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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what you would think here?

92 replies

Stressful00 · 05/01/2023 22:09

Work in a baby room at a nursery.
Today we were one staff member down as they were off sick. We had 8 babies all day.
I noticed throughout the afternoon that my normally lovely and calm colleague seemed red faced and stressed. I told her so and she snapped at me saying she had been 'doing everything.' and felt like she had no support. . I was also in the room but working on a new art display which took up most of the morning and also some of the afternoon. I was in the room but not engaged with the kids as such because I was doing that. However, when I noticed she was stressed later on, I said I would take over the washing up so not like she had no support. I did also come back a few minutes late after lunch but was on an important call.
Aibu to ask what you would think here? Unfortunately displays and work like that needs to be done.

OP posts:
vodkaredbullgirl · 05/01/2023 22:21

I would have been pissed off too.

America12 · 05/01/2023 22:21

Stressful00 · 05/01/2023 22:17

No it is not.
I should have added there was another colleague but she was in the kitchen preparing food for a lot of the time this morning also. The point is, there are a lot of jobs that need doing and not our fault we are short staffed. We were never out of ratio either.

Making food for the children is important , art displays are not.
No wonder she was stressed. Also , you were late back from your break because you were on a call ??? Unless it was to do with work , that's terrible.

icanwearwhatiwant · 05/01/2023 22:21

Pumperthepumper · 05/01/2023 22:19

Definite reverse.

Yes, you would have had plenty of sympathy if you'd been straightforward.

Obviously the person twitting around with displays when there are babies to care for is in the wrong.

GuineaPorcus · 05/01/2023 22:21

It reads like 1 person was looking after 8 babies. You were messing about with a non-important display and someone else was in the kitchen. Your offer of help was to wash up - so the poor person was still with all the babies?!!

LivingDeadGirlUK · 05/01/2023 22:24

Has to be a reverse, yes your colleague was obviously out of order for faffing about with an art display when you were short staffed but you really need to be more assertive, life is full of chancers that will bee line for the easy work if you let them!

pictoosh · 05/01/2023 22:24

If you're short staffed, the babies' needs come before the art displays. You don't leave one staff member taking care of all of them alone. But you know that.

2chocolateoranges · 05/01/2023 22:25

Your ratio (in Scotland ) is 1:3 if under 2. Not 1:8 like what was happening. The staff need to be in the room interacting and watching the children not prepping food or doing wall displays.

not acceptable at all.

deflatedbirthday · 05/01/2023 22:25

Stressful00 · 05/01/2023 22:17

No it is not.
I should have added there was another colleague but she was in the kitchen preparing food for a lot of the time this morning also. The point is, there are a lot of jobs that need doing and not our fault we are short staffed. We were never out of ratio either.

Explain the ratio? How many members of staff to how many babies is the rule?

You could have 100 people in the room. If only one is looking after all the babies while the others are doing other things fannying about then the ratio matters not one jot.

As a parent I would be fuming to find out this had happened. Some might even report the issue.

Your poor colleague. When you knew she needed help (as if it was obvious to you before she told you!) why didn't you actually look after some babies? What will washing up achieve?!

CanofCant · 05/01/2023 22:26

It's quite worrying you think YANBU.

winterchills · 05/01/2023 22:27

Sounds like she was actually quite polite considering!! No wonder she was pissed off!

RambamThankyouMam · 05/01/2023 22:29

WTF were you thinking, working on an art display when there were EIGHT babies to look after?

Candymay · 05/01/2023 22:31

Definitely a reverse. What a lazy arse doing an art display instead of looking after the babies. Red and stressed? I’d have been furious.

NameChagaiiiin · 05/01/2023 22:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

buckeejit · 05/01/2023 22:42

Clearly art displays were not the priority today. I can't understand anyone who needs this pointed out in this situation. Leaving anyone with 8 babies to look after is ridiculous.

1982mommaof4 · 05/01/2023 22:45

What's a reverse

girlmom21 · 05/01/2023 22:47

1982mommaof4 · 05/01/2023 22:45

What's a reverse

Someone pretending they're the other person in the situation - so pretending she's the one doing the display rather than the one left to deal with all the children

NewYearNewName2023 · 05/01/2023 22:52

I would think she probably went home and ranted about being rushed off her feet while a colleague spent all morning doing an art display which could have waited

Ellie1015 · 05/01/2023 22:55

Yabu. Art display should have been dropped due to sickness. Feeding and supervising the babies are higher priority.

You noticed she was stressed you should have helped.

MajorCarolDanvers · 05/01/2023 22:56

No wonder she was red faced and stressed.

You were faffing around on an art display all day whilst she was left to care for 8 babies.

Bagsundermyeyestoday · 05/01/2023 22:58

America12 · 05/01/2023 22:21

Making food for the children is important , art displays are not.
No wonder she was stressed. Also , you were late back from your break because you were on a call ??? Unless it was to do with work , that's terrible.

Show quote history

Exactly. Are you very young? Or just stupid? I'm quite shocked at your responses tbh. There's a difference between essential jobs and optional jobs

MajorCarolDanvers · 05/01/2023 23:04

Read your other thread OP which makes it obvious this one is a reverse.

Sorry you are having such a shit time at work.

Freshstarts22 · 05/01/2023 23:17

You say “unfortunately art displays do need to be done.”
Why? Says who?
Any decent practitioner in a good nursery with a good understanding of the updated eyfs and inspection framework would know that displays are completely unnecessary.
Who are they for? Not the babies.
The babies need care and engagement.

The whole set up sounds terrible.

vodkaredbullgirl · 05/01/2023 23:18

I hate reverses

beekindx · 05/01/2023 23:20

What is a reverse?

Namechangingagain111 · 05/01/2023 23:22

If this isn't a reverse then I don't think a nursery is the right workplace for you, especially the baby room.
I can't imagine carrying on with an f*ing art display in a baby room if there really was only one other staff member there to look after 8 babies....

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