Gym Creche Policy

[justlookatthatbooty]

Very to discover that the gym creche policy is to drop child and leave immediately on first and all future visits. Not allowed to hang out and play with the children whilst they get used to it. Find this extremely irritating and utterly ridiculous. When I challenged the manager she made a stupid teenager Ooooohh sound at being challenged, upon which I pushed further and she explained that if one parent did it then the children would all want their parents to do it. I understand where this statement is coming from but I don't understand how a 2.2 year old is supposed to feel safe and secure if he's abandoned on one side of the safety fence whilst mother stands on the other. Surely people don't still engage in the Victorian practice of leaving their crying children with complete strangers and disappearing? We've moved into more intelligent and aware times right? I'm really shocked and am challenging the policy further at the club but would of course like to enjoy the health club and see the whole thing work out. Despite their insistence that I disappear without waving etc I hung around long enough to see him engaged in happy play and went outside the door and sat at the cafe. When DS howled (DD 7 months was fine) after 2 minutes of my leaving they brought him to me when he was inconsolable and we just hung out at the club together checking out the environment and having fun. When we went back to get DD I went inside the fenced child only area and spent an eternity changing both their nappies and playing with all the children there. BEcause I was only inside the play area to change nappies I got away with it and I plan to do this each time until DS is comfortable and see how it goes. But I'm curious to know, within health clubs or not, is this normal creche policy?

I think it's pretty normal with any form of childcare. It doesn't help the child settle if you're hanging around, it just makes them more confused that you're there at the beginning and then you're not. That's what you do when you're settling a child into a new nursery, you leave them. Presumably you're only going to be gone max 1 hour anyway?

can they see you from the creche? thing is if it was a nursery you'd leave them an hour or so at first to see how they get on. at a gym you're probably only ever leaving them that long aren't you? so not much to build up to really.

Ooh, I disagree with LadyBiscuit Imo a small child should be given a settling in period with his or her parent to make sure they know they are safe and secure and not going to be abandoned. My 2.6 yo DD has just started with a playgroup (which I understand is totally different to a creche). On the first morning I stayed in the same room for an hour or so. I then dithered about whether or not I should say goodbye to her - the staff actively encouraged me to give her a kiss & a cuddle and let her know that I was going off for a little while but that I would be back later to pick her up. Cue happy little girl who played happily in my absence but was happy to see me when I returned.

The creches I have used have always allowed me to stay until I was comfortable that my DD was happy.

I think I made it clear that my DD was happy in my last post, didn't I?!

I dropped mine off, then only left them 20 mins, so they got the idea of me going and coming back quite quickly. Then the next time, I checked on them (out of their sight) and if they were fine I left them for longer (45 mins). Then after that it was an hour or longer. More productive than hanging around for half the session, usually a drawn-out goodbye makes the child worse.

If they are really distressed they come and get you.

I don't think it's really practical to have parents hanging around, particularly given the short amount of time you'll actually be leaving them. You say you were playing with the children, but doesn't this raise safeguarding issues for the creche, to have parents interacting with children?

Sounds normal to me. If the child is upset and can't be settled then the creche staff come and get you. At least that was my experience. In fact the gym creche was the first place I left ds with anyone who wasn't a relative (at 3 months).

Rindercella - my DS is safe and secure thank you and doesn't think he's been abandoned when I leave him

LadyBiscuit, really no need for the , or to be so defensive. I was just giving my own opinion and I did in fact take the piss out of myself!

Sorry - didn't see the 2nd post. What I do with my DS is talk to him a lot about what is going to happen in advance (ie Mummy needs to the gym and children can't come but you get to stay here and play with all the other children and lots of lovely toys) so he looks forward to it rather than feeling that he's been abandoned.

Thanks everyone. great tips and good to hear your stories. I still think it's silly and I don't agree that it's not helpful to have adults hanging about etc or that it's confusing for the kids. My approach has been to allow my DC's to give me the cues as to when they are ready to be on their own. So far,as long as I allow them to take their time (which is usually very little)they have shown confidence and independence at the playgroups etc. But I do understand everyone has their own opinion. I just assumed, because of the playgroups we;ve been going to having a relaxed approach that things had moved on and am therefore shocked to find that it's still quite normal to 'drop and run'.

OMG its only the gym. That policy seems a little extreme. Sounds like govt guidelines madness to me, parents cant play with children who are not their own as they haven't been cleared for childcare roles etc etc
I'm starting next week to drop my first born off at the gym creche and I seriously hope I don't meet this level of insanity there, for the sake of a 20 minute swim!

It's not insanity! It's not wanting loads of parents clogging up the creche. I find it slightly strange that you didn't bother finding out what the policy was before you joined up ...

At our gym, it's fairly normal to have a bit of settling in time. DS is usually fine after 5 - 10 minutes or so of playing with me with creche workers around, and then he's OK. But have to say, it's an amazing creche as all the workers are older and some have grandchildren.

Fortunately no one has suggested the, 'if we allowed you to settle your child..' line, but if they did, might sort of remind them that the gym membership is kind of the first thing to go in a recession

It is good childcare policy for parents to be encouraged to settle children in. Creche is a bit more problematic but only because many parents actively want to drop and run. I would be very wary of any facility which said you couldn't do settling in. There is no problem with security as you wouldn't be on your own with other children, staff would still be there surely.

ladybiscuit your tone is over the top and downright rude. How do you know what I or anyone else 'bothered' to do or not? As the OP of this thread I would like to ask you to kindly take your haughty crap over to some other thread for rude and agressive people to wallow in their own misery and allow genuinely interested people to hold a decent conversation without barging in with your ignorant comments which are beyond opinionated. Thanks to others for interesting input.

There has been a lot of hyperbole on this thread - 'abandoned' 'Victorian' 'insane' - and not from me (those are just from your OP).

I am just explaining what my experience of gym creches is which is what I thought you wanted to know.

I didn't realise you merely wanted people to agree with your POV - perhaps you should have made that clear.

Actually ladybiscuit you are not just explaining your experience. You have stated that others have 'not bothered finding out' blah blah. Ignorant, given that the actual situation is that I have not yet signed up at the gym and my process is indeed finding out what their policy is. As for wanting people to agree with me, see my post before this, others are entitled to their ways and opinions. I'm only objecting at your rudeness. You clearly have an attitude problem.

Blimey.
Thought I'd wandered into AIBU

Bollocks I was just about to post and then realised this was not AIBU so I will close my mouth but I just have this to say

"ladybiscuit your tone is over the top and downright rude. How do you know what I or anyone else 'bothered' to do or not? As the OP of this thread I would like to ask you to kindly take your haughty crap over to some other thread for rude and agressive people to wallow in their own misery and allow genuinely interested people to hold a decent conversation without barging in with your ignorant comments which are beyond opinionated. Thanks to others for interesting input."

ROFL

I have an attitude problem, it's true. I react badly to hyperbole, always have done

Yes, you're quite right Libras. Totally overthetop of me. My apologies.