Annoyed with gym creche?

[Eurydice84]

My gym has a creche where parents can leave kids while exercising. It's a tiny soft play where kids run around supervised by two-three staff members. Their policy is to collect kids at the door, no parents allowed inside the creche. However DD (3) had a bad experience with a boy hitting her during her first time there; she is now understandably worried about visiting again and would like me to go inside for a bit. I politely explained the situation but was told that parents are not allowed in. Also no one really tells me how she's been doing at the end of the creche hour - after the hitting incident she came out in tears and no one told me about the incident. Am I expecting too much from a small gym creche, or should I keep making my case?

You are expecting a lot for a creche! They aren't there to tell you how your daughter has been doing - they are ad hoc childcare.

I wouldn’t expect any more, but equally this is why I wouldn’t leave a three year old somewhere like that.

You are expecting too much. This is an ad hoc babysitting arrangement where they watch the kids while you exercise. You are expecting nursery style input which you are not going to get.

Of course you're being unreasonable! It's a gym crèche, they don't know your daughter and if you think of the volume of kids coming in / out on a daily / weekly basis, they can't be expected to remember everything each child has done and whether they've been happy or not. They should've told you about the hitting incident but otherwise I'd expect the standard "has she been ok?" "Yes she's been fine" convo, and go about my day.

Agree with others - this isn't high quality childcare, it's someone watching your child for a short time while you exercise. They cant let you in, because that's a safeguarding risk and other parents wouldn't be happy (would you be happy if you knew the staff had let a random other adult in while your child was there?)

If you're not ok with this you need to find someone else to watch your child or exercise at another time.

You can't expect them to change the rules just for you.

I don't expect a full nursery style report of course, but IMO they should have told me about that particular incident. She was so upset she had to be taken to another room.

I also don't understand why I can't stay with her for a little bit until she gets comfortable again next time.

Itll be because youve not been DBS checked.

Because they don't want parents in there with them, if every kid had their adults with them, it wouldn't be workable,. because some parents would stay longer, start having opinions, want to be ok the equipment with their kids etc.
It's a.creche. of your kid isn't happy there,don't use it.

Would you be happy with other parents hanging around in there When your daughter was there?

It's not a case of "hanging around". It would be a very short amount of time, right next to DD, to make sure she is OK. I wouldn't have any problem with other parents doing the same.

You are not DBS so for safeguarding you cannot be in there. Accept being told no - use it or don’t!

Well you're not allowed in there, so thats that. Don't use it if you don't want to or aren't happy. Find someone else to watch your kid during the gym.

It's not the DBS she's not going to be alone with the kids. It's going to be size of the creche, time spent, interfering, upsetting other kids etc etc. It's literally drop - swim - grab

You’re expecting too much. It’s not proper childcare. It’s just a place for you to drop your child for a while so you can exercise. They used to have this kind of thing in the local supermarket when I was a kid. They don’t have to let you stay there.

I also don't understand why I can't stay with her for a little bit until she gets comfortable again next time.

All hell would break loose from that moment on if they refused to allow other parents to do the same.

If you're not happy leave her at home with a babysitter. You're expecting far too much!

The crèche is there for people to be able to use the facilities i.e. to generate money for the gym. It’s not there to provide parent-supervised child enrichment and development activities. If you want that you need to go to soft play, or find someone to look after your daughter in a way that both you and she are happy with, whilst you exercise.

It's not a case of "hanging around". It would be a very short amount of time, right next to DD, to make sure she is OK.

And if she isn't ok?

To be slightly brutal, if DD isn't ok with just being dropped off, she's not old enough for this sort of activity. Does she go to pre-school/activity classes where you just leave her there?

Imagine if every parent just wanted to stay for a little bit. It would be chaos.

DD goes to nursery four days a week, she's been going since she was 10 months old. It's not a matter of her not liking the idea of being by herself. She is uncomfortable because of what happened last time, when another kid hit her in the face at the gym creche.

Maybe if DD isn't comfortable going there... Don't bring her? The gym, presumably, is an optional thing for you. Don't make it mandatory for her. She's not enjoying it so don't force it. But YABU to be annoyed they aren't letting you in. You're not DBS checked and I'm sure you're not the first parent who's wanted to be with their child to help settle them.

And you are expecting too much from a gym creche.

Go to the gym when she's at the nursery she is comfortable with, then?

I think it’s fair enough OP to expect the staff to speak to you if a child comes out crying! They should be supervised to the extent that the staff know what’s going on and intervene or comfort children if things like this happen.

I don’t think however you should be allowed in, that needs to be a blanket rule.

Don’t you think OP is probably at work when her DD is at nursery?