How do I complain to my CM ?

[twofishes]

Picked up my DS2 ( 6mths) from CM today and she said he was red in face and thought he might have had allergic reaction to her new wipes...said he hadn't been in the sun so it couldn't be that. he seemed fine in himself and just wanted to get him home so left it at that
After getting him home it really looks like sunburn all over his forehead cheeks, nose and eyelids, my other two older kids also have red cheeks and noses now ( after bath)

Am not happy if it is sunburn as he has been a sunny day and she is normally really good about cream etc ..two questions really ,,how can I tell it is sunburn and how do I complain ?

In my experience ds is really fair and if he has caught the sun (has done twice on 2 cloudy days) it always shows when he gets out of the bath.

Do you send suncream or does your childminder provide it?
I would call her or speak to her next time you drop kids off. Say that they all had sunburn on Friday so I have put sent a bottle of cream with them for you to use. Tell her you know she usually uses it and you were upset they got sunburn.

Also make sure you apply it in a morning as it takes a while for the skin to absorb it and it to be effective. If your childminder is usually good about suncream it may be that it was a genuine mistake and she would be horrified and guilt ridden to know they were sunburnt. I know I would be, but then my ds is very fair so I always have the suncream out!
Is she good on the whole? Do your kids like her? I would sleep on it before you complain too.

hth

Don't you get a daily diary what they have done? Or can your older kids tell you if they have been out and about? I think I would be more mad if they have been out in the sun and she has lied about it than a rare overlooking of sunscreen, if that makes sense.

Thanks for the advice Kay,(no, no diarys) my eldest 6yrs said they went to the park this morning but it rained on and off and they came for back lunch, I think like you say if she has then lied about not being out in the sun that makes it worse than if she had said'am really sorry forgot to put suncream on and they have caught the sun etc etc ', still would've been upset but at least she'd been honest ..DP is really mad and says should not go, but up til now kids have been really well looked after don't know what to do

Also she knows its really important that DD has suncream on ( I always send bottle in her bag) has she has skin scarring that needs sun protection....

So if 6 yo thinks it rained off & on - could it be more likely that it is an allergy (ie all of them have it)? Or do you think 6yo is mistaken about the weather & the CM forgot?

Could she just have been caught short - gone out when it was dull and there were a few outbreaks of sun?

My DH got the worst sunburn he has ever had after a day out in overcast showery weather. It doesn't actually need to be sunny I don't think.

To me is sounds genuine that she thought it was the wipes - cloudy/rainy etc didn't realise how sunny it was and they would get burnt. Baby probably hasn't been obviously sat out in the sun to get burnt etc It was very breezy here so it could be wind burn - have had that before!

well have spoken to her and she says that when they were in the park, baby was in the shade with suncream and hat on , the other were in sun but again with suncream and their hats on..she used a different suncream (her own not the one I sent) with the baby so maybe it could be that..baby face didn't go red until after tea.so who knows what it could be , she was genuinely concerned, she rang me this morning to see how he was...will put it behind us and carry on as normal
thanks all your advice (DP still )but the kids like her and this is the only hiccup in 3 yrs so...

If that is the only hiccough in 3 years than you have a good childminder indeed, even the most fantastic ones out there are probably going to do a little thing that irks occasionally!