Convinced childminder is smoking in the presence of my child

Seanymph

I wouldn't let my child go to a childminder who smoked - and I don't think a comparison to a teacher is fair.

You know that teachers don't smoke in classrooms- they also don't lay hands on children, prepare food, or cuddle them.

Childminders have the children into their homes - and do all of that.

I remember reading that children who are exposed to smoke in the home are more likely to smoke as adults - I know this is a little person, but I wouldn't want my child that close to a smoker.

Teachers are not even allowed to smoke on the premises - the childminder, if she does that, will be doing that in her own home

fluffymuffy

One of my children once went to play at a friends house and came back stinking of cigarettes. I've no idea whether the friend's parent smoked in front of my child, or if the smell had just been picked up by the surroundings. I had to do the full bath/clothes change on the poor child. There is no way I would consider using a child minder who smoked.

GobbledyGook

I think it would be different if it was a one off, however I wouldn't be happy with my child coming home smelling of smoke every single day.

my DD1's best friend has parents who smoke. They don't smoke inside the house or around the children, but she still comes home smelling of smoke. As a one off/rare occasion I don't mind it, but I hate children smelling of smoke.

If my child came home smelling of smoke from their teacher I'd hit the roof. You either have to have a house/room that has the smoke smell ingrained, smoke around the child or have very close (cuddly) contact with a child to pass the smell on. None of which is appropriate for a teacher. The cuddle contact is appropriate for a childminder, but passing on the smell is not.

Wilma33

Does the childminder's partner smoke maybe? Even if they smoke outside (and/or aren't around when your child is at their house) then it wouldn't surprise me if you could pick up the smell on your child just from being in the house.

Mojisola

If your child is smelling of smoke (even if it's third hand smoke), she must be inhaling the chemical contents of the smell while she is with the child-minder.

Wilma33

How old is your child? Can you not just ask them?

Scrapaholic

She might smoke in the house or in one room when there are no children present . The smell will still get into clothes , furniture and the whole house . Other smells get into clothes too eg frying bacon , cooking fish etc. Hate the smell of smoke the most though .

claire16c

barbarawright wrote: »

You are seriously going to sack your childminder because she *may* have smoked when off duty or associated with people who smoke? Are you going to insist that none of your child's teachers smoke?

(Non-smoker myself but really? Sooner or later your child will come into contact with smokers just as other children came into contact with you when you smoked. The didn't die of it)

Who wants their kid coming home stinking of smoke? How disgusting. I cant believe anyone would put up with that. Id change child minders if I found out it was coming from them or their home.

Children don't go to their teachers houses all day, play with their toys, eat in their kitchen, go in their car etc

And actually yes some babies die of cot death which has been linked to the parents smoking.

**professor~yaffle**

v1c wrote: »

Being an ex smoker I cannot stand the smell and whenever I pick my child up from the childminder I am convinced i can smell the smoke on my child.
Is this even legal?!
I am unsure how to approach the subject with the childminder and don't want to throw accusations around in case I am wrong (though i am positive i am not)
There are a few other childminders in the area but there are no spaces.

Going against my instincts and taking this post at face value (new poster, controversial topic, posted in the small hours of the morning..) I wonder how come your child is smelling of smoke? Is the place you pick the child up from a family home that the childminder is working from? If so possibly someone else in the house smokes?

claire16c

**professor~yaffle** wrote: »

Going against my instincts and taking this post at face value (new poster, controversial topic, posted in the small hours of the morning..) I wonder how come your child is smelling of smoke? Is the place you pick the child up from a family home that the childminder is working from? If so possibly someone else in the house smokes?

Thats what the OP is wondering.

Child minders work in their own houses.