Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think about changing nursery's over this staff member?

39 replies

Vix1980 · 21/10/2013 20:26

Ok so ds is 16 months, been at his nursery for 3 months now, does 2 days a week, settled in really well

so no problems till a couple of weeks ago i pick ds up from nursery he was screaming and crying, im told by the lady oh hes just tired (she herself was sat on a chair chatting to her friend with ds on her knee). so i get outside to get his coat with him and it was obvious he had pooed, i was just about to go back in when he ran off still crying so i thought im only 5 mins from home ill do it then.

I get in and immediately change him, he'd been screaming all the way home, then i see his nappy wasnt the 1s id supplied (was a size too small and wrong make), it was also wedged right up his bum making it really uncomfortable for him, hed pooed right through to his vest and his bum was red raw and he screamed when i tried to wipe him, probably from the nappy. I rung the nursery to just let them know could they be a bit more careful in future it was the wrong nappy and told them how it had been put on, she apologised on behalf of who had done it and i thought thats that then, everyone makes mistakes.

The next day i get a call from the manager apologising also on behalf of the lady who had told me she was just tired, and the reason she hadnt changed him was because she'd had a big night so was shattered, this was a wednesday, who has a big night on a tuesday?

So since then everythings been ok, today though i saw this lady for the 1st time since id rung up, she completely blanked me, instead of chatting to me about what he'd been up to i had his diary threw in my direction as she turned around to go back with the other children. I told my dp when i got in and he said she'd done the same to him last week. It makes me wonder what shes like to my son while hes there during the day.

Thing is i like the other staff but just this particular woman is making me think about pulling him out, that and for some reason hes started crying in the mornings when i leave him the staff are great and take him from me to go and get involved in whatever activity they are doing, last week for example this happened and id forgotten his bag so had to go home and come back with it, i saw what it was like when they didnt know i was there and the 2 staff were sat chatting together while ds was on his own half crying half playing, all the other kids in his age group were doing the same, i know they cant sit with them every minute but when hes crying i dont like the thought of him being left alone the way he was. am i making a bigger deal of this than needs be or am i right to think about changing nurserys?

OP posts:
Alexandrite · 21/10/2013 20:52

i saw what it was like when they didnt know i was there and the 2 staff were sat chatting together while ds was on his own half crying half playing, all the other kids in his age group were doing the same, I think that's really sad.

ChasedByZombees · 21/10/2013 20:58

I would remove him and report to OFSTED too.

Vix1980 · 21/10/2013 20:59

alexandrite i know, The thing is though he's always like this for an hour or so then by the time i pick him up hes laughing his head of and i usually cant catch him as hes running away wanting to carry on playing.

But i must admit i cried walking back to the car that day and didnt know if id look stupid for going in and bringing him home with me.

As he's my first i never know if im over reacting or not, i think ive just chose a bad nursery though and i now know what to look for and the questions to ask. They are really good at his nappies (always change him on time) so never had an issue as i say its just this 1 person.

mouthfulofquiz yep, they need to be told, i assumed oh they were just busy with all the other kids but at the end of the day i was sat at home, he could have been here with me, instead id paid for someone else to look after hima and she hadnt been, not on at all.

OP posts:
PenguinBear · 21/10/2013 21:15

Pull him out ASAP op. I feel your pain. There are no good day nurseries round here. I have visited some in my line of work and wouldn't send my kids to any of them.

Good luck in your search, hope you find one you're happy with :)

breatheslowly · 21/10/2013 21:17

DD has been to two nurseries.

Neither would have left children half playing/half crying.

I've never had problems with the staff at either nursery. Certainly no blanking me or fobbing me off.

They always have at least 2 staff with the children, so an unchanged nappy can't go unnoticed by both members of staff.

What you have experienced is not normal in a good nursery. Move your DS.

When my DD moved nursery she settled in really quickly as she was used to going to nursery, it was only a bit different. It wasn't anything like getting her settled in for the first time. Your DS will probably hardly bat an eyelid if you move him.

Ruffcat · 21/10/2013 21:55

Put him in another nursey, it wrong and disrespectful for a child to be treated this way, but please tell the owners and the managers so they have evidence to sack her.

kiriwawa · 21/10/2013 22:04

It breaks my heart to hear of babies being left half crying/half playing while the staff sit and chat. That's really, really horrible. I'd want to take my child out for that alone

Vix1980 · 21/10/2013 22:33

Thankyou all, I have found another nursery even closer to me and I'll be ringing in the morning to make an appt to go and have a look around.

They seem to have a lot more activities at this new place so I'm not to worried about him settling in, as he'll be enjoying himself. I do think im going to get in touch with ofsted though after he's left. fingers crossed this new place have spaces at the moment.

OP posts:
Slutbucket · 21/10/2013 23:20

So sorry about this situation. I wouldn't make an appointment to look round I would just turn up. You find out so much more that way warts and all.

Nanny0gg · 22/10/2013 00:22

Does it really matter if you were over-reacting anyway? He's still really little and if you're not happy for any reason it is okay to act on it.

GoldiChops · 22/10/2013 00:27

The comment about the late night smacks of excuses to me. No way I would ever have even hinted about something like that when I was a room leader! So bloody unprofessional, and such a shitty excuse. An excuse like.... she had had wrist surgery and struggled to change nappies would be slightly more understandable but really what I'd want to see is- fault admitted, appologies offered, and a workable solution offered with a date set for a review. A solution would be more staff training, with follow up communication between nursery and parent.

This is definitely a good reason to consider changing, particularly the attitude of the NN, but please please let the manager know why, all of the problems. Feedback is vital, even bad feedback. It should, if they are in any way professional, lead to actions such as staff discussions and training, and help make the setting better.

Mim78 · 22/10/2013 00:28

Take him out!

cafecito · 22/10/2013 00:32

without hesitation, take him out of there. more because of the big night/ rude / therefore worrying behaviour of staff, than the nappy incident itself.

extracrunchy · 22/10/2013 00:32

Take him out!! We've just been through a very similar series of issues with DS's nursery (wonder if it's the same one) and I agonised about moving him as he'd finally settled etc.
He is a million times happier with the new place and so am I! If you feel at all uncomfortable with the current one, just don't do it.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page