View Single Post
Unregistered 08:02 PM 04-21-2010
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
One issue that we have been having with the new daycare just deals with a worker there. I am happy with the daycare, and I feel that my son is learning a lot from there. But, I've observed, as well as my husband and my other family members that pick my son up or drop him off that one worker is consistently rude, stand-offish and not nice with the children. She has 2 children of her own at the daycare too, and is very hateful with them. The other workers have up to 5 or more children around them, and she will be sitting in a chair by herself not doing anything to help the other workers. My son is spoiled, and I know that. They do too. He is the child that you see that clings to the legs of the workers if they won't pick him up. This was fine until the first few weeks he kept coming home with busted lips because he would grab her leg and she would shrug him off, causing him to fall and hit his mouth on the floor. That hasn't happened anymore, I guess he's learned to leave her alone.

You know that gut feeling that we mommies get when something just isn't right with somebody? That's how I am with this worker. It makes me nervous when they are there alone with him. I won't leave him unless another worker is there. So...I called today to talk to the director about it. I hate causing trouble and I really hate to point things out like that, but what do you do? It's my son, and he's my only son. I guess we'll see how it goes...even though my hubby is pissed at me now for saying anything to them about it.

I think you are right to complain. Sometimes centers will hire someone just to stay in ratio, when that person has no desire or business being around small children. She probably drives the other employees nuts also. There's a high turn over in daycare centers because of the low pay and unrealistic expectations that are placed on providers.
BUT, that doesn't mean children should be exposed to bad attitudes and rude behavior. Hopefully you're not the only one complaining.
(FWIW I worked with someone like this and they were just an all around miserable person who no one wanted to be around, but they kept her there for the numbers. I was always grateful when a parent complained about her, because the director always blew me off about it.)
I am actually on the reverse end of this type of situation. A parent has passed judgement on me as being an unfriendly individual that doesn't seem to like children and if i don't like my job then I need to pick another profession. This is what she told my director, as well as that I refused to serve the child breakfast because I said it was easier on me so he would eat in his class instead. I was shocked because her child has only been there for 4 day...thursday and friday of the previous week and monday and tuesday of the current week. He is not my student, I just work open with two other teachers so I have only seen her twice. I have always been cordial with her, just as I am with any other parent. On her child's first day I took his hand and led him to the sitting area and stayed with him for a while and reassured the mom her would be fine. On this second day when these things were said i said goodmorning to both her and the child as I do with every parent, and I explained that they eat in their classrooms now, when their teacher arrives in half hour. I then said have a nice day as she was leaving the classroom, then proceeded to stand outside in the hall and stare in at me and the other teacher with her child. I thank God that another teacher was in there with me to vouch for what words were shared. She also said her "motherly instincts make her apprehensive about me". I was both shocked and hurt because I am all around a very respectful and nice individual and I love children, even more than the next guy, because I don't have any of my own yet because i chose to focus on college. i want to do social work while i attend grad school to do forensic psychology so that I can work with rehabilitation programs for juvenile offenders in a prison or group home setting. If i hated children and didn't like my job I would have chosen another line of work. Now today, i came back to take over another teacher's shift because she had to go to a doctors appointment and the mother came in with an attitude about her sons nose, whom wasn't even in our class but for literally 2 minutes cause his teacher dropped his class over so that she may tidy up to take over our room cause it was time for me to go and the other teacher to go. SHe had a big fit about having to pull him and being reimbursed for the rest of the week cause she can't take it cause he is her baby and she can't deal with her son's nose being runny, and she overlooked the other teacher who sent her son over and was closer to him and had him in her group of kids so could see his nose was runny and turned to me to ask my name ( i thought in my mind there are 2 teachers in here here we go again!). a third teacher entered the room and explained to her that her child was sent over and what was the basis of her complaints (because she was being rude and loud) and i calmly explained to her that the teacher was next door and if she wanted to speak with her she was free to cause her child was just sent over to us. She went next door and told this teacher that we told her that she didn't clean her son's nose and also that she can't stand me! being that our walls aren't complete walls I heard what she said. I don't understand how someone can just lie about an individual they know nothing about, that even though I know she lied on me the first time I was still polite with her and said good afternoon. the other teacher din even know her son's name and was like umumum and i corrected her with his name and she had nothing to say about her. I don't understand how she can not like me when she doesn't know me and everyone around me can vouch for how much of a nice persn I am. This is the first time in my life any parent has treated me this way and although I try not to let it affect me it is upsetting. All i say is have a valid reason, based on facts for why you choose not to like someone, don't target an individual and make falsified complaints. I just thank God that in both situations other parties were present to observe exactly what happened. however now i don't feel comfortable being alone with her or her child out of fear that another false accusation will arise. I have read in my studies that parents who are neglectful or abusive can sometimes search for a scape goat out of guilt and fear so try to redirect blame that in case something happens they can have a finger to point at. Or she may just be finding an excuse to pull her child. But why not just say so? and why can she never address her issue with me at me, but rather to the owner and my co-workers?
Reply