Hot drinks served at playgroups - what's your opinion?

[Maza]

Do your playgroups serve hot tea/coffee to adults? I personally don't like it as no matter how careful I would be, you couldn't count on every adult there to be 'sensible' with their drink and it's not just their children/mindees that they put at risk, it's mine too. What do you think?

[Mouse]

Our groups have all stopped serving hot drinks now. I'm not impressed!

I asked for the statistics of how many children have been injured by having a hot drink tipped on them while at a toddler group and all the staff admitted that they have NEVER known of it happening...they still won't allow it though.

I know the arguement is that it COULD happen, but it could also happen in a cafe or restaurant when children are there. Should all hot drinks be banned there as well?

[loocyloo]

i go to groups both with and without! one group i go to, the children sit down for a snack and then whilst they are having snack, the adults have their drink, so no danger of children rushing around.

one i used to go to, used lidded cups and these were the worst...adults assumed they were safe and were always putting them down in reach of children! no one was every burnt by one, but there was at least one spilt every week!

i miss my cup of tea at groups that don't have them!

i go to coffee shops with my mindees most weeks and we've never had a problem with hot drinks! mindees all tell my tea is 'hot' and not to touch! when its cold ( or i've put cold water in ! ) they like to pour me & each other 'cups' of tea. they still tell everyone to be careful 'hot'

i have never, in over 20 years of going to toddler groups, seen a child get a hot drink on them.

[zippy]

Personally I don't think children should have risks removed like that, kids need to be educated not wrapped in cotton wool, yes there will always be some numpty that isn't watching their kid, of another numpty that puts their brew anywhere so that person should be pulled up too. I actively encourage risk taking in my house we go too the woods climb big trees, I have them doing basic DIY with real tools, my visitors are allowed hot drinks they're just told to be careful, I have poisonous plants in my garden, no point me removing them for them to go to grannies house and get poisoned. Yes we need to be careful but the worlds gone mad in my humble opinion, no doubt I'll get shot down for my views lol, however when alls said and done you have to make your own decisions, if you don't like what they do there find another toddler group or maybe suggest some safer cups with lids.

[appleblossom]

Our child minder drop in doesn't allow hot drinks in the main room. Fair enough if it's a Sure Start rule. But the child minders go in the kitchen to have a hot drink. Whilst they do that their children are running wild. When I complained about older children hurting the tinies at times when their minder is in the kitchen I was told that the other CMs were watching them (they don't of course as they are seeing to their own mindees) and that they are disciplined if they hurt others- not a great response as their CM comes back and tells them off ten minutes later and they don't know what they are being told off about.

So I just stopped going to the Group...simples.

[blue bear]

Our childminder group is old school and we have hot drinks in mugs, no accidents that I can remember, just plain old common sense.

Two others have mugs with lids and adults put them down believing they are safe, I've seen two children spill hot drinks on themselves because they have been left under chairs

[FussyElmo]

Must admit have never seen a child get scalded by a drink at a toddler group. I agree with a previous poster how are children supposed to learn and you put a lid on the cup and people suddenly believe they are safe

[mushpea]

one toddler group I go you get your hot drink then have to walk right across where the children play to sit down with it yet noone has ever got burnt, another one has a hot drinks area but we can still see the kids from there.
I agree that removing the risks for children dosent help them in the long run, how will they ever learn that a drink is hot and not to touch if if they dont see them
to be honest you could class it as a safegaurding issue but in different light, we are supposed to teach children saftey but how can we do this if they dont see the risks or arent allowed near things that are risky

[Maza]

Seems like I am in the minority! I do believe in children taking risks but I am paranoid about hot drinks. I know of three children who were scalded with hot drinks whilst at nursery (separate incidents, few years ago) and two of my friends suffered serious injuries from hot drinks as toddlers, both requiring hospital stays and they still have terrible scars. My brother and I also had bad scalds as children but not from tea/coffee. Blimey, no wonder I'm paranoid! Water must be hotter where I grew up!

[Pipsqueak]

I am in agreement - don't remove the risk - manage it.
Children come into contact in their homes - hot drinks (without lids)

Why playgroups and the like remove it altogether is not to stop a child being hurt but to stop them being sued !!! That is what it boils( excuse the pun) down to.


I know its different as its in the care of parents but I worked with a girl (way back when ) who was burned on the face by an iron... her mum had left the iron on the board, child pulled iron off - perfect imprint on side of her face... do we ban irons?
I know children who have been run over (almost seems to be a badge of honour round here with some parents) -do we ban cars..

I burned myself on the fireguard when I was little

What we do is manage and teach children to identify, understand and manage risk themselves... well that my opinion....

[Mouse]

Seems like I am in the minority! I do believe in children taking risks but I am paranoid about hot drinks. I know of three children who were scalded with hot drinks whilst at nursery (separate incidents, few years ago) and two of my friends suffered serious injuries from hot drinks as toddlers, both requiring hospital stays and they still have terrible scars. My brother and I also had bad scalds as children but not from tea/coffee. Blimey, no wonder I'm paranoid! Water must be hotter where I grew up!

I think if you have had first hand experience, or knowledge of incidents then you're bound to be more cautious - nothing wrong with that.

When I was young my brother jumped off the sofa, landed on my mum's knitting bag & speared his bottom with a knitting needle I'm now paranoid about leaving needles lying around & always move them if children are about, although the chance of anything like that happening again is probably extremely unlikely

[FussyElmo]

I think if you have had first hand experience, or knowledge of incidents then you're bound to be more cautious - nothing wrong with that.

When I was young my brother jumped off the sofa, landed on my mum's knitting bag & speared his bottom with a knitting needle I'm now paranoid about leaving needles lying around & always move them if children are about, although the chance of anything like that happening again is probably extremely unlikely

I sorry Mouse but thats brought a massive grin to my face as thats a booby trap me and brother would have laid for each other.

Sorry but thats reminded me of all the things we used to do to our older brother

[Mouse]

I sorry Mouse but thats brought a massive grin to my face as thats a booby trap me and brother would have laid for each other.

Sorry but thats reminded me of all the things we used to do to our older brother

Ok, can I admit that he didn't actually jump off the sofa...I pulled him off I was sitting on the floor, he was sitting behind me on the sofa being silly & I grabbed him & pulled him over the top of me.
He landed on the knitting & the needle went through one cheek, then the other. I pulled it straight out

We were little tinkers

[bunyip]

I'm never entirely happy about it, but you just cannot remove every risk. Our local children's centre doesn't allow hot drinks, and a lot of people just won't go because of it.

I have to trust parents with their hot drinks or my lo's miss out on the toddler groups. Same as I have to trust motorists to stop at zebra crossings or keep the lo's permanently indoors.

[FussyElmo]

Ok, can I admit that he didn't actually jump off the sofa...I pulled him off I was sitting on the floor, he was sitting behind me on the sofa being silly & I grabbed him & pulled him over the top of me.
He landed on the knitting & the needle went through one cheek, then the other. I pulled it straight out

We were little tinkers

definetly something me and my brotherwould have done I remember knocking one of his front teeth out and loosening the other with a scholl shoe - now Im showing my age. I knocked the other out the next day and he shared his earnings with me. :blush

[samb]

to the knitting needles!!!

I personally do get a bit paranoid about hot drinks as I have seen many cups almost full just left under chairs etc. However, I would think it would be a shame to get rid of hot drinks altogether. Our Sure Start centre only allows hot drinks behind a fenced off area which I think is great.

[mushpea]

I have to say I did just have a chuckle over this thread, whilst I agree with the risk taking and the fact they shouldnt remove the drinks but educate the children I find it quite funny that non of us can cope with out our tea/coffee for a couple of hours, I am just the same so its not a slur on anyone. I just think its funny we need that hot liquid to get through the session

[FussyElmo]

I have to say I did just have a chuckle over this thread, whilst I agree with the risk taking and the fact they shouldnt remove the drinks but educate the children I find it quite funny that non of us can cope with out our tea/coffee for a couple of hours, I am just the same so its not a slur on anyone. I just think its funny we need that hot liquid to get through the session

Its a hot drink or wine

[Mouse]

I have to say I did just have a chuckle over this thread, whilst I agree with the risk taking and the fact they shouldnt remove the drinks but educate the children I find it quite funny that non of us can cope with out our tea/coffee for a couple of hours, I am just the same so its not a slur on anyone. I just think its funny we need that hot liquid to get through the session

I'm known for my copious coffee drinking! Everytime I walk into the kitchen one of my little mindees says "are you having a coffee"!

For me it's not the fact that I can't manage without a hot drink, it's the fact that they're putting a ban in place that I don't feel is necessary.

[BucksCM]

I have to say I did just have a chuckle over this thread, whilst I agree with the risk taking and the fact they shouldnt remove the drinks but educate the children I find it quite funny that non of us can cope with out our tea/coffee for a couple of hours, I am just the same so its not a slur on anyone. I just think its funny we need that hot liquid to get through the session

It's not about "we need that hot liquid to get through the session" it's about actually drinking "that hot liquid" as it is rare to actually start and finish a cup of coffee while it's still hot!