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?

England has guidance as well, from page 28

That's what I'm more familiar with but I can't see anything about visitors impacting ratios as stated upthread. If it's a crèche in a gym they would all be in the same room.

That's what I'm more familiar with but I can't see anything about visitors impacting ratios as stated upthread. If it's a crèche in a gym they would all be in the same room.

But the OP says that her dd was so upset that she had to be taken to a different room.

Sounds like your DD is too young for the crèche. Nursery is completely different as she will be around familiar staff and other children her own age. At the crèche there will be different staff who she won’t know, different kids each time and kids of all ages. If she needs you to settle her in she’s obviously not really confident enough to be left. I think you need to find alternative childcare for when you’re at the gym or exercise at home until she is a bit older and more resilient.

I guess they are clear with the rules, if you don’t like that then arrange alternative childcare. I personally never used anything like that or any kind of holiday clubs for young children.

That's what I'm more familiar with but I can't see anything about visitors impacting ratios as stated upthread. If it's a crèche in a gym they would all be in the same room.

But the OP says that her dd was so upset that she had to be taken to a different room.

But kids get upset all the time and move rooms. I assumed op wasn't there.

Anyway, my question was about supervising a visitor. Someone said it would be backside op wasn't DBS checked, which isn't the case as op wouldn't be alone with the children. Then that supervising a visitor (op) would impact ratios - that's what I wanted to understand better.

It’s much easier to be sure that the right kids are matching up with the right parent when you don’t let adults into the creche. Remember that this is not a school or a nursery where the teachers quickly get to know all the children and the people who come to collect them (parents, childminders, grandparents etc). As a business with ad hoc childcare, you really really don’t want to give any adults the opportunity to talk to any of the other children in the creche. An adult kidnapping someone else’s child is not exactly a likely possibility but the gym needs a foolproof system to make sure it doesn’t happen.
It also limits the number of people in the creche area and makes the creche look bigger and safer and more inviting.

The crèche at the local gym here is from 2-8 years old and they must be potty trained, it's simply a babysitting service nothing more. You are expecting too much of young minimum wage workers. Many gyms have closed their crèches due to unrealistic expectations of parents

YABU.

It's a safe guarding issue.

I don't want random adults in the crèche if my children are there.

If they allow you, why not another parent? Why not a Dad? Why not 3 dads? Why not an uncle?

It's a space for children and presumably qualified carers. That's the line.

I do agree they should have told you she was hit in the face. I would expect to be told about an injury. Was she hurt or just upset?

If it isn’t working for her perhaps trying running with her in a baby jogger or cycling with her in a toddler seat. I found it hard to exercise with younger children but both these solutions worked really well. Nowadays I can’t catch up with them!!

I was just answering your question about the legalities or guidance of ratios.

I don’t know the answer to this, I don’t actually work in childcare. I just have children who have used various forms of childcare.

Some setting were happy for us to come in and some weren’t.

I always assumed different settings have different rules due to risk assessments but I don’t know.

I never really questioned the rules to be honest.

@sheepdogdelight

errr cos op is probs at work when her daughter is at nursery

I have also never had a child who was hurt or upset about being in any setting so I have never had reason to question the settings.

@Darbs76

how did you manage to exercise then?

did you work?

If they let you in then they have to let every parent in and how can they safeguard the children with multiple adults wandering around who hadn't had appropriate background checks. I agree they should have probably mentioned the smack but this isn't a nursery it's a babysitting service. If your dd isn't happy there maybe make alternative arrangements when you want to work out.

@SpringRainbow ok thanks - this was my question originally in case anyone does know. I'm familiar with EYFS and the concept of ratios.

*OneFrenchEgg
Which then means that staff member babysitting the adult can't be counted in the adult:child ratio.

Where is that in the guidance? Thank you, would be useful to have to hand*

@sheepdogdelight

most people couldn’t exercise in their lunch break

they don’t get a long enough amount of time for that

or there are no showers at work

for example

YABU

But this is one of those posts where the OP asks, is told they’re unreasonable and won’t accept it

get a grip

You’ll not get much sympathy on here op

lots of mumsnetters do not see the imperativeness of exercise especially when you become a mum

it’s seen as an optional self indulgent treat that you should just give up if it inconveniences your family in the slightest way

I do get the point a lot of you are making about letting strangers in. I can see that now.

With regard to DD being too young, this creche takes kids in from 3 months old, and they don't let in any kids over 8. I thought most kids would be her age. Holiday clubs often start from 4 and above.

Am I expecting too much? Yes, point taken. I just want to point out that DD has to pay a separate junior membership to use the creche, so it's not exactly a free service.

Yabu sorry.

@LuckySantangelo35

Lots of people don't have access to the gym for practical or financial reasons. Lots of gyms don't have childcare available. It's a luxury not a vital public service. If the Gym creche doesn't work for you it's not the end of the world. There are clearly lots of alternatives depending on the particular of OP's situation. You go for a walk or cycle with your child, you do an exercise video when they're in bed, you pay a local babysitter for an hour while you go for a run, you buy a treadmill for your house. You simply wait until they're a bit older.

Why would the op get sympathy? She is being 100% unreasonable with her expectations and demands

it had nothing to do with the value of exercise, and everything to do with her being ridiculous

@TestingTesting123456

fine if other options like that work for people

waiting until they’re older isn’t an option though

cos the body can’t really wait for it’s exercise can it , it will become unhealthy

@LargeHadronCollidHER

sympathy that’s she just trying to take care of herself and coming up against this frustration.
I have empathy for her with that