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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Hate This Dramatic Place
Unregistered 10:09 AM 02-27-2014
I am OVER toxic people and toxic environments! For the past six months I have been working as the nurse for a large daycare center. I LOVE the work, despise the environment! SO many negative people: always talking about the parents, the children, other staff members, management. It's so unprofessional! Even the management plays along and keeps mess going. I always feel like I have to CYA because this place is full to the gills with backstabbers and ladder-climbers that are going NOWHERE. There's nowhere to go... why are you working so hard to make yourself stand out on the backs of others?! Who the hell are you trying to impress?! In the meantime, the children suffer and the parents (who can be equally catty and nasty-acting) are complaining to headquarters above us. Then these new asinine rules come down from corporate and the number of drop-in inspections increase which cause more stress, anger, and DRAMA. I'm seriously *over* it. I came here to take care of kids and combine my love of early childhood education with my love of pediatric nursing. What I didn't come to do was play politics, learn and adapt to ever-changing, hardly consistent guidelines, and fear for my job every week because a new person has gone and told a lie or embellished the truth about me or in regards to something I am indirectly a part of. Really?! How can this be my life??? I'm truly considering submitting notice and reopening my home daycare this summer... but that brings with it its own issues. I am so sad right now. (And I was PERFECTLY HAPPY until I stepped into this building this afternoon!)
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Leanna 10:31 AM 02-27-2014
Do you happen to work at a Head Start center?
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llpa 10:40 AM 02-27-2014
Funny you shld say that about Headstart Leanne! I had a terrible experience as a teacher there. It was one of my first jobs and just like OP said, omigosh the drama!!! And the waste etc! It was awful. OP I feel for you! If you are an RN, have you thought about pediatric hospital nursing, elementary school nursing or the hospital NICU? I am very sorry this is happening to you! I know how awful it is to work in that environment every day and really only want to do your job.
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Sugar Magnolia 10:47 AM 02-27-2014
Really large centers are not good for kids, parents or employees. I operate a small center and couldn't be happier. In large centers....the large classrooms, the lack of supervision and the drama are just.......yuck. Before this thread turns into a center-bashing thread, lets just remember......there are good ones and bad ones.
OP, this is not a good one. I feel for you.
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Cat Herder 10:48 AM 02-27-2014
Check out www.daycaresdontcare.org

It is full of stories like this. Read the stories from other providers, it is both an education and good validation.

IME, Nothing inspires a weakened soul more than a new goal so maybe give the techniques in this book a try? It is available in kindle format from amazon.... How to reduce workplace conflict and stress by Anna Maravelas. Start seeing your co-workers as lab rats for your own study... It can change your perspective at least.


Attached: workplace conflict.jpg (25.1 KB) 
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Blackcat31 10:52 AM 02-27-2014
Originally Posted by Leanna:
Do you happen to work at a Head Start center?
I thought the same thing!


Originally Posted by llpa:
Funny you shld say that about Headstart Leanne! I had a terrible experience as a teacher there. It was one of my first jobs and just like OP said, omigosh the drama!!! And the waste etc! It was awful. OP I feel for you! If you are an RN, have you thought about pediatric hospital nursing, elementary school nursing or the hospital NICU? I am very sorry this is happening to you! I know how awful it is to work in that environment every day and really only want to do your job.
That's my story too. I have posted a couple times about my bad experience working as a teacher there too.

The drama and backstabbing was astounding!!! I literally could not take a single minute more and quit right before Christmas my 4th year there.

I was up and open for business with my childcare by February 2 months later.
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Leanna 05:57 PM 02-27-2014
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
Check out www.daycaresdontcare.org

It is full of stories like this. Read the stories from other providers, it is both an education and good validation.
I hate that site. It makes me cry. I take pride in my day care and take offense to the assumption that ALL daycares are shady, terrible places for children. I am not going to get into an argument about home vs. daycare because that isn't the point, but I care deeply about the children I care for and work hard everyday to make coming to my house a good experience for them. "Daycaresdon'tcare" isn't helping anybody by promoting the misconception that all daycares are horrible.
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Cat Herder 04:16 AM 02-28-2014
Originally Posted by Leanna:
"Daycaresdon'tcare" isn't helping anybody by promoting the misconception that all daycares are horrible.
That is not what the site is about at all. I think you may have missed the point of it completely, but that is ok. I recommended it to the OP.
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racemom 06:53 AM 02-28-2014
After a quick look around the site I have to say I agree and disagree with what is said. Ideally children are better at home with a parent, but some of the parents I have met at the daycare the children get more attention with us than at home. It makes me sad when children are picked up from us at closing and go to bed within 2 hours, spend most weekends at grandparents, and never miss a day even if parents are off work. Those are the children who are learning and growing up at daycare and yes, sadly it is probably better for them to be at daycare, because mom and dad have no time for them.
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Blackcat31 09:06 AM 02-28-2014
Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
That is not what the site is about at all. I think you may have missed the point of it completely, but that is ok. I recommended it to the OP.
I like that site. It is full of really good information for both parents and providers.

It may color a few aspects of daycare as shady and not-so-good but if you don't take anything said literally, it really is an informational site.
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DaisyMamma 01:41 PM 02-28-2014
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
I am OVER toxic people and toxic environments! For the past six months I have been working as the nurse for a large daycare center. I LOVE the work, despise the environment! SO many negative people: always talking about the parents, the children, other staff members, management. It's so unprofessional! Even the management plays along and keeps mess going. I always feel like I have to CYA because this place is full to the gills with backstabbers and ladder-climbers that are going NOWHERE. There's nowhere to go... why are you working so hard to make yourself stand out on the backs of others?! Who the hell are you trying to impress?! In the meantime, the children suffer and the parents (who can be equally catty and nasty-acting) are complaining to headquarters above us. Then these new asinine rules come down from corporate and the number of drop-in inspections increase which cause more stress, anger, and DRAMA. I'm seriously *over* it. I came here to take care of kids and combine my love of early childhood education with my love of pediatric nursing. What I didn't come to do was play politics, learn and adapt to ever-changing, hardly consistent guidelines, and fear for my job every week because a new person has gone and told a lie or embellished the truth about me or in regards to something I am indirectly a part of. Really?! How can this be my life??? I'm truly considering submitting notice and reopening my home daycare this summer... but that brings with it its own issues. I am so sad right now. (And I was PERFECTLY HAPPY until I stepped into this building this afternoon!)
This is normal when working in a place that employs mostly women. It's not easy.
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Tags:28 day cycle, burn out, centers, enforcing policies - consistency, management, subsidy, womens issues
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