Should I be concerned / say something?

[handlemecarefully]

18 month old dd is currently at Day Nursery...and whilst I'll be giving up work soon, she'll still continue going - thanks to a recent mumsnet thread!(albeit for reduced hours - 10 hours per week)

Anyway - picked her up yesterday from Day Nursery and the staff presented me with an accident report. She had fallen off the slide. She didn't look badly hurt - a graze to the cheek and a slightly red raised bump on her forehead, however its the potential that bothers me. She could have had a right nasty crack to the head. Generally I am happy with this Day Nursery but was uncomfortable about this.....

I realise accidents happen - but falling off a slide? Surely a one and a half year old requires close supervision whilst on a slide? When I take her to the park and pop her on the slide I am stood 6 inches away from her and monitor her closely - because she's only a baby! I can't conceive of her falling off a slide when I am with her, so why did it happen at Day Nursery ? Am I over-reacting?

I'm inclined to raise it with the Day Nursery manager.....not in a snotty way, but to register my concern. Perhaps this is really sexist (shoot me down in flames - I deserve it!) but she was with the male nursery nurse at the time. Sorry but I think blokes generally aren't as switched on when it comes to childcare (ooops - I'm going to get a pasteing now!)

toys sterilised every day???? what on earth are they going to do when they meet a real germ! For goodness sake!

The list of ridiculous rules at nursery just gets longer each year. We have had to sign consent forms to allow the nursery to use a baby wipe on our children!

I know, it's just crazy! But the sad thing is, these ridiculous rules and regulations are stifling the life out of communities. If you run a coffee morning for charity any food such as scones is supposed to be buttered by someone with a H&S certificate in food preparation. Schools are no longer allowed to offer home made food like cakes or sandwiches at fairs/Xmas parties etc due to the 'risk' of food poisoning. It has to be shop-bought stuff - like I really prefer my children to consume Mr Kiplings additives and that commercial products never have glass or dead mice or insects in them......

hmc - I know how you feel - ds had a horrible bang on the head at nursery when he fell down the stairs when he was 18 months, and hit his head on the stair gate. Apparently, he convinced the nursery staff through his confidence that he could 'do' stairs. He couldn't! Never had at home, and just wanted to try them out. But he had the air of someone who did stairs every day without accident. So I think in that case it was actually ds' fault!

I think the odd bump doesn't hurt, and if you are worried, you could just write them a note to go on your child's records to say that for the moment you'd prefer her to be closely supervised when on the slide/climbing equipment.

Could I just say that I really wouldn't complain specifically about the male nursery teacher - or certainly not as it is because HE didn't look after themm properly. He is as trained as any of the other staff and I think he would, rightly, feel aggrevieved at such a comment and it is certainly sounding as though it is discriminating against him because fo hsi gender. If you weren't there you can't be sure he wasn't watching as much as the other girls do.

BTW, DH is often much more conscious of DD's safety than I am. And his dad is even worse! Not all men are rubbish at watching children.

Sorry - jumbles and written quick, got a class coming in 2 minutes. Hope it makes sense.

Hulababy,

I'm not going to complain now anyway as have thought better of it!

However re the male Nursery Nurse - its not just this one thing.... I've made other 'hard to put your finger on it' observations over time re this chap. I just don't have the same confidence in him as the others...for example, I saw him say to one little'un (admittedly in a friendly way) "No I'm not going to help you with your dinner Thomas - you're one years old now and can feed yourself". At the time I though - crissakes, its a bit unreasonable to expect them to be totally competent with cutlery at just turned one - having a go with it yes, but completely autonomous - no. It sounds a bit petty in the re-telling! Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned his gender as it may be a red herring - since I would probably feel the same if he was a woman.