1 year old napping outside?

[bigmamama]

Hi, so my 1 year old Ds started nursery today as I have just started a new job. He had a couple of settling in sessions which seemed fine, he done 4 hours yesterday and then had his first full day today while I was at work.
My issue is, I got an update on the app of him napping outside on what seemed like a mat on the floor, he had what looked like a blanket covering him but that's it?
Now I immediately sent the picture to my husband in an angry look at this it's terrible way, for him to respond, "yeah he seems fine" I think its awful that they didn't take him inside and put him in a cot. Am I over reacting?
It was a pleasant enough day and it was sunny, not sure on the temp as Iv been inside all day, but I just feel really put off by it and I feel reluctant to send him back again. Or am I just being unreasonable?

All 3 of mine have slept outside regularly, normally on days like today where it's lovely and sunny.
I'd see it as a real positive that he had a lovely nap on his first day - they often don't.

I don't expect his whole routine to be replicated or down to a T, however I do expect to have some comfort to him

Why do you think he was without comfort? Did the nursery staff say he was very upset/needing comfort? The beds they have there will not be anything like his bed at home anyway so it may as well be something entirely different. Plus, I imagine it's much easier to disinfect a mat than a whole cot in between each use.

[quote bigmamama]@DappledThings
I am taking it on board, I made the post, started a thread I'm glad of the feedback and a different perspective.

However this is just one issue of a few more I had. But the others are actual problems/concerns. [/quote]
What makes you say that?

He had a green snotty nose and some poor member of staff had to hold his hand? Gross at the best of times never mind these covid times. I'd be saying a very big thank you to the staff I was you.

I'm a childminder and on nice days the children sleep outside on mats or in the pram. It's in an enclosed garden with locked gate and in full view of myself at all times. It's really good for children to sleep outside and at present we are guided by gov who say children should be outside when possible.

It's very stressful the first day you leave your child with someone else. You have expectations about what your DCs day will be like, and expectations about what his care will be. Sometimes the reality will be different to your expectations.

However so long as your child is happy and safe eventually you will learn that it's often good for children to adapt to different scenarios to those they encounter at home. It will make them more confident and resilient when they eventually have to go out into the big wide world.

Everything will be ok, OP.

You’ve already decided you’re right and its a terrible nursery so why not just pull him out and find somewhere else? Why waste your time starting a thread like this only to shoot down every person telling you you’re unreasonable when you clearly think you’re not.

They aren't going to put him out in bad weather. As you rightly pointed out you are in the UK. Nice days are few and far between. If he was cold or uncomfortable he wouldn't have fallen asleep. Outside nature sounds and fresh air actually improve the quality of the sleep.
Yabvu.
Also if you don't want him to sleep outside you need to tell the nursery formally. They aren't mind readers. Just be prepared that he may then be the only one inside.

If he was cold he would have woken up. It's September, not February. People don't catch colds from sleeping outside when it's not cold.

YABU. He's a one year old that just had his first day in nursery. He's not in normal surroundings.

However, a lovely member of staff sung to him and held his hand on a comfy mat in the warm sunshine. He fell asleep and they covered him with a blanket. He had a nap.

Goodness - I think they sound marvellous.

I think you need to look at these pictures for some perspective...

www.jamesmollison.com/where-children-sleep

You say you expect him to have some comfort, but falling asleep while holding hands and being sung to sounds lovely and comforting, it's not like they left him to cry himself to sleep on a cement floor somewhere is it.
Ever considered that maybe they know what they're doing and adapted his 'routine' to suit the environment and his needs at the time? I highly doubt if he was cold or uncomfortable, especially in a new environment, he would've gone to sleep

@runninguphills

wow....that page is incredibly moving! Incredible project.

I actually really like the sound of it, everyone is different obviously... but what I would take from it is they’re not rigid & structured and just go with the flow.

I would much rather my baby was allowed to frolic until they passed out on a mat in the fresh air being sung to, than put in a cot & left alone with a baby monitor on in the name of ‘routine.’

I can imagine it’s really unsettling having to leave him OP, but I personally think it sounds like a lovely, nurturing & relaxed nursery.

@runninguphills It took ages for me to source that book from the Times review. Years ago now. It's great.

I thought I was alone in putting DC up the garden to sleep. Even if the weather was cool tbh with an extra blanket.

MN will always tell you you're crazy and always YABU you're not btw. The majority of the posters like to wind you up. I don't even know why I post things they'll totally contradict themselves about stuff. Not to TAAT, but I had thread under another user name about a toddler coughing on my Dc. Apparently that's fine and I'm too precious. Ask what they think on my DC has now they coughed just once. So now I should stay indoors for 14 days and get a COVID test. My little Herbert can't cough on others, but others can cough on them 🤷‍♀️ MN life 🤯

Don't worry too much, it's very beneficial for children to nap outside, look it up - I would have been startled too if I didn't know about it.

Hi OP, you're getting a hard time here. Unfairly so. Of course it's hard leaving your baby for the first time. Then the carers did something that seems a little strange to you. But really, it does sound lovely for all the reasons that PPs have said. Fresh air = less infection risk, vitamin D etc. And the nursery worker helping him sleep then snuggling him in a blanket. That sounds pretty ideal. As an attachment parent, now granny, I'd hate it if one of our little ones got dumped down in a cot on their first day in a strange place with strange people.

They can’t take him inside while the others play outside - you’ll end up with one child with 1 to 1 career/child ratio and the other children will have too low a ratio, which is not allowed. So if they are playing outside and your child gets tired, they can go to sleep outside.

I think It’s good the nursery are prioritising outdoor play. They’ll all be stuck inside soon enough so they should enjoy it why they can. Good for health and happiness.

If his nose is so snotty from being ill was he well enough for nursery?

My boyfriends Swedish, from two weeks old all of his naps were outdoor, when he started sleeping through he would sleep outside during the night. Cold doesn’t give children a virus, viruses aren’t crawling around outside, children however are more likely to be exposed to a virus indoors. So if a child at the nursery has a cold they are more likely to infect another child indoors rather than outdoors.

Surely as its a first day at nursery you want him to wake up around other children and staff, rather than alone in a strange cot in a strange room.

What were the other concerns you have about the nursery?
It is always an anxious time leaving your pfb for the first time

The nursery I used to work in (in the UK) took the children outside to sleep as much as possible. The babies had conical cots outside and toddlers had sleep mats.
It was in a different area in the garden to children playing in the shade. The children slept much better outside.

Take him out of the nursery and give another child the space

Ok just to answer some questions that are getting somewhat repeated.

Yes he has a green snotty nose, I'd have much preferred to no have to go to work as Iv just came back from mat leave and unfortunately need to work for a living! My job is a new role and iv only just started so cannot phone in sick or take more time off. He is not "unwell" he has no other symptoms other than the nose and possibly teething?
Yes I have other concerns which I will formally bring up to them, this "issue" however I wasn't sure if it was just me over reacting, nor expecting it hence the post/thread! I haven't shot anybody down Iv took most opinions on board. Obviously not the snotty sarcastic remarks which I mean like what's the point?
There is also plenty of space at the nursery for other children it's a private daycare which has a lot less children in at the moment so he doesn't need to be pulled for someone else to use the space.

Sounds like you’re just annoyed that your way of doing things clearly isn’t the only way that works for him.

Get over yourself.

I guess the point is you asked if you were being unreasonable and you definitely are. Good luck with the new job.