to moan about dd's coat covered in paint and wont wash off

[bossyboop]

Last year I bought dd a winter coat, I usually get a cheap one from Asda or somewhere but I saw a lovely one in Next so paid the £18 for it on the basis that as I got her a bigger size it would do for last winter as well as this winter and maybe even some of winter next year.

Now dd's lovely red coat is covered in blue splodges of paint all over the front of the coat and it didnt come off with multi murpose stain remover or in the washing machine. So the coat to last 2 or 3 winters looks ready for the bin after 1 or more to the point after 1 month at nursery.

Now ive got 2 options, either I send her to nursery in september looking tatty and scruffy and like we are parents that dont care OR I buy a new coat which i probably will and tbh that annoys me. I wouldnt dream of letting her paint at home in her coat at all never mind without an apron on, and surely messy activities should be closely supervised to prevent children storming in unproperly dressed.

So wondered AIBU to moan at the teachers about this???

I know the school wont pay for a new one but is there any point to be annoyed about this or just to be expected of a 3 year old?

YANBU - I would expect clothes to come back covered in all sorts (would be dissapointed if they didn't) but not coats.

DS has a nursery wardrobe - he's got a grotty second hand coat (perfectly adequate,and it's never going to get pinched ) and I tend to put him in clothes that are already getting a bit grubby, or cheap stuff from supermarkets, rather than his more expensive stuff.

They do a lot of painting and sticking at nursery, and I don't care if this stuff gets ruined

agree with woahwoah.

As an EYFS practitioner i know children have to have access to outside everyday whatever the weather and access to the same activities inc painting outside. A waterproof would be the best coat for your DD for pre school IMO.

Having said that when DS had paint on his clothes that wouldn't wash I politly mentioned it to nursery and it turned out they had a new brand sent in and hadn't realised so the nursery did switch to an alternative brand which washed out easier. Altho pre school clothes never came out that clean!!! - nor his current white school polo shirts

Regarding paint stains...

Having had many clothes wrecked by paint, I have discovered that if you put directly in the machine, even with vanish powder, the hot water sets the stains.

A little soak in plain cold water, or even just a run under the tap for a small stain first will mean the normal wash will get rid of it.

Re your question... If you knew they paint outside then yabu. She should have the right clothes.

But if my child was permitted to paint indoors with her coat on I would be a bit miffed when it got ruined, yes.

Don't understand the comments from others along the lines of 'yabu, getting messy is part of childhood'. Well can she not have fun fifteen seconds later once someone has reminded her to hang up her coat? Taking care of belongings is also something to learn as a child.

Thanks for all these comments, i feel so much calmer about it today and feel more open to taking on board ALL the comments.

That is my point also, that they should look after their belongings, if she thinks its ok to splash paint all over her coat will she think its ok to trash her toys or the furniture also? Do we not have an obligation to yes let them have freedom but also set boundaries.

Painting - we wear aprons, cooking - aprons, gardening - old clothes and shoes, swimming - bathing suit, playing in the snow - wellies, hats, gloves, scarves, warm coats - Are all these not uniforms that we wear for different activities. I can recall my first day at school aged 4 - the first thing i remember asking for was an apron to play at the water table. Is it not just sensible and practical to dress appropriately for different activities. I was never informed about outdoor painting so never had the chance to opt into putting her a different coat. The coat was purchased long before she started nursery so never gave any thought to it ever getting ruined in the future, but now i know for next time...

I wouldn´t expect a coat to get paint on tbh.

That said, here, (Germany), for kindergarten you leave wellies & a waterproof jacket & trousers there.

They always put on for outside-unless it´s hot!

bossyboop on almost a daily basis at the nursery I work in a child picks up an already painty apron for painting indoors or outdoors and puts it on inside out covering themselves in paint or they cover their hands in paint and then when they take the apron off get it all over themselves, it just happens.
It's nobody's fault, we try to avoid it happening by cleaning the aprons and turning them the right way round regularly and we wouldn't stand by and watch them do it but these things are just part of going to nursery.

Also with reguards to the wetting it is my job at nursery to change children who have had an accident or need help with toileting and it can be really difficult to know if a child is wet.
A couple of my charges have slipped through the net and I was mortified when I found out, I am sure the staff at your nursery feel the same.