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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nursery put Henna on my child.

312 replies

Pencilcase123 · 04/06/2019 21:54

When my DH picked up our DD (4) from nursery one of the staff said she had drawn DDs initials in Henna on Dds hand because Dd insisted. DH did not complain.

I am baffled as to why the nursery would have Henna out in the first place. It is brown Henna and I don’t think it is particularly dangerous but I am quite miffed that nursery staff thought it was ok to give my 4 year old a temporary tattoo. Would you complain about this?

OP posts:
YourSarcasmIsDripping · 04/06/2019 22:20

Jackie

  1. The child didn't do it herself.
  1. There's a reasonable expectation that mess and /or accidents will happen with common classroom resources pens,felt tips,glues, clay, scissors etc. Henna is not a classroom resource.
Zebedee88 · 04/06/2019 22:20

If its henna they should have asked permission...you can easily have a reaction

Riv · 04/06/2019 22:20

I would have expected consent to be sought (like they have to for applying sun cream)
I wonder why they used initials rather than a pattern though. I wouldn’t mind a pattern on a lo’s hand but would object to them being labelled, unless it was in a lovely elaborate font 😂

Chouetted · 04/06/2019 22:22

Henna is usually considered the low-risk alternative allergy wise.

"Black henna" is NOT henna.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 04/06/2019 22:22

It would be very strange to react to brown Henna but I'm sure it has to be with consent. With our Rainbows etc it definitely does, which means that we can't really be bothered as we hate making consent forms and parents hate signing them!

AbbyHammond · 04/06/2019 22:22

Odd thing to do, I wouldn't be happy.

DesperadoDan · 04/06/2019 22:23

This would not bother me in the slightest. It will wash off.

ReganSomerset · 04/06/2019 22:25

Eid mubarak!

They probably should have called and asked, or written for consent in advance ideally, but I couldn't get worked up about it personally.

ReturnofSaturn · 04/06/2019 22:25

Meh she's fine. I don't know how some people get through regular life getting worked up about such things.

stucknoue · 04/06/2019 22:26

It's eid today, I suspect they had a party

Isatis · 04/06/2019 22:27

Meh. I get it that maybe they should have asked, but really if this were my child it wouldn't bother me in the least. If she likes it, I'd be pleased for her.

Wildorchidz · 04/06/2019 22:30

This would not bother me in the slightest. It will wash off.

The OP has already said that it had not washed off. Presumably it will fade away but I would be annoyed too.

JonSnowsFurCoat · 04/06/2019 22:30

Our nursery do this for Eid but ask for permission first. We have to sign a consent form

mollpop · 04/06/2019 22:32

It's not a big deal. Just let it go

Riv · 04/06/2019 22:32

It can take weeks to wash off.

Once had it done for a wedding and nearly lost my job as the dress code stipulated no visible body art. Caused a lot of problems for me at work.

OP - if you want it to fade quickly, lemon juice is reasonably gentle and does make it less bright and removes it quicker than just frequent washes with soap.

BarryBarryTaylor · 04/06/2019 22:35

Yes my daughters nursery had a fundraiser before Xmas and one of the parents went in to do Henna, we all had to sign consent forms. It’s the same for face painting and applying sun cream.
They should have checked, even just a text or email would have sufficed.

MollysMummy2010 · 04/06/2019 22:36

It is eide but my daughters old nursery used to use a brown felt tip.

Isatis · 04/06/2019 22:37

If you had been asked, would you actually have said no, OP? I wouldn't want my child to be the one who is left out.

GeorgiaGirl52 · 04/06/2019 22:37

YANBU unless it is a faith school. If they put ashes on the children for Ash Wednesday there would be complaints too.

Mrsmadevans · 04/06/2019 22:39

These things happen when they do activities in nursery and school, if there is no harm done then let it go OP your DD probably really loved her doing it .

BarryBarryTaylor · 04/06/2019 22:40

Isatis- it’s not so much being left out I shouldn’t imagine, more the possibility that OPs daughter could have had a severe allergic reaction, and they didn’t check. If OP had signed a consent form and the child had a reaction, that’s then down to parent, but not to check prior is just failure to do basic stuff. I’m a CM now, but was nursery manager. We had to get parents to sign consent forms for applying plasters!!

Original poster
Pencilcase123 · 04/06/2019 22:41

It is not a faith school. It is a private nursery. Part of a large chain of nurseries.

OP posts:
ReganSomerset · 04/06/2019 22:44

I may be wrong here, but I think henna is mainly a cultural rather than religious practice, not really comparable to Ash Wednesday ashes.

JingsMahBucket · 04/06/2019 22:45

@Sparkles07
How do some people have the energy to be angry and upset about things like this?

Seriously. I understand the allergy aspect, but if there’s no risk of it OP, what’s the problem? Pick your battles. Your daughter probably wanted to have fun. Let her enjoy it instead of tarnishing the experience. And please don’t go raging to the poor nursery workers either.

JemSynergy · 04/06/2019 22:46

Hmm I think I would like to know about it before it was applied. My children have sensitive skin and have lots reactions, so I do need to know beforehand about things, so I know the ingredients etc. During a year 6 leavers party we had to sign a consent form before henna could be used.