Should I Say Anything?

Hi S S As a daycare provider I can tell you that it was probably water with about 2 tablespons of bleach, I doubt very serriously it was straight bleach, all who deal with children we are taught to ue bleach water, for disinfecting, even if swallowed we are told it's not harmful. That's what was said in the class that I took for the last 14 years. J.

Always speak with the teacher first if you have a concern. It's not fair to go over her head without giving her a chance to respond/explain.

Personally this isn't something I would complain about. I assume it was bleach diluted with water because otherwise wouldn't it cause a bleach stain on the rug?

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Just let it go....really she was trying to clean up the mess, no one was injured....what do you expect to gain from "telling on her"???

I fail to see a problem. I know that the concentration is only like a teaspoon for a gallon of water. It's just not that strong and it won't hurt anything. Bleach is perfectly safe used in that way. My kids play with water and soap with a little bleached mixed in when I want to let them play and wash their blocks at the same time. They love it and in 25 years no one has ever had any unexplained rashes, breathing problems, or other problems because of it.

i would say something. those poor kids should not be sitting there breathing in the fumes!!! i have an allergy to bleach and who knows if one of those kids does or even a sibbling. just smelling it on someone sets me off. that was really inappropriate in my opinion. i'm suprised they let them use bleach around little kids anyway.

If you feel strongly about it, talk to the teacher. If you are as passive agressive as I am, tell the teacher that your little johnny has a sensitivity to bleach, as do many children, so, please make sure he is on the other side of the room with the other kids when it is sprayed. That might be the 1st lightbulb moment for her to think - uh oh, kids are sensitive. I'd better line them up along the wall free from overspray to do my cleanup. That's a nonthreatening way to accomplish your goal of keeping kiddos bleach free

I've learned that you should talk directly with the teacher first and give her a chance to correct her behavior before involving her boss. She might feel "ratted on" if you don't talk to her directly.

most day cares/pre schools use nothing but clorox, if you want them to use somthing else you have to suggest and possibly provide it.

I'm not sure I understand the issue. It is a room full of germ ridden pre-schoolers. With the stuff that goes around I would expect a teacher to clean spit up with bleach. The green cleaners do not disinfect to the degree that is needed in a preschool.

If you do feel the need to say something, say something to the teacher not the director. But honestly, don't expect much to come of it...

If this is all you have to complain about, you are doing good.

If you see a problem with it then I would talk to her about it not go to her boss first. It's a tiny amount of bleach to water ratio though I don't think it can cause fumes.

What is in a spray bottle? If so it may be VERY diluted. We used to spray off the tables that the children ate off of with the diluted bleach water. It typically was only one tsp/tbsp of bleach to about 3 cups of water. If so, it may not be enough to cause alarm.

It's really a shame most people don't know there are non toxic options. So if you are going to talk to someone, it should probably be the director. The teacher has to use what she is told to use.
Let me know if you want to know what our church preschool uses.

I would. If the rug is removable she should have moved it. Maybe suggest greener products for the school to use. You would say something if your child had been on the rug.

If you have a problem then talk to the teacher. Just say your child has a sensitivity to it or something if you don't want to sound pest-y. Sorry but I would not have a provider (another response) that let my child splash around in a concoction with bleach, kinda irresponsible in my opinion. Bleach is still a toxic substance... it isn't a toy. and some people are actually allergic to bleach.

Tell the director. If you are going to use chemicals the kids shouldn't be around unless its something live vinegar and water etc...The teacher probably wasn't thinking at the moment. A nice gentle reminder should do the trick.

Yes, the school needs to have a green cleaning solution policy. Vinegar and baking soda would have done the job just as well when in a spray bottle already prepared.

I would tell the dir. of school that you are concerned b/c of what you saw but that you don't want her to get in trouble. You are simply stating a concern so that it doesn't happen again. This teacher needs someone to tell her that it's dangerous to spray toxins around children. Just imagine if someone else saw it and didn't speak up. you are doing the right thing by speaking up.

yes definitely say something that is awful!

If my kid were in the midst of that, I'd want to know that it wasn't going to happen again. I do agree that talking to her instead of her boss is the more mature way to go.

I think you should say something about it. I have a 2 year old in daycare and I wouldn't want that to be my son around the Clorox I don't even allow him to be around it in my home. Just think about if you were the other mom's and your child was around there. Just tell director in a polite way what you saw and to please talk to her about it. Or you can also let her know.

This is a bit of an aside, but we just went to our daughter's preschool orientation last night and learned that legally preschools can only clean with bleach and water and kids can only wash with soap and water, no organic alternatives, purell etc. Thought that might address the bleach portion, please post what you do about the proximity issue.

If you don't say anything, it could happen again. Maybe don't talk to the director, but talk to the teacher. Maybe ask her not to do that when your child is around because of the unhealthy chemicals (throw in there how it is not healthy for her as well), and maybe that will get her to think about it next time. OOPS, I see your follow up. Good job!!!

One point to keep in mind when you have ANY concern at your child's preschool is that you are SUPPOSE to express your concerns to the child's teacher. Firstly, the teacher has a chance to educate you. Remember they have years of training (updated often) and see all kinds of situations. This is as close to "the village" raising your child as we are going to get! Really, a wealth of knowledge. And remember, they have likely seen all sorts of parents who are of course concerned about their kids well being, some more vocal than others. You won't seem petty or strange for speaking up (just don't make it EVERY conversation!). Secondly, you might find that the teacher would like you to express a concern to the director, that she/he to has an issue with a policy/practice as well, and needs parents to speak up for change. If I learned anything from the preschool experience with my daughter, it is that the teachers and school need you to care. If you are concerned about your child being treated differently because you voiced a concern, tell the director, ask another parent who can be there during school to survey the treatment of your child for fairness, find out who you report the school to if the director is 'in' on it. But in the end, it is highly unlikely your child will 'suffer' because you cared enough about your child to say something. There is too much at stake for the school and personally for the teacher. And perhaps you will have learned something that makes you a better parent by listening to the how's and whys from the preschool staff!

Whatever the ratio of water to bleach ... the other children should have been asked to move while she was cleaning the rug.

It's tricky to deal with her directly, but others do make a good point as to the benefits of that.

don't go above her. talk to her. emphathize with the bad situation. tell her that some of the kids might be sensetive to the bleach. It is a difficult spot to be in as she needed to keep the kids out of the spit up and not running around. it needed to be done quickly. Then see if there are other options to spraying bleach around the kids. Crazy thing is though they probably bleach a lot of stuff.

I doubt it was full strength clorox. It was probably the watered down version all preschools use.

I'd talk to her. Say that you saw her spraying and was wondering if it was full strength clorox or what? That it made you worry. Nothing wrong with asking.

But they do clorox everything. But since it's watered down, it's pretty safe - and effective.