Was I right to complain after nursery let him play outside cold?

[ForBrightOP]

i picked my son up from nursery at 5 and it was cold and windy.
He was playing in the garden with a thin tshirt I provided as spare and he was wearing thin joggers provided by nursery as his clothes was wet due to playing with water. He had a jumper in his bag and I always provide a coat with him. I questioned to myself why he wasn’t wearing his jumper or coat when it’s cold and windy outside. The nursery has always been good with him so I thought there was an explanation and thought to trust this.
He was freezing when I picked him up, he said he was cold in the car and took him ages to warm up. He had wind burn on his cheeks and it didn’t calm down till he went to bed. I phoned up my concerns to nursery once I got home and sent an email to complain of this with images of his cheeks and the jumper and coat I provide to nursery asking why he wasn’t wearing this. Am I being over the top? Should I not of complained of this?

I wouldn’t have complained but would ask that he wears his coat when playing outside at next drop off. Not everything has to be a big drama.

I think it is fine to question it and ask he is remind to wear his coat but the photos seem overkill.

It wasn't really that cold today. How long had he been out?

Tbh some kids refuse when given their coat. You can’t always force them.

I’d certainly ask that he wears a coat in future as he was cold on the way home etc. You can state what happened matter of factly without being too confrontational.

I mean I wouldn't of been happy about it but the photos were perhaps a tad too far. I would of just said to them next time can you please make sure he's wearing his coat / jumper so he doesn't get too cold, as he is clearly freezing. How they didn't think to put his coat on is truly baffling so I can understand your upset. I know some kids refuse to wear them at points but if it's extremely windy and cold you should expect that they put their foot down. I can't imagine he was refusing to wear it if he said he was cold.

It depends where the OP is surely?

It was cold here. Far too cold for a young child to be playing outside in a t-shirt at 5pm.

@ForBrightOP I think it was fine to raise it. It's not a good standard of care. It's quite basic to know that you put coats on kids when they're outside and it's cold. I think it's reasonable to expect this level of knowledge from qualified nursery staff.

How old is he and if he is able to tell you he’s cold why could he not tell the nursery staff? Or come in?
It’s fine to let them know and request that he wears another layer when playing out.

How old is he? If he’s 4 and the whole class were outside playing and he was offered but refused the coat that would be very very different to an 18MO that couldn’t articulate that they were cold or make an appropriate judgement about what to wear for the weather.

He is 2 and they were all playing outside, none of the children was indoors. I’m not sure why he didn’t but to me he did, he might’ve been too distracted playing but when you touch him he was freezing.

He’s 2 and he’s really good at wearing clothing, he doesn’t refuse at all

This was Thursday but im just thinking whether to apologise for the email with the images when I go in and speak to them calmly about it

Even if he'd tried to refuse, the nursery should have overruled him and put his coat on him anyway.
I mean at the age of two they definitely should have, surely.

No he’s pretty good at wearing his clothing when you ask him too, he never refuses with me so I can’t see why he would with them if they offered?

OP, you are making such a big deal out of this. If you weren’t already, you are now ‘that parent’.

It’s not a drama, it is a concern in why he wasn’t wearing clothing that was provided for when he’s playing outdoors.

I think the proportionate response would have been to query it next time you take him to nursery. The staff understanding why he was outside without a coat is more likely to prevent it happening again than asking for it not to. Small children are very hardy, far more so than adults.

’that parent’ in raising a concern?

Raise a concern by all means but a complaint, with photos?? Extremely OTT.

This was exactly my thinking, I know that some kids do refuse (MY SON) but i cant imagine your DS refused if he was telling you he was cold. I think you were right to complain, I just find it so weird they would allow him to play out in a t shirt at that time in such cold windy weather (its bad where I am too), especially if he had a coat and jumper. I think you did well to bring it to their attention tbh

The standards you expect are too low. Advocate for your children.

“Windburn” 😂

By all means mention you’d like him to be reminded to wear his coat, but it hardly warrants a massive deal making of it. We’re not in the arctic.

My daughter worksvin a nursery. Parents raise concerns all the time - don't worry, you haven't done anything wrong in contacting them.

children skin are sensitive, he had red cheeks from being out in the wind?

I think you were completely reasonable, I'd have been annoyed.

Our nursery don't let kids out unless they put coats on. No coat = back indoors. Easy peasy.

I also think if I brought it up they'd apologise and make sure it didn't happen again, not think I was that parent. I don't think that's actually a thing. It's not like you stormed down there demanding recompense.

Ours are a cracking nursery though. Hats off to them (lol).

You do sound like you went off on one - I ca hear the emotion in your post - outrage

and I can understand that

always try and calm
down first so you can communicate assertively rather than confrontationally - I know it’s hard - I always try and leave it until the next day