smoker who keeps snakes.......not near my baby!

[ritzcrackers]

Feel tertible saying this out loud...hence asking on mumsnet!

I have been offered a childcare student from the local college. Just met her and it turns out she is a smoker and keeps snakes. I have a 2 week old newborn and a toddler so I have concerns....

She says she wont smoke on her 2 days with me.....and won't bring the snakes

I'm thinking increased risk of cot death and Salmonella. AIBU and hormonal or should I be greatful for the extra help?

If she isn't smoking around your kids or bringing the snakes I wouldn't have thought it'd matter so much.

But if it does make you uncomfortable say no.

I don't see why either would bother you if they have nothing to do with your children? What she does in her own time is her business surely.

Totally MrsC2010 but worried about smoke being on her clothes and handling new born (we had a cot death in the family so a bit more worried), I guess the Salmonella is only a problem if she doesn't wash her hands?

YABU

Is it perhaps that you just don't like her for some other reason? Is she a bit of a chav or a bit of goth? Something you dislike but don't want to admit?

i would read up about salmonella and how it can be caught from snakes/lizards. my guess is that if she washes her hands properly with anti bacterial soap this is not a problem.

The snakes wouldn't bother me so long as her hygiene is good, but being a smoker would be a stumbling block if she smells of it.

can understand the smoker bit
would you also be funny about her if she kept chickens? Or even ate chickens bought from a local supplier?

Ask for a different one - perhaps if she doesnt smoke and needs too she will be irritable around the children.

I hate both - but I could live with the smoke more than the snakes!!

YABU - we keep snakes and we have never had a problem - the Salmonella risk only comes if she handles them and doesnt wash her hands.

She seems a lovely girl! The advice from the hospital re cot death/smoking etc worries me......the hand washing should be fine, everyone should wash their hands before handling newborns anyway sop don't think she would take offence. DH suggested she has a change of clothes here that we wash etc and she changes into at the start of the day??

Aside from the smoking, which I imagine the College have already advised her on, would you have felt the same if she said she had a puppy, they carry Campylobacter?

yep....if she didn't wash her hands.

wouldn't be happy with the smell of smoke tbh...smokers stink,even when they think they don't (i used to smoke and thought when i chewed gum and drenched myself in deodorant and perfume,that that disguised it....it didn't)

also agree that if she smokes regularly,she will not be able to go a whole working day without smoking/being ratty/thinking constantly about her next fag!..don't think i could trust her not to have a sneaky one

YANBU smokers always smell of smoke and their clothes too, especially if she has a cigarette before coming to work. You are definitely fine to say no thank you to a smoker. Sorry to hear of the loss of your baby.

The smoking would be enough to put me off, never mind the snakes.

Wouldn't worry about the snakes.

But the smoking is a major NO NO for me.

She will smell of smoke, her clothes will smell of smoke and if she's just had a ciggie before coming to you she will still be breathing out CO for an hour after that last cigarette. Not what your newborn needs at all.

I really doubt there would be an issue if she owned a cat or dog. We own around 50-60 snakes (I lose count!) and they ar ein our house, the same house as our children live in, and no-one has caught salmonella or any life threatening illness, just like they haven't from our cats, dogs, rats, mice or hamster... I am sure if she owns 'snakes' as opposed to 'snake' she knows enough about them to practice good hygene.

I don't smoke and wouldn't be keen on a smoker being around my children, but if they weren't smoking or wearing smokey slothes around the children, then I can't really see the difference between them and a non smoker, tbh.

YANBU, I wouldn't be too keen on the snakes thing. The smoking wouldn't bother me too much.

She keeps snakes AND smokes?

have the bitch arrested.

Smoking - depends if she is a social smoker or heavier. If she only smokes in the pub on a friday night then no problem, or just in the evenings. If she will be smoking before work then I wouldn't be so keen as she will smell of it and might be tempted to pop out for the odd one. Speaking as as ex heavy smoker here.

Snakes - not a problem TBH I thin snakes are quite clean? Probably more so than cats and dogs anyway.

Bizarre post, had to read!

Snakes? Gorgeous. I would be very pleased to have them bring them to show my kids. I adore snakes. I'd certainly not be worried about germs from them - why are they different to anything else - animal or otherwise? Far more of a risk if she had children at nursery herself who were constantly contracting stuff which she could then pass on, and obviously it would be daft to not employ someone in that situation so the snakes are just a non-issue.

Also not sure of this "must wash your hands anytime you go near to a newborn" . Seems overkill to me - mine is fine and although we obviously practised good hygiene, it wasn't fanatical. And we have a dog who was around him - he's fine.

Smoking - if she smelt of smoke, I'd not want her in the house. If not, and she didn't smoke while she was here, no problem. But not smoking for two days is a tall order IMO, but maybe not for her, who knows.