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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that some parents at DTS 's nursery are being unreasonable?

183 replies

spokette · 10/12/2007 11:40

Some parents at the nursery that my DTS attend are complaining about the nursery being closed on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. They were informed about this in November.

This morning whilst I was signing the boys in, a mother with her 10 month old daughter complained that the nursery should provide the service for those who wanted it. One of the nursery staff quite rightly pointed out that they too have their own families and needed the time to prepare/shop etc.

I was gobsmacked. The nursery will be closed for the afternoon of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The staff work really hard and deserve a break.

I understand that some parents have to work but they have known about this for a while and it is up to them to make alternative arrangements. What are they going to do once their children start school? Insist that the schools stay open until Christmas Day?

AIBU or am I missing something?

OP posts:
Brangelina · 10/12/2007 11:47

YANBU. My DD's nursery are closing the whole of the Christmas week. I've just organised my holiday around that. Next year she will be going to preschool and the holidays are just like normal school, but I know and am prepared to have to sort myself out then.

Original poster
spokette · 10/12/2007 11:52

Personally, I think the parents are lucky that the nursery is not closed for the whole holiday. My DTS will not go back until 3rd January because DH and I want to spend the time with them. I know some people have to work over that period but I do feel for the staff who have their own families.

OP posts:
LoveAngelGabriel · 10/12/2007 11:55

YANBU. What will these parents do when their children start school?

Btw, my son's nursery is closed from Dec 19th-Jan 9th!

Hulababy · 10/12/2007 12:03

YANBU. DD's nursery was always closed for a full week over Christmas.

themulledsnowmanneredjanitor · 10/12/2007 12:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alambil · 10/12/2007 12:09

My son's nursery used to close from the Friday before Christmas until the 5th Jan (or the monday nearest)

They are definitely unreasonable and need to count their blessings.

Original poster
spokette · 10/12/2007 12:19

Themulledsnowmanneredjanitor, that's how I feel too.

I hate to say it but some of the parents don't want to spend any time with their children (based on personal insights, comments from said parents etc). Very sad indeed.

One baby (currently 10 weeks) has been in nursery since 6 weeks and she is in from 7am to 7pm. Parents are well off and it is their choice what they do but poor babe will be in nursery Christmas Eve and they will be late in picking her up.

OP posts:
nametaken · 10/12/2007 12:27

xmas eve and new year's eve are normal working days and people shouldn't expect to not have to work these days. After all, the parents who require childcare are working as normal.

If any business is going to be closed at any time then IMO it should be from 27 December to 1 January, not before xmas day itself. Only my opinion though, I'm probably in he minority.

Not everyone is a christian either remember. thousands of people don't even celebrate at all.

themulledsnowmanneredjanitor · 10/12/2007 12:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chocolatespiders · 10/12/2007 12:33

both my dd's nursery always closed for a whole week over xmas, i always hated haveing to pay for this week, but i guess they still had to pay the staff, although i think half price would have been fair as no food and running costs needed as it was closes> thankfully those days are over

i agrre they need a break and deserve a break

Original poster
spokette · 10/12/2007 12:40

Nametaken, so what about working parents of school aged children? Don't these parents have to make arrangements for their children when the schools are closed?

OP posts:
nametaken · 10/12/2007 12:42

I assume that working parents of school age children arrange suitable childcare for them in the school holidays - am I wrong in assuming this?

tortoiseSHELL · 10/12/2007 12:43

Our nursery always used to be open except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day.

I can see that it could be a problem if you had used all your annual leave up, and couldn't take a day off, short of unpaid leave (which is not good just before Christmas). On the other hand I can see that the nursery workers may well need to prepare for Christmas.

EricScrooge · 10/12/2007 12:45

Yah - you have to arrange child care during the school holidays. It's perfectly normal - however annoying.

At the nursery level though, some parents will not be used to this and will, quite wrongly, complain about it.

bozza · 10/12/2007 12:45

spokette, of course, parents of school age children have to make arrangements - and for a lot more days than Christmas Eve. But the working parent who can take all the school holiday off is in a minority.

The nursery DD goes to closes at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and then opens on 2 Jan. DD will finish nursery on 20 Dec but she will go back on 2 Jan, and DS will be full days at the childminder 2/3 Jan. I think he will be happy by that point to see his mates at the CMs again.

EricScrooge · 10/12/2007 12:46

"Yah"?

Chrsit - that made me sound like a right Hoorya Henry.

Rather spiffing old chap. Jolly good.

pukkapatch · 10/12/2007 12:47

the parents are being unreasonale.
when ds was in nursery, they made arrangements to close for the entire week. they told everyone in advance. and it was up to the parents tos ort themselves out.

OrmIrian · 10/12/2007 12:47

nametaken - the arrangements I make is that either DH or I don't work between 21st December and 7th January. Because school is closed and we want to be with our children.

And I might add that if I did choose to work christmas eve, the office closes about 2 or 3 pm so that everyone can go home and be with their families.

handlemecarefully · 10/12/2007 12:47

YANBU - working parents or not - they have an annual leave entitlement

OrmIrian · 10/12/2007 12:49

Or, I should add, spend time in the pub in many cases . Obviously.

bozza · 10/12/2007 12:50

Orm most people at my office choose to work Christmas Eve for that very reason. It counts as a full day but you only work until 2ish. However I have never been able to do this because nursery closes at lunchtime! Just a fact of my life. Like I take the children out of nursery for odd days but still have to pay the fees.

TinyTimLivesinVictorianSqualor · 10/12/2007 12:53

You're not being unreasonable.
FWIW, the ten week old babies parents could be working their butts off so they can afford to spend more time with the baby when it is older, but I did see parents like this when DS was at nursery and feel quite sad about it.

nametaken · 10/12/2007 12:54

OrmIrian - not everyone "chooses" to work xmas eve. If any of your kids needed hospital treatment on xmas eve you'd be the first to complain if the hospital staff had all gone home - xmas eve and new years eve normal working day. Thousands of emergency staff work all over xmas providing 24 hour cover.

pukkapatch · 10/12/2007 12:56

nursery and hospitals are nto the same thing.

OrmIrian · 10/12/2007 12:56

I only used a nursery last year as we had a CM before and she'd do whatever we wanted to bless her and I only paid for term-times for DS#2 at nursery. So I am not 100% certain but I am fairly sure that the nursery was closed all day on Christmas eve. To me it's as important as Christmas Day - I enjoy the getting ready stuff. I do feel obscurely cheated that all those who do go in are getting a half-days leave ....but hell that's life as you say

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