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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think the nursery shouldn't let my daughter get so messy!

56 replies

cazzycat · 24/11/2016 19:41

Picked up DD from nursery she is 17 months they had changed her clothes as she had got messy which is quite regularly and I don't normally mind. I got home and have seen the state of her cardigan covered in pen marks! I don't know if it will all come out in the wash.

Shouldn't they provide some sort of overalls for painting and drawing and what were they doing while she was drawing all over herself?
Should I email the nursery or just accept she is going to ruin all her clothes that she wears to nursery!?

OP posts:
Spottytop1 · 24/11/2016 19:42

They should have overalls.... yes children get messy at nursery but pen marks like that is too much in my opinion

ReallyTired · 24/11/2016 19:43

It's best to attack paint with cold water and soap. If you put it straight in the wash the paint will set. I agree that the children should wear overalls when doing painting.

Lifeisshort123 · 24/11/2016 19:43

They should provide aprons for the children but I'd defentitly buy some cheap clothes from charity shops or primark to send her to nursey in just incase. Smile
DD (4) is in reception and they don't make the children wear aprons either which I find strange..

ButtercupMeg · 24/11/2016 19:44

I always just use really cheap charity shop clothes or second hand from facebay for nursery. I've had a few tops come home covered in paint etc, thinks it's par for the course really.

7SunshineSeven7 · 24/11/2016 19:45

Yeah, they should be wearing overalls. Plus that's a lot of different colours, looks like she had some time to get like that before someone noticed. If they won't provide one get a cheap child's apron for her to wear.

FoxesSitOnBoxes · 24/11/2016 19:45

I would be a bit miffed about that I think. Should they be left with pens at that age? Mine would have eaten it. I think I'd expect an overall or better supervision... although I'm a wimp so would probably not say anything Blush

Lifeisshort123 · 24/11/2016 19:45

Charity shops are great places to get cheap kids clothes from :)

Champagneformyrealfriends · 24/11/2016 19:45

That's too much. I expect a few marks but that's ridiculous.

ShowMePotatoSalad · 24/11/2016 19:45

They probably have tabards to put the kids in but probably don't use them unless for painting. Hopefully they are washable markers and you can get it all out. If you can, I wouldn't mention it. If you can't, I would say something in passing like "oh btw DD got pen all over her nice cardi when she was colouring...would you mind putting a tabard on her next time?"

Candlelight123 · 24/11/2016 19:47

I used to buy big bundles of second hand tops & pants for nursery. Pen marks is a bit much though.

DurhamDurham · 24/11/2016 19:48

I was about to say you were being unreasonable until I saw the photo of the top, that's not ok, they should have ensured she had an apron on. Paint on cuffs or the odd splash/mark is ok but that's just ridiculous.

ReallyTired · 24/11/2016 19:48

4 year olds have more coordination than a baby. My daughter never got in a mess in school nursery where as Ds was a muck magnet. In a school setting there is often a ratio of 1 to 13 for nursery and 1 to 15 for reception. It's understandable if a teacher doesn't realise that a four year old isn't wearing an overall.

The op child is a baby and ratio should be one to three. I cannot understand how a nursery nurse can sit there and not know the child is wrecking her clothes. I would want to know who on Earth was supervising her and allowing her clothes to get wrecked to that extent.

GettingitwrongHauntingatnight · 24/11/2016 19:49

Yep should wear apron but mess is part of nursery.

bumsexatthebingo · 24/11/2016 19:49

Hmm that looks a bit like she's been drawing on herself or someone else has rather than paint or anything so I'm surprised someone didn't stop it. I would generally say though that old, dark stuff is much better for nursery than things like pale pink cardies. If the pen isn't washable it wouldn't matter if there was a little line on it or a lot the cardie would still be ruined. Some kids don't like the overalls then won't do any art if they have to wear them. I would imagine they are available for the children who will co-operate.

BlackeyedSusan · 24/11/2016 19:49

wash in cold water and ordinary bar of soap. leave the soap on for half han hour or so. do not rub hard as it destroys the fabric.

Justwhy · 24/11/2016 19:50

Actually I think any large amount of mess is too much. It shows lack of supervision. She should have been wearing an apron if she was painting/drawing. That's a lot of pen for a child that is only 17 months.

ReallyTired · 24/11/2016 19:55

My guess is that the op child is being looked after by pair of air heads who are more interested in their nails than keeping the baby safe. They probably spent the afternoon chatting rather than interacting and watching the kids. I think the op is lucky that it's only a cardie that was wrecked.

Original poster
cazzycat · 24/11/2016 19:57

It is only a cheap primark cardigan anyway.. I quickly learnt not to put her in any nice clothes for nursery.. but it was all folded up in bag when I went to collect her yesterday and I took it out today to do a wash and just thought that it takes the biscuit! Overall they are very good there but now am worried that they are not supervising closely enough as she is still quite young to be left to her own devices with felt pens!
Cardigan currently in washing machine will see what the outcome is - leggings also had marks on them!

OP posts:
Yura · 24/11/2016 20:01

i'm happy if my son comes home messy - means he had fun, and was allowed to explore.
Get her some reasonable fun clothes ( colourfull so that marks don't show and secondhand).

Ilovewillow · 24/11/2016 20:02

Yes too much!! This was a bug bear of mine with my daughters nursery and I used to bring it up time after time! In contrast my son's nursery use aprons and he has never come home looking mucky! If they don't have aprons I would send one in and ask that she wears it!

user1470997562 · 24/11/2016 20:03

It's not 1:1 care. Just get cheap clothes that wash well or you don't mind being a bit disposable.

SantanaLopez · 24/11/2016 20:12

YANBU, this drives me mad. Perfectly good clothes ruined and I will not buy new clothes for 3 DCs every week.

My DCs' nursery has that really patronising display about 'why your child is messy'. It's one thing I really dislike about them.

hookiewookie29 · 24/11/2016 20:13

I'm a Childminder and when children start with me I always tell parents never to put them in their best clothes as they won't be their best clothes by the time they go home.........however......I do use aprons on them and take white clothes off them! I did have a little one who got felt tip on a white cardi the other day....I thought it was washable but it wasn't so I held onto it and soaked it in Vanish and it washed out the next day.
Looking at your photo, though...that is bad and I'd be pissed off too!

newmumwithquestions · 24/11/2016 20:16

I came on to say YABU, of course they get messy but that is a bit much! YANBU.

roseteapot101 · 24/11/2016 20:18

I only ever put mine in second hand clothes or the 99p store once were selling t shirts.She mainly wore cheap leggings and t shirts. Because she would get covered any clothes she would wear would get really dirty its to be expected unfortunately