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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be cross/upset with my son's nursery?

21 replies

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 20:39

When my son came home from nursery today it would seem as though he has had no fluids since his bottle at home this morning (7am).

His 3pm formula feed was in a bottle untouched in his lunch bag (but they had poured it from the carton into the bottle) and his juice beaker was also full to the brim untouched (I know this becuase they do not have juice and I tasted it so it can't have been refilled).

My son is 10.5 months old and I have only just cut out 1 milk feed so he is used to having even more to drink!

It was quite warm today and I know they had been outside as he was covered in sand/sun cream so surely they should have been pushing the fluids?

When my husband brought him home it was 6ish and he guzzled down his bedtime milk and then I offered him some juice which he gladly took (2-3oz) so he obviously WAS thirsty!

I feel a bit annoyed with the nursery for not making more of an effort. If I was looking after someone else's child and they had not had anything to drink for 10 hours, I would be a bit worried!

I can't understand why they didn't call me if there was a problem, or perhaps they don't think this is a problem?

Until now I have been really happy with the nursery, it has a great Ofsted report, and they usually communicate really well with us. I now feel a bit let down and concerned about leaving my son there (he only goes 1 day/week).

I know they are busy but there are always plenty of staff when I drop him off and the ratio is meant to be 1:2... They charge quite a bit more than other nurseries in our area but we have always thought we were getting good value for money.

Does anyone think IABU?

OP posts:

FattipuffsandThinnifers · 20/04/2009 20:43

There may be a simple reason why his drinks were untouched, eg he just refused them? Maybe he was having too much fun playing?

But no, YANBU. I would mention it next time - not in a confrontational way but more of a reminder: "oh by the way I noticed ...etc", and add "he is a thirsty little boy so please make sure he drinks plenty won't you".
If it happens again though I would definitely be more upfront about it.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 20/04/2009 20:43

Our nursery offer all children water with their meals and snacks so perhaps they do the same?

If not, then YANBU and definitely should mention it the next time your ds goes.

Dillydaydreamer · 20/04/2009 20:46

YANBU and I have had similar problems with dd1 at nursery. However, I do appreciate getting her to drink is like getting blood from a stone.
If he is normally a guzzler of fluids then I would say something because it probably got forgotton. If he isn't you still need to remind staff to encourage him. Nurseries can't remember every different childs needs every day. I always give drinks directly to staff and insist they are visible.
Trouble with nurseries is that the ratio is normally 1:5 and they have set snack times and limited opportunity to drink iyswim. I have to say though that dd2 would scream the place down and point at other childrens/steal other childrens drinks if she didn't get one at 10.5mths.

junglist1 · 20/04/2009 20:54

Even schools are the same. I picked up my 5 year old and he was complaining of a headache, he was completely listless. Turned out he didn't have a drink all day, the jugs were empty at lunch and when he asked a dinner lady he was ignored, she just gets paid to stand there as part of the furniture apparently (overstuffed sofa). Twice it's happened now!!!!!

lilacclaire · 20/04/2009 20:57

I would be furious and complain, poor thing.

I would also ask that they take a note of everything that he drinks throughout the day so you can monitor it.

CMOTdibbler · 20/04/2009 20:59

Did he have plenty of wet nappies in the day ? If so, he was probably drinking water with all the others during the day, and just didn't need the juice

Gemzooks · 20/04/2009 21:01

I would mention it and ask when he'd been offered fluids other than what was in the untouched bottles, I wouldn't wade in furiously but just voice your concern, after all they ought to be aware of this kind of thing and respond to your worries. they should be making sure the kids get enough liquid..

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 21:05

Well, as it happens we have had real trouble getting him to drink from any sort of cup/beaker (have tried about 6 different ones now). He can now drink from a "tommee tippee" one which has a soft silicone (bottle-esque) spout (not ideal but given up) so unless they gave it him in a bottle I doubt he got any

Another issue which has not helped the matter is his "key-worker" has started to write in his diary but obv forgotton to finish! So we know that "he really enjoyed playing in the car and being wheeled around" but we do not know the important things such as "sleep: ....blank" or "food: ...". This has never happened before so maybe she was having a bad day?!

Still, not my LO's fault!!!!

OP posts:

compo · 20/04/2009 21:06

are you sure he wasn't drinking water throughout the day?

compo · 20/04/2009 21:07

junglist1 - I'd definitely complain to his class teacher about that

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 21:07

Oh and I even wrote in his diary today "Please encourage him to drink from his beaker"!!!!

OP posts:

Dillydaydreamer · 20/04/2009 21:09

Rachel, when new children start this sort of thing can happen because rightly or wrongly the new child is inevitably unsettled and needs more 1:1 attention. My guess is it is a blip and just keep an eye on it. Are the nursery aware of the cup issues?

Toffeepopple · 20/04/2009 21:11

I would raise it, drinking is important.

Even in my son's year one class they keep an eye on it! (e.g. they must have water after PE)

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 21:16

Ok I think I will give them a ring tomorrow and ask if he was drinking water - maybe they have some sort of magic beaker that he likes (!) - in which case I need to get one!

My husband thinks he probably drank from somebody else's drink as he has been known to take other babies food !!!!

OP posts:

letswiggle · 20/04/2009 21:17

I think they should be able to remember everything about each child's needs and preferences though. My son's nursery staff know everything about him from a to z and he's 3 now so his main carer has 6 children under her responsibility. If they're 1:2 they should know what kind of cup/bottle he likes.

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 21:28

Hi, dillydaydreamer
I have never sent him with a cup before, as never got him to drink out of one until last week. That's why I have not cut out 1 milk feed and I wrote that in the diary and also mentioned it to one of the girls when I dropped him off....

OP posts:

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 20/04/2009 21:29

*cut out 1 milk feed

OP posts:

Dillydaydreamer · 20/04/2009 21:49

Mmmm, perhaps he just wouldn't drink from the cup for them either. I remember dd1 being a monkey with fluids and still is tbh. Although not having the milk feed TBH though my dd2 hasn't had any day milk feeds since 9mths and only got better with fluids once it stopped as she wasn't so full iyswim. It is also not out of the realms of possibility for a child not to want fluids during the day but be thirsty later either.
I still say mention it and don't assume the worst.

Dillydaydreamer · 20/04/2009 21:50

Sorry I meant milk feeds during the core day!! Now has 1 cup of milk am and pm at 12mths.

TheHedgeWitchIsNAK · 20/04/2009 22:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Rachel2796 · 21/04/2009 08:36

TheHedgeWitchIsNAK

YES! That's the ONLY one he will drink from - because of the silicone spout. Also the liquid comes out quite easily whereas some of them you have to really suck quite hard on!
I only discovered it last week in Boots and he's already got the hang of it

OP posts:

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