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Original poster

Guess who was holding my baby when I went to collect him...

180 replies

Washersaurus · 04/09/2008 14:06

The nursery chef ! He has been sat in the room before when I have been to collect DS2 from nursery, but today he was actually holding DS2 when I arrived. I'm not very happy about it tbh (he smokes aswell), how do I go about raising it with the nursery manager without upsetting everyone?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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SoupDragon · 04/09/2008 20:22

BabyDragon is often being looked after by her Keyworker's 12 yo daughter in holiday time. They are a nightmare together but have a whale of a time

Mutt · 04/09/2008 20:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoNotAnnoy · 04/09/2008 20:26

I admit I have not read the whole thread....but I have read the first few of Washer's posts.

The chef out our nursery does have nusery qualifications...she is actually more qualified than some of the staff that work directly with the children. She originally worked with the children and now works full time as the head chef. Actually I think it was a big loss to teh children when she changed her career.

The chef before her also had nursery qualifictions.

pagwatch · 04/09/2008 20:26

Was it Charlie Sheen?
Was it Hugh Laurie ?( no he's mostly in America now)
Was it Alexandra Bastedo
Was it Alistair Darling?

ooh oooh was it that guy..you know..the front man from The Arctic Monkeys...what ^is his name..but him. Was it him?

I give up

pagwatch · 04/09/2008 20:27

DoNOtAnnoy
surprisingly I haven't read the whole thread either.

pagwatch · 04/09/2008 20:28

Clive Dunn?

Original poster
Washersaurus · 04/09/2008 20:29

He was crying, but so far he always cries when I arrive to collect him. I wasn't concerned about his safety or anything, just genuinely suprised that non-childcare staff were allowed in the rooms to pick up/play with the babies and toddlers.

Oh, I am probably just feeling guilty for sending him to nursery in the first place....if I were a perfect mother I would stay at home and look after and cook for my children...oh hang on, I do that already and have been doing so for 3 years

OP posts:
MinkyBorage · 04/09/2008 20:30

I'd be fucked off! Can't believe so many of you are so laid back about who looks after your dc when you're not around!

harpsichordcarrier · 04/09/2008 20:30

lol at everyone in a nursery being fully-trained nah it really isn't like that, tbh.
as for him being a smoker, well one in four of people in the country are smokers and I would say it is a racing certainty that one of the nursery nurses is a smoker

Mutt · 04/09/2008 20:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WideWebWitch · 04/09/2008 20:34

Oh this is classic mn, love enid's thing about deifying of chefs, ha ha ha

morningpaper · 04/09/2008 20:34

God I have picked up other children when I've picked up my DDs

They come over and climb on you

I would be far more horrified if someone felt they couldn't pick up my child because of hysterical parents

Mutt · 04/09/2008 20:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

giraffescantdancethetango · 04/09/2008 20:46

Well I think its lovely that the nursery staff (non childcare ones) enjoy working with children so much they want to spend time with them.

How lovely for the children to have people excited to see them and being friendly towards them. What a wonderful ethos.

dizzyblonde · 04/09/2008 20:51

Oh dear. I work in a nursery, I'm not qualified, just a Mum with three children, does that make me unfit to cuddle a baby? I also cook at the nursery if the cook is unexpectedly away and we have enough staff. Personally there are an awful lot of qualified staff who I wouldn't put in charge of my dog, empathy, experience and common sense are far more important in my view than qualifications.

harpsichordcarrier · 04/09/2008 20:54

and I expect he had run out of cooking to do.
and even finished the washing up

georgimama · 04/09/2008 21:04

I'm not even qualified to be a mother (shock horror), I cook for my son even though I don't have any qualifications in catering, and I administer medication even though I'm not a nurse, and I care for him even though I don't have an NVQ in childcare. Mind you, a degree in English and Philosophy doesn't qualify you for much.

PLEASE don't feel guilty about sending your child to a nursery where the staff all (qualified or not) clearly enjoy children, it sounds like you and your child have landed on your feet.

spottyshoes · 04/09/2008 21:09

Just a mild curiosity but what would have happened if he had say dropped the child on his head? (for want of a better example)

In our blame and claim culture, if you were to sue, would he be supported by the nursery/union etc as child carers would be? No, as his role is not to supervise children

wannaBe · 04/09/2008 21:10

tbh I think you'd be lucky if 1 in 4 of the staff are qualified.

georgimama · 04/09/2008 21:11

The insurance would have kicked in and paid out regardless of whether it was a childcare or non childcare member of staff who did the dropping - dropping a charge on their head is pretty much negligent.

myredcardigan · 04/09/2008 21:49

Oh give the woman a break!!!
She hasn't come across as at all snobby. I'm sure she would have posted exactly the same had it been the nursery's accountant. I'd be a little bemused too, wondering where the nursery nurse was and whether it suggested that the nursery was understaffed.

I would not be worried that the chef was a paedophile nor that he was 'beneath' holding my child and I don't think the OP was thinking that either. His sex has nothing to do with it.

I'd be worried that adhoc room covering by non-childcare staff was symptomatic of a slapdash approach. Unless it was previously made clear to be that he was included in the numbers.

He should not be allowed to smoke in view of the children either.

chloemegjess · 04/09/2008 21:56

I haven't read through all replies but here is what I think.

I used to work in private nurseries and the nursery nurses will have sereral children to look after. Depending on the age of your DS it will be anything from 3 to 8 children per adult.

If your DS was crying, a nursery nurse cant sit and hold him as they have other children to look after. The chef may have been free and thought he would help out.

So the question is, would you rather your child was crying on the floor or happy sitting with the chef?

tigger15 · 05/09/2008 12:33

At my ds' nursery all the staff have childcare qualifications including the cook (who is female), the manager and the administrator. The kids all love the cook (she brings food after all) and she loves playing with them. I have been there when the manager and/or the administrator are with the kids keeping ratios up in the early morning or end of the day e.g. when my ds was only one left at the end of the day and had his key worker and the administrator as his attendees. All the kids know and like them.

lauraloola · 05/09/2008 17:26

I used to work in a nursery and we never allowed members of staff who werent employed to care for the children to hold them. They spoke to them and got on with them but that was as far as it went.

I cant remember if chefs have the relevant police checks or if the nursery is covered if anything should happen whilst the chef was holding your lo.

I would raise it with the manager as you obviously arent happy about it. TBH I wouldnt be either - They pay the chef to cook not care for children.

FrockHorror · 05/09/2008 17:30

How do you know the chef doesn't have any childcare qualifications?

At one nursery I worked at, the cook was more qualified than most of us to work with the children, she just preferred to feed them instead although she did help out when things got busy.