Nursery teachers snarky comment

[CheekyTealFawn]

I’m livid, wondering whether to bring it up or just leave it if I’m overreacting.

DD is 2 yrs 9 month old, and just started nursery today. She’ll go 2 days per week, 7.30am-6.30pm.

I work two jobs (one evening and one Saturday per week), as I am studying 30 hours per week for my BA in English, which I do on my childcare days, in nap times, and every free evening I have. So, I could really use every minute of help I can get.

I dropped DD off at 8.30am no problems. When I go to pick her up, I get there at 6.20pm. I see I have two missed calls from the nursery. I ask why they called, worried, and the manager laughed and said “because we want to go home.” I was confused, and said “oh, I’m so sorry, I thought pick up was before 6.30?” And she pulled a face and said “yes, but it’s Friday and your daughter is the last one here, and she has been waiting and asking for you and wondering why she is the only one”

All of the staff had their hats and coats on waiting by the door when I arrived. DD was also sat by the door with her hat and coat on looking out the window waiting for me. it’s made me feel like the worst mum, and extremely embarrassed as I felt like the staff were all looking at and judging me. My daughter loved her first day, seems very happy there, but I don’t know whether to say something to the manager about it?

I understand it’s Friday and of course the staff want to go home, but I didn’t initially want Fridays, but they made me pick that day since it was quieter and we’re only part time, to make room for more full time children on the other days .

i don’t know what I’d say, and I don’t know if mum guilt at leaving my daughter there last is making me more sensitive, but now I’m anxious to leave her there until 6.20, even though I could really use it since I’m constantly playing catch up with my university work because I’m forever lagging behind due to not being able to afford enough childcare.

am I being sensitive? Should I say something? If so, what?

Because it’s 7.30 - 6.30.

Don't think the times are right in your suggested complaint but the wording is spot on. They either provide care until 6.30 or they dont.

The OP dropped her off at 8.20

Why would anyone dress their child and get a snack at pickup?? Our latest finish time is 6, and that's when we pay for my daughter to be cared for until. We sometimes arrive at about 5.55pm to get her. I collect her and her coat, exchange a few polite words and thank the member of staff who's on the late (no idea why the whole team had to stay at OP's nursery), walk straight out of nursery and put her in the car. We're gone by 6pm. I'm sick of businesses claiming their opening hours are til X time but then only paying their staff until X time. My former gym claims to be open until 7pm, but actually only pays their staff until 7pm, so they're chivvying you out from 6.30 so they can clean up and lock up.

Ah, with you- I'd been looking at the time she'd been in that day. Tbh OP if she's a reasonably early riser I'd be looking at using 7.30-5.30 instead as your fully funded 10 hour day? They were in the wrong of course, but 5.30-6.30 everyone's probably going to be on their last legs....

But said in her OP she was paying for 7.30am - 6.30pm.

I wouldn’t want these people looking after my kid. If you complain - they will only be bitching.

id actually look for a new nursery. Disgusting, they should have said 5.30 pick up Friday before you signed her up if it’s that much of an issue. It is unprofessional and almost chavvy that they have done what they’ve done and can imagine just what they would be to work with- get your kid out of there.

Yes, she said the nursery only provides full days, so she pays from 7.30am- 6.30pm. She didn’t use the full hours though.

What was your professional career path? Do you think everyone should do what you did?

10 hours a day three days until the eldest went to school nursery then he was at nursery 5 days 9-3 whilst the other was three days for 10 hours and 1 whole day with granny...sorry I thought I said 3 days in my first post but I don't think they wouldn't have bonded if it had been 5 days

Sorry on my lunch break and saw all of these, some absolutely lovely messages and some not so lovely 😂 to clarify, I have to pay for 7.30-6.30, whether I use 1 hour or all 11. Flexible drop off until 8.30, flexible pick up after 5.30

Does it matter? If she’s ok with putting her in an hour late, why the angst at having to pick her up 10 minutes before the doors shut?

Fair enough. 😊

I dont think this makes any difference in this case. They can't claim all of the hours anyway can they- its a max of 10 per day.

She did pick her up 10 mins before the doors closed. She was there at 6.20pm. Is anyone reading the OP’s posts?

And was OU where you learned to be so nasty?

Come on! You must understand the difference. You pay for the full day. You choose when to drop off and collect. You can collect up until closing and it is unreasonable to be treated as though you can’t by the people offering the service.

Yes I did as you can see from my post which said many nurseries want pick up 10 minutes before closing and that maybe they called 11 minutes before to remind her.

OP, I am so sorry you are getting some of these awful comments about putting your child in nursery.

You are not unreasonable...I'd be furious that they were pushing their wants and needs onto your child. They could have been playing with her and distracting her, as is their job! They clearly just wanted an early clock off.

I would write a complaint or a query to the overall manager, questioning the hours, asking again to change the Friday to a Thursday if they will struggle to stay open until 6.30pm

Also, I am the Mum of teens who went to nursery for 2-3 long days (one went for 2, one went for 3) and they loved it, they thrived and even if they were sometimes the last ones collected, they were never made to feel like they were left alone and were playing happily until the end. I work in education so I couldn't leave meetings early.

All my children adjusted well to school, are confident interacting with others, great relationships with their friends and teachers and at home we are a team, tightly knit, we have open communication and a great relationship.

Please don't listen to the rubbish about how your child won't bond and all the ridiculous pearl clutching. You are forging a better life for your child to provide for her as she grows. You are getting a balance and showing her what it means to be a strong independent woman.

Please take it from someone who is over a decade on in this scenario.

I hope you get this resolved. If they are open until 6.30pm then they should expect to be there until then, at the earliest.

Were you ever called 11 mins before pick up time to be reminded that they wanted you to be there 10 mins before pick up time?? Never happened to me!

Thanks. Think it’s peri menopause, I can’t retain information for some reason 😂. Hopefully OP gets the gist.

Sounds like they used to all finish early on a friday when all the kids had gone and now they are pissed they have to stay till close. A bit tough really as its their job!

I don’t as I have no experience of it. But if I had, I would make sure I was there in time to ask the staff how my child’s day had been.

As the OP was.

Hi all. A reminder to keep replies focused on the situation the OP has asked about, rather than her childcare arrangements or working/studying choices. Piling on about that isn’t helpful or in the spirit of the site.