Nursery mums (and dads)

For the second day on the trot, we’ve had to hang around at nursery waiting for one parent (oh ok, it’s been the mums that are the culprits) who’s hogging the person doing child handovers and day run through, while everyone else has their child waiting to go home.

For most of the last year we’ve had no problems.  Same time every time, between 5.30-5.40, and maybe there’s one other person picking up.  Nursery now only have one person doing handovers so you can expect to wait a short while if it’s busy.  But the last 2 days, I’ve been hanging around for 10-15 minutes before getting to speak to someone because the mum (and it’s been a different one on both days) has been trying to locate her child’s bits and pieces that are or aren’t in the nursery bag that’s been given to her.

The one yesterday was just plain madness.  Any formula they ask you to provide in bottles for the day – thankfully N was on cow’s milk by the time he started nursery so we didn’t have to faff with that.  That’s all very well, however this mother decided to send in THE most popular bottle on the market (those Tommee Tippee ones that everyone seems to have), without marking it as her daughters.  Err, nursery put coloured stickers on to try and differentiate, but really, you’d think she’d either provide a totally different type of bottle, or put initials on or nail polish etc.  Something that was obvious.  So for the best part of 15 minutes, N & I were hanging around waiting to get his daily book and a quick catch up.  Another parent turned up too, but this mum seemed oblivious to everyone else hanging around.

Today, wasn’t quite as bad because I was able to get a quick verbal run down from one of the other girls there as she was stood near us at the room while the room leader was talking to another mum who was faffing with missing shoes she insisted the child had had in her bag, and a coat.

Ok, so I admit that I don’t put labels on anything of N’s (apart from his Peter Rabbit which has his initials on the label as I know nursery have 2 of their own), but they seem to always know his clothes, shoes & boots, plus he always knows where he’s strewn his items as well. I just think if you’re that precious about your child’s items, then put labels on it.

The dad’s don’t seem to take as long, generally they just grab and go.  My main irritation with them is the rubbish parking they seem to do.  A couple of them have work vans which take up most of the car park (there should be room for 3 if not 4 normal sized cars, plus there’s an extra car park round the back for overflow).  But mostly they park any old how, not leaving enough room meaning other people can’t get through to the overflow one, or can’t get in and out.  Very annoying when in the morning you just want to drop your child off and get out to work, and in the evening you want to be able to grab your child quickly so you can get some time with them at home.

Hopefully it’ll be quicker once he moves up to the Ducks room in the new year, although I have a feeling it might be worse as that’s getting to the age where parents are likely to want more of an insight into what their children are up to as they start learning more detailed things.