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I'm about to lose my mind 03:40 PM 12-12-2017
I tried looking this up online, but most articles I found were related to postpartum depression and anxiety- nothing about daycare workers.

The center I work at is basically one big room with half-walls dividing the room up into 3 rooms. When you walk into the foyer, there's the first half wall with cubbies on the outside. The first "room" that you enter is for the younger kids (under 2s). Then, there's the second room, the kitchen. The back room is for the 2-4 year olds. (There is also a sleeping area with cribs along one side of the kitchen and the baby room- closed off by half-walls).

I spend most of my day in the baby room. At some points, I am in that room alone with 6-8 children- the youngest being 5 months and the oldest being 16 months. The other teacher for the baby room will pull out one or two babies at a time to eat- so the kids are eating ALL day. When she puts the babies into the "baby room" they start screaming, and she just snaps at them "This is daycare."

At one point today, I was alone with about 5 or 6 kids- who were relatively calm, when my coworker started telling me that there were kids who needed to be changed. At the time, she had ONE child in the bucket seat getting ready to eat, but I was the one who had to move the content 5 and 6 month olds into walkers/exersaucers so I could leave them alone in the room with the toddlers (of course, they started screaming).

Whenever another teacher in the room needs a new outfit for a child, I am asked to fetch clothes from the cubby area- even if I'm on my lunch break. Yet, if I need a new outfit, I have to take the child with me and go get the outfit on my own. The one time I asked, my boss had a problem with it.

There are days when the screaming doesn't stop. It's not just fussing. It's red-faced, blood-curdling SCREAMS, and I literally don't have enough arms to comfort all of the kids. One stops, and another starts. They feed off of each other, and there's nothing I can do.

I just don't know what to do. I'm looking for something else, but I just can't handle the constant screaming. I feel like I'm losing control, and I don't know what to do.
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storybookending 03:54 PM 12-12-2017
I’d quit on the spot and then call lisensing. If your boss isn’t a resource to help you need to get out. It sounds like a lot of rules are being broken and I’d get out now before no one wants to hire you once they find out you came from the center that the state shut down. Also I’m pretty sure them making you work while on your lunch break is illegal. I mean I did it all the time when I was at a center so I get it and it probably happens a lot of places but it’s still not right.
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LysesKids 04:10 PM 12-12-2017
Originally Posted by I'm about to lose my mind:
I tried looking this up online, but most articles I found were related to postpartum depression and anxiety- nothing about daycare workers.

The center I work at is basically one big room with half-walls dividing the room up into 3 rooms. When you walk into the foyer, there's the first half wall with cubbies on the outside. The first "room" that you enter is for the younger kids (under 2s). Then, there's the second room, the kitchen. The back room is for the 2-4 year olds. (There is also a sleeping area with cribs along one side of the kitchen and the baby room- closed off by half-walls).

I spend most of my day in the baby room. At some points, I am in that room alone with 6-8 children- the youngest being 5 months and the oldest being 16 months. The other teacher for the baby room will pull out one or two babies at a time to eat- so the kids are eating ALL day. When she puts the babies into the "baby room" they start screaming, and she just snaps at them "This is daycare."

At one point today, I was alone with about 5 or 6 kids- who were relatively calm, when my coworker started telling me that there were kids who needed to be changed. At the time, she had ONE child in the bucket seat getting ready to eat, but I was the one who had to move the content 5 and 6 month olds into walkers/exersaucers so I could leave them alone in the room with the toddlers (of course, they started screaming).

Whenever another teacher in the room needs a new outfit for a child, I am asked to fetch clothes from the cubby area- even if I'm on my lunch break. Yet, if I need a new outfit, I have to take the child with me and go get the outfit on my own. The one time I asked, my boss had a problem with it.

There are days when the screaming doesn't stop. It's not just fussing. It's red-faced, blood-curdling SCREAMS, and I literally don't have enough arms to comfort all of the kids. One stops, and another starts. They feed off of each other, and there's nothing I can do.

I just don't know what to do. I'm looking for something else, but I just can't handle the constant screaming. I feel like I'm losing control, and I don't know what to do.
I agree with Storybook... I quit a center because they constantly broke state rule & it did get shut down when licensing checked (after I quit when I witnessed abuse & they didn't tell the parent... I turned them in - it was bad too)... I don't know any state that allows more than 6 infants per caretaker, and if you end up with more at any time, that right there is violation - making you work during your mandatory lunch break is also violation.
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flying_babyb 05:58 PM 12-12-2017
Originally Posted by LysesKids:
I agree with Storybook... I quit a center because they constantly broke state rule & it did get shut down when licensing checked (after I quit when I witnessed abuse & they didn't tell the parent... I turned them in - it was bad too)... I don't know any state that allows more than 6 infants per caretaker, and if you end up with more at any time, that right there is violation - making you work during your mandatory lunch break is also violation.
I called state once, daycare figured out who did it and next thing you know, they cut my hours down to one day a week. Sad thing? there still open
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I'm about to lose my mind 07:01 PM 12-12-2017
Oh, I want to quit. I want to quit SO badly, but at the same time, I have a bit of debt, and I need an income. I've already exhausted my unemployment benefits for the year, and it's not really a guarantee that I can get more next year if I hold out another two months or so- they may not think my reasons for "quitting" are valid.

I don't mind, while I'm sitting on the floor outside of the cubby area eating my lunch and watching Netflix, grabbing an outfit or something on occasion and passing it over to someone. What I DO mind is that when one of my coworkers is alone in the baby room taking a personal call (it had to do with a late fee for her condo in Florida- she tried to pay on time, but the office was closed due to the hurricanes), she was too busy to grab an outfit... and she was actually on the clock.
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Cat Herder 06:11 AM 12-13-2017
Is the co-worker related to your boss? If you can't provide childcare as a team provide parallel childcare. (stolen from co-parenting divorce training resources )

I would recommend putting all the childrens names on post its, fold them up, put them in a bowl, then both of you draw out an equal number of names. Those are then your wards that you are responsible for 100% care of daily.

Also, leave the building for lunch. Even if just to your car. You need the quiet time physiologically. Noise stress escalates.
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rosieteddy 06:22 AM 12-13-2017
I would look for a nanny job.Once you have that I would leave and call licensing.We are mandated reporters they sound over booked with infants.Its so hard ,good luck.
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Cat Herder 06:33 AM 12-13-2017
I never read anything that stated you were out of ratio, just dealing with a seasoned (possibly burnt out) co-worker who knows how to take advantage of a co-worker.

This room set up allows for movement from section to section without changing ratios. One room with half wall dividers.

What is your current ratio, OP?
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Tags:co-workers, finding your smile again
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