To be irked that teacher wouldn’t open 6-year-old’s water bottle at school?

[Tabletoppp]

Just that really. 6-year-old came home very thirsty and said he has a headache. I took his water bottle out his bag and said, “oh you didn’t drink anything?”

He said he couldn’t get the cap off (It wasn’t on that tight, but oh well!), and that he asked his his teacher to help and she said no, she can’t touch his water bottle because of Covid.

So all day he drank no water.

Aibu that she should have helped him and then just washed her hands?!

Maybe just bring a bottle with a flip top?

Maybe I am being unreasonable. I don’t know. These Covid times have me all confused!

But year 1 is still very young, and I think they still need help with things from time to time...

I'd kick off about that.

Yanbu. That's ridiculous f she is that concerned she should ask him to place bottle on table, she takes it, she opens it, she washes hands. She writes note asking for easier bottle. That's it.

Dreambigger I’ll send him with a different one tomorrow, but still feel a bit that no one would help him.

I know it’s not a big thing and teachers are under a lot of pressure (I was a teacher before going on maternity leave, albeit not that age group, so no intention to bash), but can’t decide whether or not I should internally get worked up over this or not

Pat schools are advising bottles and lunch boxes that can be independently opened by the children.

Get a flip top or a Contigo flip spout.

That does seem like a silly rule but I'd send him with a bottle he can open easily - teachers have better things to do than opening 30 kids water bottles for them when they want a drink!

As pp YANBU she could have just washed/sanitised her hands surely?

*our schools

FFS! Lol

We have had very a clear guidance to supply everything they can use as it won’t be touched by anyone... if you had similar then YABU! That said I sent mine in with an empty water bottle by mistake and they filled it !

Well if this is true she certainly shouldn’t be teaching 6 yr olds

As a teacher I'd say she was being highly negligent. She could have sanitised her hands, opened the bottle and re sanitised she was very silly not to do this. I'd raise a complaint especially as your DC is so young this is just nonsense.

I've had children forget water bottles at my school and we no longer have cups we can give them to fill water bottles. Thankfully the child was on a half day but I felt terrible

@TDGH1245ANON

As a teacher I'd say she was being highly negligent. She could have sanitised her hands, opened the bottle and re sanitised she was very silly not to do this. I'd raise a complaint especially as your DC is so young this is just nonsense.

This.

I work in a school. I would have washed my hands, opened his bottle and then washed my hands again. Common sense should prevail here.

Since we’ve been back at school I’ve opened the odd bottle/ packet, and retied shoe laces for countless children In the playground. I figured the risk of them clouting their head due to tripping on a loose shoelace was significantly greater than the risk of Covid transmission.

I would be fuming at this. She just needs to wash her hands after.

They're not meeting his basic needs. Neglecting a duty of care.

Thank you all!

He can usually work that bottle (it’s a stainless steel screw cap) - he uses it when we go on picnics or outings etc. But I have another easier one I’ll send him with now, totally get that teachers have got better things to do than opening 30 bottles.

But still - as a one-off I think she could have helped! I would have!

Teacher is being a bit hard of thinking on this one. She could have used a paper towel to open or washed hands before and after. But 6yo don't have the best ability to recite events accurately. Maybe teacher was busy or didn't even hear him.
I'd leave it for this instance and get your ds to practise opening the bottle himself, amongst other things. Wrappers, buttons on clothes etc. Also you could pop a juice carton with a straw in his lunch bag just in case.

I've taught that age group and would have just opened it and mentioned the issue to you

Yanbu
Your poor son!
You should complain, it's neglect.

I work with little kids. While I take as much care as possible, sometimes you have to be a bit flexible. It can't be helped.

YABVU to send your child to school with a water bottle he can’t manage himself. The blame for your child not having a drink all day is yours really, you can’t expect teachers in year 1 to have to open 30 bottles multiple times a day.

There is no guidance to say that school staff can’t touch children’s belongings so this is just one teacher being weird, but if they need to touch a child’s water bottle it should be to give them a refill, not because the child can’t use it on their own. There are plenty of bottles available that are easily managed by small children.

I'd be livid, they have a duty of care surely? Was he offered drinks at lunch or break that weren't in his bottle?

As a kid we weren’t even allowed a drink at school other then lunch time, and yet somehow we all survived. One day isn’t going to kill him/her.

YANBU.

If you sent your child in regularly with a bottle they could not open then I could see why they might be unhappy. However they are responsible for your child’s overall welfare not just keeping them Covid free.

In an ideal world she should have helped, sanitised her hands and raised it with you at the end of the day