Christina72684 10:39 AM 03-18-2013
My mom and I own 2 daycares (one NB-3yrs, the other 3ys+). We have 10 kids at the daycare and 5-14 kids at the preschool (bc of after schoolers). So for sanity reasons and ratio reasons, the daycare has 2-3 people working at a time, and the preschool as 1-2 people. All 4 of our employees (not counting my mom and I) are college students with crazy schedules. Our best employee is going to college for Early Childhood Ed and thinks she wants to eventually own her own DC. I rather her stay here and manage one of ours (especially since she lives 5 houses down the road!). She's the most reliable, never calls in sick unless she really has to, and is always on time. The other 3 girls I don't really care if they stick around or not, as long as we get someone to replace them. One of them is a really good worker, always cleaning something. But she's not as hands-on with the kids like I'd like her to be, and is constantly texting me asking to come in late or change her schedule or calling in sick. Then there's the other 2 girls.....one of them is the last girl I mentioned's best friend. (My bad for hiring her!) She's 15 weeks pregnant with twins and is 20 years old. She complains a lot (as do I, who am 19 weeks pregnant lol), but come on....she actually talked bad about ME to MY MOM last Friday which really made me mad. If the kids weren't being crazy that day I woulda sent her home. Then there's the last girl, who we hired as a favor to my grandma who knows her mom. She's pretty worthless too. She sits on her butt on the couch a lot, only does something if you directly tell her to (even though we have a daily chore list), and is always talking bad about the other girls (but the best friends talk bad about her, so it's mutual).
If we didn't have so many kids, and the really good worker and the pretty good worker weren't in school and more flexible, I'd fire the other 2 girls right now (if I could get the courage to do so....never fired anyone before). But I hate to put out ads that we're hiring and they find out and quit and leave us screwed. Then again, I doubt the pregnant one lasts but a few more months, so maybe I could wait it out with her and just fire the other one. We had our first official employee meeting last week and told them about how duties needed to be divided up equally and stay off your cell phone (Lost a family due to the last girl being on her phone at pick-up and not acknowledging the dad).....and during the meeting the pregnant girl asked when she and the other girl haven't received a raise yet like the other two and my mom flat out told them "Because they're better workers."
I just feel so stuck. We've not been happy with them for a while and they should know that and step up. I mean they are 20 and 23 years old, and this is their first job, but come on. I hired a friend from high school that is just a "sub" and has only worked like 4 times, but she's absolutely great with the kids and cleaning, but she doesn't wanna work a lot and can't over the summer.
I'm just so frustrated and want to make sure we are doing the best we can for the kids, which includes good caregivers. I'd like to be able to take 2-3 weeks off in August when I have my baby, but not if I can't rely on people to show up and work!
wdmmom 11:10 AM 03-18-2013
I would term both girls as soon as possible and ask the other 2 workers if they can pick up a few extra hours/responsibilities until you can get a new employee in there and trained.
Good luck!
cheerfuldom 01:04 PM 03-18-2013
advertise and interview for new workers. who cares if these girls hear about it and quit? you didnt want to keep them anyway. find new people asap!
sahm1225 08:13 PM 03-18-2013
Agree w pp. post the ad and who cares if they quit. They are unreliable at the moment, so although you will be in a tough spit temporarily, you will be better off without them. Good luck!