Stupid, but really getting me down!

[Lady Haha]

I pick up a little girl three days a week from school along with up to five other children. In this school there is a choice to buy the school coat which she has one of. Trouble is, she nearly always comes out without it and I have to send her back in to get it. Sometimes she comes back out saying it's not there, so twice I've been back in with her to look for it. Not happy as this meant leaving the others outside the class inthe playground waiting for us. This happened yesterday and I couldn't find the coat either.

Mum got really cross with her daughter when she picked up, saying that she's 5 now and should be able to remember her coat.

The thing thats getting me down about this is that all these coats are exactly the same! She has a tiny little pink think on her zip so she can see which is hers. I think it's very easy for another child to have knocked her coat off her peg during the day and then put it back on wrong peg, other child comes along and wears wrong coat etc etc

At the same time, I have all the other kids to say 'have you got your coat, bag, lunch box, hat, gloves, scarf, etc etc' to and if I didn't drop them off how can I possibly know what they should be coming out with!!!

I just think the school coats are a stupid idea!! The kids I look after who have their own pink, black, blue, purple coats never lose theirs!!!

Not sure what I want you all to say, but just been going round in my head ever since mum picked up yesterday and had a right go at her daughter. I felt bad too, but I can't keep leaving the others outside and going back in with this girl to look for her coat!!!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that children are old enough to look for their own coats.

Maybe speak to the teacher and explain that you cannot keep coming in and out and maybe the mindee can look for her as one of the first.

When things are all the same it is easy for one coat to be mistaken for another but who would go home with two?

Good luck

[Annie_T]

i can see your point hun

my 2 even forget their coats and they have go back in, sometiimes you just want go home sit down, like you say you have other mindee's to think of too.

i would suggest you ask parents to inform you what they have, a txt or just a call quickly.

[uf353432]

What I have noticed is at the school I pick up on all children regardless of the temp outside need to sit and wait wearing their coats before they open the door - the teachers are therefore responsible for making sure all who came with a coat are wearing them and not the minders/parents/carers etc.

Maybe someone could give the child a badge to wear on her coat with her name or a picture of a flower or something similar :idea:

[The Juggler]

get mum to write her name in big black marker pen across the inside?

[Lady Haha]

I think that children are old enough to look for their own coats.

Maybe speak to the teacher and explain that you cannot keep coming in and out and maybe the mindee can look for her as one of the first.

When things are all the same it is easy for one coat to be mistaken for another but who would go home with two?

Good luck

I don't think any one would go home with two, I just know how these 4 and 5 year olds think! If one of them came in from play to find another coat on their peg, they wouldnt think to take it off and put theirs on it, they would prob leave the wrong coat on the peg and put their own coat on the bench! Then at home time, they would completely have forgotten they did that and take the coat thats on their peg, leaving their own coat still on the bench! At that age they can't even remember what they had for dinner three hours after they had it, so I do feel sorry for this little girl!

Just getting me down cos we are only on week three of the new term!!!

I suppose my main bugbear here is the coats all being the same! At the end of the day, this little girls coat wasn't in the cloakroom anywhere, but there were two coats left on the benchs that weren't hers! So, it may not have been her fault that she didn't have it at hometime! If she had a pink or purple or whatever coat, it would have less chance of getting lost! One of my other mindees who has one of the school coats arrived one morning wearing some one elses coat!!!

[Mouse]

What I have noticed is at the school I pick up on all children regardless of the temp outside need to sit and wait wearing their coats before they open the door - the teachers are therefore responsible for making sure all who came with a coat are wearing them and not the minders/parents/carers etc.


That's what our school always used to do. It made it so much easier as they all had the right bags, lunchboxes & coats before they came out of the classroom.
They seem to have stopped doing it now though as the little one I pick up from Reception class comes out with nothing at all! I have to send her back in to get her sweatshirt, coat, book bag & lunchbox. I can't go in as I have others with me, so I see her wandering round the classroom in a daze trying to remember what she's gone back in for!

[youarewhatyoueat]

oh dear sometimes its the smallest things that can be really irritating, same at our school with blue fleeces and caps already had someone elses home which we took back but have lost ours. But unfortunately not much we can do except to put a badge or something on to make it easier for children to spot. I would perhaps ask the teacher to help the child get used to finding her coat as you do find it difficult to come into school.

[Lady Haha]

Yes, I know I am going to have to tell mum I won't be able to go in with her anymore as I'm not allowed to leave other mindees outside which I felt REALLY uncomfortable doing last two times. They are all older and were sitting on the bench in the playground waiting, but still...

Just feel bad cos I know that sometimes she will go back in to look for her coat and won't find it which will then mean she'll get a good telling off from mum at pick up time. I felt so sorry for her last night!!! Obviously I didnt show it as it's mums perogative, but as you can tell, it got to me!!!

[Lainey Lou]

what a daft idea all having the same coats, its obvious that lo's are going to bring home the wrong ones. Think a badge like already suggested, or maybe some pink ribbon tied thru one of the button holes or somewhere would probably do the trick. Its like picking your suitcases up from the airport, can you imagine if everyone had the same case it would be bedlam! :) xx

[mushpea]

When things are all the same it is easy for one coat to be mistaken for another but who would go home with two?

Good luck

MY SON!!! he actually came out of school wearing two blue fleeces yesterday and when i pointed it out he said ' am i really wearing 2' :rolleyes: bless him :laughing: :laughing: