Guest Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 ok so i've had a bit of a bumpy morning with parent meetings and me needing to high light some areas of concern to parents. Thought the morning was going to get better from that point onwards. So we all go out for our regular walk, today we have been looking to match up colours to our jigsaw bits from the setting as we stroll around our town. The children matched up the colours in the shop windows along the high street and we then started to progress towards the back paths back to the setting. We often get looks and smiles from passers by and postive comments as we walk along using our walking rope and the children in their hi vis vests. Today I/we were stopped by a lady as I walked at the front holding the leaders hand she stood directly in front of me and said that the children looked like slaves, she continued to rant and rave in her car. I am going to try and attach a photo of the group out for a walk. I am sure some people with little or no brain cells think that the children are tied to the rope. We have 24 children per morning and we enjoy our wanders out and about. Tell me what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I think that some people need to mind their own business! You are taking children into the fresh air, they are getting exercise, looking at the world around them and to top it all you are ensuring that they are all safe and stay together! Let it wash over you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 just ignor her leslie obviously got out of the wrong side of bed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 I bet she would be one of the first to rant if her child was hurt. I wouldnt let one person spoil your walks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Send that photo to your local newspaper and say how the rant and raving spoilt what was a lovely summers day. Hopefully the woman will read it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 hmm.. i like that thought!!!! think i better calm down first. May be we will encounter her again.. i have a plan to run the children around her and tie her up in the rope! I couldn't think of a reply quick enough. One of the staff said i could of asked her what it was that she found so offensive. I should of done something but i was so taken back i was shocked. It is quite amazing how a stranger can trash your day with in 30 seconds. May be i should of burst into one of our songs like if your happy and you know it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Some people are just thoughtless and can see nothing but bad in everything. It reminds me of a visit I went on to our local Waitrose with the last nursery i worked at. We had phoned Waitrose to ask permission to come beforehand. I was with two lovely 'just 3' year olds and we were looking at (pointing, but not touching) the fruit and vegetables to see which ones they knew the names of and talking about what they liked eating and what they didn't (Jamie Oliver would have been proud)..anyway this 'lady'...(old bag I now know!) pushed her trolley towards the children to make them move out of the way and said out loud to the children and me - "It's disgusting having so many children in a shop when people are shopping - they shouldn't touch the food and they're in the way" (or words to that effect) I was aghast I wanted to give her a piece of my mind but as I didn't want the children to hear and wanted to get them as far away from this women as possible - I just said to the children that the lady wasn't feeling very well and let's go and look at the fish. Luckily as I walked away I heard another customer who had overhead give her a very strong piece of her mind! Anyway - It's great you take the children out on walks ignore the little minded people around and be proud that you care enough to do it. Well done. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquieL Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Firstly what a lovely photograph, lovely children and the tree is wonderful too...and the staff of course People never cease to amaze me. What a silly woman and what a terrible example she sets for the children. Just put it behind you and be glad that she isn't left in charge of children. I bet when she got home and thought about it she went red with the embarrassment of what she'd done. Sounds like 'pavement rage' to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest toddleo Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I can only echo everything that has been said above. Wouldnt it be nice to be able to revisit moments in time having rehearsed your response before hand! Dasher, I think "that lady does not feel very well" was super, a good off the cuff response! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 What a lovely picture. The children all look so engaged, happy and safe! The high viz jackets are brill. Where did you get them from? Our school is trying to get a walking bus going next year and these would be great. I guess we could try to get the school logo printed on too. As others have wisely said try not to let such a silly person get you down. Apparently Churchill used to say 'KBO" - keep b-ggering on! AOB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Oooooh, TAKE NO NOTICE! Obviously nothing better to do with her time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 It beggars belief! If she was so concerned about the children's wellbeing did she stop to think of the affect on the children of her ranting. This reminds me of a situation some years ago. I had arrived at a country park with my 3 children, walking through the car park this elderly lady approached me and asked if they were my children. I smiled (with some pride) and said yes. She then went on to say that I shouldn't have had had so many children, it's ridiculous. The people with her, pulled her away and apologised, and by their manner I can only assume she was suffering from some illness such as Alzhiemers (sp?). I was deeply upset by the ferocity and the unexpected nature of the attack but obviously felt sorry for her. So I can sympathise with you. Perhaps this lady was suffering from some illness too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Lesley I think they look lovely, safe and very well behaved. Hindsight is a great advantage when trying to think of some thing to say. Take no notice and just be ready if you see her again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Leslie it has all been said, the lady in question has issues!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 responding to AOB question above - Hi vis vests can be purchased fom www.suppliesforindustry.co.uk and they only charge 95p each for them. You can also have your settings name embroidered on for free. This offer is running until December 07. We have recently purchased a load of vests. The children look so cute in them and get so many admiring looks when we are out. All staff and helpers with the children also have one to wear as well!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Today I/we were stopped by a lady as I walked at the front holding the leaders hand she stood directly in front of me and said that the children looked like slaves, she continued to rant and rave in her car. Perhaps we should all add "what to do when a complete stranger abuses us in the street" to the list of things we need to consider in our risk assessments I can only echo what everyone else has said - some people (and their ill-informed views) are just not worth getting upset about. And yes, hindsight is a wonderful thing - I'm forever thinking of things I should have said at the time but was so flabbergasted. Like the time one of our (ex) parents told me "I've told little Johnny that he was so badly behaved at home he has to come to nursery today!". I for one love your 'chain gang' rope - where did it come from and how does it work? We have a skipping rope with knots tied in it - a good start, but not really the most effective solution! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Oh dear, she must have been having a bad day. Quite ironic though that she was concerned about the children....but then subjected them to an aggressive rant. Do you sing songs as you walk? We do, we have special songs for walking with the rope ( we don't have hi vis vests though) that could have really added fuel to her fire couldn't it? I often think we resemble a chain gang, in the nicest sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaryEMac Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 I will echo everyone else's comments Lesley. Take no notice and keep enjoying your walks. Our playgroup committee bought 2 walk-o-diles last Christmas and we have used them lots of times. We have had no negative comments but a worker from the electricity company called down from the electricity pole to ask where the children were going with those ladders. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Walk-o-diles? Sound fab. Were they expensive? Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 the walking rope came from b&q, just a long length of thick rope which is coverd in cord, lengths of thick webbing tied around the rope with the ends stiched over to form handles, all was found in the same asile of the shop cost around thirty pounds for the lot! Thanks for your support, i'm looking out for lady on every walk now! but at least i am pre-pared for her. Hope she has got over it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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