Little one due to start nursery and staff are openly talking about how hungover they are in front of me and child.

[Heartbeats18]

What would you do? I went into nursery yesterday morning for a Christmas photo shoot ( my daughter is due to start her first day Thursday) I'm very anxious about her starting anyway. There was 2 staff in the room with me and my 1 year old, plus other small children and the photographer and I heard a staff member openly say how hungover she was, the other staff member said I can't believe your still hungover and she went on about her feeling ill with it all morning. It just didn't sit right with me at all. I work with SEN teens and wouldn't dream of speaking like this in front of parents. I felt so uneasy as I thought to myself that she is going to be looking after my 1 year old and her whole attitude just screamed she wasn't bothered. My sister said to complain but I don't know if I'm overreacting to the situation because I'm already anxious. I didn't get great vibes from the nursery when I viewed it but it was the only one available with the days I needed. I have arranged other childcare as I just don't feel comfortable sending her there. I'm aware people drink ( I myself like a drink, although I haven't had a drink for 2 years because it's hard enough being a parent to baby nevermind being hungover aswell!) what would I even say as I want to withdraw her before she even starts?!?

I’m pretty chilled about most things but I would definitely report this to the manager. How stupid is this employee to speak like this in front of parents?? I used to rock up hungover to my shift in a cafe on a Sunday morning when I was 18, and I wouldn’t have told the customers there I was hungover as I knew it didn’t look good! But to try to look after young kids while hungover and then be openly talking about it in front of paying customers…🤦‍♀️

Don’t be ridiculous, you get good and bad in all areas of childcare. I know of childminders around here that bring the kids to activities just to sit on their phones and drink coffee and chinwag, only this morning at a playgroup I was at with my charges (as a nanny) a small child fell off the top of a slide because she wasn’t being supervised by her childminder. I also know some absolutely brilliant and dedicated ones. One advantage of a nursery is that there are more eyes on multiple children. You can’t write off an entire sector of childcare just because they employ young people. The nursery I worked at had staff with years of experience and were highly qualified as well the trainee youngsters.

The vast majority of parents, especially mothers, view their own baby as the most precious thing on earth. Other unconnected people don't view that particular baby as the most precious thing on earth even if they are paid to look after the baby. However, there's no excuse for turning up to any job hungover let alone a job that involves looking after babies and young children. How did this person even travel to work - by car 🤔? My children are adults now but I don't think I'd have been able to rest easy putting my children in that setting at this time. Have you checked the CQC report? The problem could be this employee or it could be the culture of the nursery. I wish you well getting it resolved

I'm talking from my perspective. No not every parent does view there child that way hence why kids are abused etc, I know this first hand as my nephew was abused by his mother but regardless that is not the issue I'm debating or discussing here.

She wasn't a young staff member. She was 30+.

I’d phone the nursery and mention it. See what their response is

Tell the manager. It's the other end of the scale, but when I was looking for a residential care home for my elderly mum, the activities co-ordinator reeked of alcohol. I mentioned this and she laughed and said she'd had a big night out, but she had stopped drinking at midnight, scout's honour, like it was all a big joke. Not very amusing to me and I reported her comments to the home manager. I don't want someone under the influence of alcohol caring for my vulnerable mum, in the same way you don't want a potentially still drunk nursery worker caring for your child.
The activities woman was in her 30's, too.