and similar, or sharps.

There very worst thing is medicine to be disposed of, and the certified pharmacist is responsible for their disposal.

Certainly in my day the only thing we threw in the yellow bags was empty medicine containers.

Things may have changed, but from my experience biohazard is really not a concern.

If it was a biohazard I would imagine there would be separate collections, not in normal refuse. I would not worry op. I was lucky as a kid in summer hols. My mum worked in a cinema

Seriously? I do think you need to let the doctor/chemist know. The care quality comission take infection control and waste management seriously and I think the dr could get into a lot of trouble over this. I am a HCP and I would want to know. Maybe chat to the practice manager?

I do feel sorry for the cleaner, but if anything goes wrong, the dr/chemist is liable. There was a thread on here earlier about a cleaner bringing her kids with her and was considered U.Why is a workplace any different,particularly one with hazardous waste?

I used to go cleaning with my mum and I can remember helping her, because that's what kids do and it's a way to minimise the 'I'm boreeeeed' when they are there.
I can see the biohazard feelings, but like the pp said it can't be true biohazard if its in the normal bin.