I have located a new daycare for my son but now that he is supposed to be starting Monday I am nervous that I am not doing the right thing for him. In my previous request I was saying how he has been in the same daycare for a little over a year and still cries practically everytime I drop him off. I went to pick him up a few weeks ago and he had a fever of 104.3 and nobody was aware of it. I talked to the director the following Monday when he went back. She said that she will let the teacher know about it. After that we started talking about his potty training, well lack of, and his teacher that he has been with for 2 months, he just moved up to toddler 2, he is two and a half by the way, came around from the corner and said that he doesnt sit on the potty and then said, he is a weird kid. That did not sit well with me and there are some people I talk to that say I am overreacting but I fell that she shouldn't have said that in from of my son and that it was very unprofessional and shouldn't have been said at all. Then to make things even worse the director walked away right after she said it and I felt that she should have said something to her. About a month ago or so I started noticing bite marks and scrathes and bruises on him without incident reports. I spoke to the teacher and she said that there are alot more kinds in this room and somethines they dont write everything up. I told them I would check him in the evenings and if I see something I would let them know and have them fill out a report. I dont know if all the above is normal behavior of a daycare or if I should be alarmed.
Cody seems to be having a good time in the evenings when I pick him up. They dont have confrences to speak of their progress and when I ask how he is doing and if there any problems they say he is fine.
I want what is best for him and I am just not sure what I am doing is the right thing. He isn't supposed to start the new daycare until Monday so I have a few days to think long and hard. Does anyone have any advice to offer me? I would appreciate it so much.
Based on your message, I think you absolutely are doing the right thing! Do you mind giving the name of your old daycare so that myself and others know to avoid it at all costs?
As someone that used to teach in a daycare, I can tell you that you are not overreacting!
No matter how small the incident between 2 children,(scratches, bite marks, etc.) there should always be areport.
And the fact that even the director dismissed your concerns is a big red flag.
A center should be open to parents' requests and suggestions and they should always take the time to talk to you about your child's progress.
I would go ahead and start your son in the new daycare, and even set up a time to come in and observe their operation.
Hope this helps you feel more at ease with your decision.
Absolutely! As a mom who has worked in many different daycares, I can't believe that the director at this daycare acted like that! If the state knew about the sloppy way this daycare is run, they would probably pull their license! I would get your son out, and tell the director exactly why you are pulling him out. Tell her also that (if it's a big chain daycare) you are going to write a letter to corporate and let them know what's going on - and then I would actually write the letter, so that she knows you're serious! Hopefully the other children in this daycare are not being neglected the same way your son was. Good luck, and check out the new daycare religiously! Drop in unannounced - parents should always be welcome anytime, and ask your son when he comes home (not in front of the workers - he won't open up as much) if he likes his new teachers/daycare.
P.S. please give us the name of this daycare so others can avoid it! Thanks!
Did you talk to any parents at the new daycare or talk with the new daycare director about the things that concern you? I would want to know things like child to teacher ration, visitation policy, how they handle things like biting/hitting, parent teach conferences, policy of illnesses.
At our center - they are not mandating parent teacher conferences every 3 months. They used to be like every 6 months and/or when a child switch to a new room. Lucy is 1 year - and I have already had 3 conferences.
Also find out about the potty training policy. How do they handle it. In Jack's room, I was surprised when the room lead said that when he was ready - they prefer to just move right to underwear. Pull ups are too hard for them to get up and down and that they do not mind peeing in them anyway. She was right on target. We put Jack in underwear. For a couple of days - he had several wet pairs at school - but then he did not like too. They do have a little peer pressure when they want to be like the big kids in the room and wear underwear. My DD is a daycare working in a different 2 year old room, and in there they do pull ups, and there kids train much later. So I found it to be good advise.
Good luck in your decision. Either way - no guilt. He will be just fine in the long run. You will not scar him for life in either daycare!
-P.
S.,
You are not overreacting one bit. This is your child and you need to go with your gut feeling. That teacher should have NEVER called your child weird. That is just plain rude. If that is how she behaves when you are there, imagine how she may treat him when you are gone.
Also, a child with a fever of 104 would not be acting right. If they were paying attention, they would have easily seen that he was not well.
You want to feel comfortable with the people caring for your son while you are at work. You want to know that he is loved and well cared for. If I were in your shoes, I would definately move him to a different place.
Good luck.
