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Hunni Bee 04:33 PM 01-11-2013
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
Feb 2012, I enrolled my baby when she was 8 months to Angel Happy day care in Hempstead, close the place I live which mentioned open 24/7. So, its really ideal for me when I was working at the restaurant that had irregular working hours. At the same time I put my baby at day care, also I applied for DSS. The day care owner encouraged me to do, so can help me paying the day care cost when I had to catch the payment for hospital bill.

The day care owner told me that she is not a money oriented like the rest of day care owner, so she gave me the private day care cost for 4 days at $120. Sometime I had to drop my baby more than 4 days, so as per her decision I always paid extra day for $30. Even couple times, I had to drop my baby from 10am till 09 pm such as on Mother day or other very busy day in the restaurant I paid $60/day. I also let her know in advanced that my working schedule will be irregular and she said that nothing to be worried about that, just let her know in advance for any changes and that's worked for me.

At first, everything seemed alright with all the friendly kids welcomed my baby and staffs are nice. Eventough most of time I encountered so many stained on my baby cloths from the feeding when I provided all the food, formula and bib as needed. Also many food stain and food left all over car seat like they fed my baby in the car seat instead of high chair.

While my baby at day care, I tried to follow the apllication progress to get the DSS aproval which were so very slow from February I put the application and kept calling the social service so many times which never answer the phone. The social service just kept sending me mail to get more and more paper works made me kept sending all the paperworks asked but finally end up I was denied for not providing proper paperworks ( hard to understand). While on the other hand, Keisha told me that according her call to DSS for checking up my application status she said the denial cause my join income with my husband exceed the limit. So I gave her the copy of denial letter from DSS to prove what I told her.

Since she found out I was denied from DSS, the way she treated me and my baby just getting awkward and sour. I felt the discrimination. I know there was nothing threat my baby's life, but I am as her mother, have the instinct and also feeling from the way she treat me especially my baby such as :

- From the day my baby at day care, I told them many times my baby's name, seem they did not have willingness to call by her name, but just keep calling her "chinese baby". I thought just the beginning but seemed for good. Besides we are not chinese at all. Suppose to be the owner had to introduce my baby's name to every body but I can tell she never did it. Only one only staff asked me her name 6 months after. The owner called my baby with that term as if I never gave my baby a name. Even to call me, she called "hello" or " excuse me" when I always called her name. Also sometime I am wonder if my baby could ever on her record, since I can not recall signing any paperwork with her (in this case I feel just a stupid mother and felt so guilty for my baby). Another thing, I never get any baby activities day hand out which was I always got from my baby's first day care.

- From the beginning, the day care owner was nice until I was denied from DSS I was treated so unfriendly.
Then when I called regarding my drop in or pick up time, she always answer my call but after that never until she answered my call again but with very unfriendly voice.
When I picked my baby, if she the one handed over my baby, never bothered to see my face while I said thank
you just receive a very cold welcome.
Many days I saw her and she always show sour faces and ignoring ( I just amazed how she did the business like this way, or just to me she act like this).
One day she even slam the door in front of me( as if I have no feeling at all).

- She said she is not a money oriented person, but one day I dropped my baby at 10am and had to pick up at 11am cause my sudden job schedule change, so I dropped my baby again at 04pm and picked up at 10pm, on the way carrying my baby in car seat, one of her female teen family ran after me and saying that I had to pay more for extra hour? What!! She said not a money minded. I was so astonished by hearing that but it's okey for 1 hour extra I had to pay the whole day but my concern was why she was not the one telling me cause I saw she was sitting close to door where I always waiting for my baby. Since this happening, I told my husband to quit his first job, so he could pick our baby around 06pm-08pm (after I drop her off at 4pm cause I worked till 10-11pm) just avoid more sour faces. At this point, I am the customer the one tried so hard to be nice with the business owner than the other way around.

- Another worst things happend to my baby, since I put her at that day care, I just saw her once in the swing and the rest I always saw her stuck in her carseat. I did tell the owner to put her in car seat when sleeping only. But all the time I always catched her in car seat, often I picked her up I just found food all over her back and bottom. One day I had my baby full of crumb inside her cloths. It was happend so so many times and I told Keisha and she even did not apologize at all but only say "ok" when I asked a favor to tell her staffs not to feed my baby in car seat. But the next and the rest of the days remain the same, more food found and made the car set so much dirty and I had to soak and washed deeply. When I asked one of the staff if my baby got fed in car seat, the answer just "sometime". I bet all the time, but I can not judge besides I always saw the staff getting short and short handed. For sure made them easier to feed in car seat only.Specially at night when I picked her up, I always found her a lot of time alone in the living room (in car seat) which hurt me alot.

- Whenever I called about pick up time, specially when 2-3 hours earlier, I can tell she never told her staff as everytime I picked up early, the staff was not ready for my baby so I have to wait as usual I notice that I was the only mother waiting cold outside while others inside (why?I had no clue).And as usual I look through window, and my baby always in the car seat while another babies on high chair or swing. I really feel the discrimination cause my baby the only polynesian race baby.

- When they return my baby stuff in the diaper bag, at first 3 months they did it nicely. When they lost her plate and toy, was replaced. But since the DSS denial, was a messy bag I always received and a lot of time I missed her stuff which were return or not. They never called about what left behind. She just did not care. I had no choice just let it go.

- Sometime my baby got scratch on her face ( even very tiny bit ) at least I expected they told me why, never until I had to asked them why? Even the last week she was there I did not see she got 2 scratches on her face until we got home and even left a tiny scar, I just had no option to ask or tell because anyway they ignore it. I realize nothing threat the life, but that's her responsible for small child to let the parent know at least.

- I was told that all the staff are mature women but in fact when I picked my baby at night, most of the time her female teen family handed over my baby with all the food I provided remain the same. It mean that from the time I drop her at 4pm till 09-11pm she just had a bottle of milk, no dinner or snack at all. I assumed because whoever young lady had to watch my baby had to do her study stuff and in fact I saw my baby always alone, even I found her awake in themiddle of living room dark just accompanied with tv on. How should I feel to see this view? When I asked why my baby did not get fed, I had no answer but the next day I found all the small food container totally empty and always empty, not like the beginning they always leave the left over, so I can figure out how much my baby ate and I could catch up from there. But after always remain full follows always empty, how I could figure out? I am afraid and worry if they throw my baby's food just to keep me quiet?

- I just tried to survive calm even inside so burn and pain, just to make the hospital bill paid at least and till I lost my job on Dec 27. I had to stop the day care service by calling the day care owner the next day to let her know and requesting the receipts for the day care payment since September 01, 2012 which she never provided no matter I kept calling her, leaving the message through her staff many many times, even note when paying the next payment. She never never never respond my request for asking receipt which that's the responsible for the person whom accept any payment. Even I told her if she could not provide one week receipt, I try to be flexible to give me monthly receipt. I just dont know how she run the business if she treat me so bad like this, or just "special treatment" only to me? She did not respond my message. I called again Jan 03, jan 04 and Jan 07 still no respond. I left messages to get my receipts for the payment since September till December and paperwork to file my tax return as she promised me to provide. I really need those receipts/paperworks (whatever it called) to file my tax return since I always paid in cash because she did not receive other than cash.

- I realize that I suppose to file a complain while still using the day care service, but I was worried if they would abandon my baby. When I just stay so cool and calm , we got these kind of treatment, would be worst if complaining, so I just hold my patient till now I have my baby in my arms and has no worries to tell and express all the reality I have and specially my baby were facing when I always wish as if my baby could talk, she would tell me how she end up in winter jacket stuck in hot car seat for hours and watching tv alone in the dark.
First of all, I am so sorry that happened to you. I was even angry while I was reading it.

Second, pull your daughter immediately. I definitely understand the how Social Services is with paperwork, I worked with DSS pay families for several years and I saw how inconsistent it was. Nevertheless, tell them you had to pull your daughter, and why. And that you need to reapply and get your baby in a safe, caring environment immediately.

And yes, file a report. It is most definitely wrong to feed and nap a baby in their carseat, let alone leave her there for hours on end. She should never have been left alone. If a teenager was not introduced and proof of her training was not given to you, she should not have been caring for your baby. Include the emotional distress of them referring to her as the "Chinese Baby" and never her name, of having to wait outside. these people are negligent and discriminatory. Im sure unlicensed and operating under the radar as well.

Finally, I know you know this, but never place your child in any care situation where you have filled out no paperwork. You are not a bad or stupid mother, but it could have gone (and still could go) very badly. If your baby had gotten sick or injured at this horrible place, they would've had no medical records or maybe not even a way to contact you. Even still, I worry that woman may try to claim your daughter was never enrolled...because on paper, she really wasn't.

Again, I am sorry this is happening. Please remove your daughter from their "care" asap. Good luck.
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