Thursday, August 9, 2012

My beef with daycare.

Let me preface by saying that I know no one else can take care of my kid like I can.  I get that. 

I also want to clarify that I am not anti-daycare.  I used to be.  Cost, germs, and "ouch reports" aside, I am well aware of the benefits that are to be had from a daycare center. 

My beef is with OUR daycare center.  My beef is that the fundamental needs of my child are not being met consistently.

(Ok, I think I'm done using the word beef.)

Beef.  Beef.  BEEF.

(Ok, seriously, I'm done now.)

I have let a lot of shit slide in the last 7-8 months, but I'm done.  WE ARE DONE.  One more week, at most, and then we will NEVER use this center again.  Let me tell you why...

  • Lucy needs to be changed more than 3 times in a 9-hour period.  7 HOURS in the same diaper is not acceptable.
  • Lucy needs to eat.  I pack her breakfast, lunch and two snacks everyday, and everyday you send home the leftovers.  I cannot tell you the number of times her food has come back completely untouched, as if it hadn't been offered to her at all.  Three times this week alone!  I do not pack these items as a suggestion.
  • Yogurt.  It's her afternoon snack.  It has been for months.  Do not take it upon yourself to create strange concoctions with the contents of her lunchbox.  Do not discard the other breakfast items I have packed because the yogurt is easier to serve.
  • DO NOT LIE TO ME.  Do not tell me that the other teacher misspoke and that the daily report was inaccurate.  The proof is in the poop:  you fed my kid peanut butter and apples.  She is allergic to peanut butter.  Rather than lie, and discredit the two sources that I rely on for daily feedback, apologize and ensure that it does not happen again.
  • Your daily report sucks.  It is vague, and apparently unreliable per the peanut butter incident. 
  • We're supposed to be paying the toddler rate, not the infant rate.  We were told at enrollment that the price would change when she changed rooms.  YOU changed her room, but YOU did not and will not change her rate until her second birthday.  WTF??   
  • Lucy has a hell of a lot of accidents on your watch. 'Nuff said.

I have tried speaking with the directors and teachers; they act surprised and apologetic, but nothing ever changes.  One of the teachers actually asked if she could give our name and number as a reference for new clients...  Haha.  You had better hope we never get called!

2 comments:

  1. Ok, the diaper thing? Is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. Ryan is changed every two hours on the dot. And that's even with disposables, which are more absorbent than cloth. I am so mad for you.

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  2. Poor Lucy! Glad you are not having to deal with this for much longer.

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