Tonite I Had To Pick My Mouth Up Off The Floor

[countrymom]

I have never worked at a center, heck, I use to be a nurse before I did daycare, so I always thought that all those posts about crappy things that happen at centers only happened in the states, not here in ontario, but that all changed tonite.

so my 2 kids started gymnastics tonite, so I was sitting at a table with 2 women, who were talking to each other about kids, the more they talked the more I realized they worked at a daycare. I asked them and they said yes.

First, I found it odd that they used childrens names, I never do, call me nuts but I don't want anyone to know the name of the kids in my care

second, mom B was telling mom A how this boy eats nothing at care, so he started eating playdoh (homemade) and they commented at least he's eating

then they started talking about the lunch meals, omg, you guys would die if you heard what they serve kids, everything is "reheated" nothing is cooked properly and they said the kids eat nothing anyways so who cares, well in my house, I care and I believe this is important in a kids life.

they talked about how kids love to throw muffins across the rooms and crush goldfish crackers and throw them then, who the heck does this, not my kids for sure. Mom A was saying how the kids made such a mess eating cake that it was all over the floor.

they went on and on, I couldn't believe it. I would never ever send my kids there, and apparently when they do circle time no one wants to do it so they don't care (I don't do it in my house I know my kids wouldn't sit still so we do other things) they were talking about how they were training the kids to sit and watch tv

I just couldnt' believe it, I had to pick my mouth up off the floor. My mdd was with me at the table and she couldn't believe it either. Next week they will be there, it'll be interesting to hear what they have to say. Oh they were complaining about late pick up, so I told them how I run a tight ship and don't allow late pick unless its schedualed and they will have to pay, they couldn't believe it.

[kendallina]

Sounds like an extremely poorly run child care center. I've worked in 4 different centers and one of them (my first!) was horribly run. The teachers were paid poorly, there was often *barely* enough food for everyone to eat snack, cleanliness standards were not kept up on etc. I quit within 2 weeks. About 2 months later they were shut down for leaving a 3-year old outside in the rain by herself for a half hour. I learned very early in my career how to choose a decent place to work.

However, the other three places that I have worked have been really decent places. Places where most or all of the teachers were professional, they understood confidentiality, they cared about the kiddos and most of the teachers genuinely enjoyed their jobs. These were places that were well run with a good director and they paid well (as well as you can expect for the field).

I hate hearing about how bad child care centers are (not blaming you for posting this at all...), because there really are decent places out there. But, yeh, I hear you...it really can be hard to hear people talking like that.

[frgsonmysox]

I've worked at two centers, and I was a personal nanny for a while. There were issues at the centers, there always are, but I promise these women are not indicative of centers as a whole.

[mac60]

My own two kids went to a center over 18 years ago, they were a super group of ladies that cared for the kids and I could not have asked for anything better.

I would tend to think that a lot of this talk was just that "talk". Using first names only, really no big deal to me. It is when they add the last name then it shouldn't happen. I would just call this table talk among two moms concerning situations out of their control, they were on their own time....like the child not eating but ate the playdoh and they saying at least he ate....just a smart comment I am sure not to be taken seriously. Cake on the floor, oh so how I can relate to that, and that is why I have quit serving it ever anymore.

[Kaddidle Care]

Sounds like they were just doing some venting about the shenanigans of the littles.

It's nice being able to chat about the weird goings on with children. They have each other, those that work alone have the blessing of this forum.

Birthday cupcake days are nice but yeah... messy. We've had a few cracker crushers here too - they quickly find out that crushed crackers = snack time is over for them. And throwing muffins would never be tolerated. Throwing any food for that matter.

Since you don't know what Center they work for, using first names isn't too much of a problem unless they are talking really loudly (which they may have been) or it's a very small town and everyone knows everyone.

Our Center is in a very small town and you have to watch what you say because a good percentage of the people are related!

[countrymom]

I know we all vent, but these women weren't venting like we vent. Like they want the kids to sit and watch tv so they are teaching them to watch tv. the food issue really bugged me. They did say that there is never enough for the kids, that they don't serve yogurt because its messy but they serve chocolate pudding (I made the suggestiong of yogurt tubes which my kids all love and its not messy) the raw french fries, everything being microwaved. Dh needs to come next week and listen, I was telling him. I would never allow my kids to go to something like this. And here I'm worried about the kids not eating enough or eating healthy, my kids rock compared to those kids at the center.

[Ariana]

Can you report them somehow? None of this makes any sense to me. They're governed by rules and it sounds like they're breaking some of them? I just don't get why they're allowed to do any of this when there are other educators there. Aren't centres regulated by Health Canada in terms of nutrition? Ours certainly were and we were inspected regularly.

Ontario and Canada in general needs to be MUCH more strict with who they allow to be educators in centres and elsewhere. IMO anyone working in a centre should have their ECE and there should be skills that need upgrading all the time, reviews etc. The centre where I worked it was EXTREMELY strict and this type of behavior would never be tolerated. Not to mention that UNlicense home childcare account for probably 80% of childcare in the country. It's appalling really. I think the USA is much more strict.

Stuff like this give good providers and ECE's like me and you a really BAD name

[youretooloud]

Wow, I've worked in some of the worst centers in the entire world! But, never, ever have kids purposely crushed crackers, or thrown food.

I would use real names in conversation too. Not online, but if I were talking to someone I would. I have a BFF that does childcare and we talk bad about the kids all the time, but most if it is an exaggeration. It's obvious though that we are being absurd, so nobody with any sense could overhear it, and think we are serious. For instance, I wonder if they were kidding about the playdough. I could see me saying "Well, at least he ate something" about a kid, but not really meaning it.

I said one day "I should only give him knives and plastic bags to play with, since he won't use any actual TOYS, he only wants anything dangerous". Fortunately I sounded absurd, so nobody would have taken me seriously.

I don't care if the kids don't eat. It used to bother me a LOT. But, I got over it. I provide a reasonably healthy meal, and that's my job... their job is to eat it...if they don't eat it, I'm OK with that too.

90% of my kids eat HORRIBLE meals at home. I am not kidding... those hot pockets in the freezer section???? MY (dc) kids eat those! I thought those were only for potheads who lived in their parent's basement or college students.

[MarinaVanessa]

I was thinking the same thing as yourtooloud. I know I've said the same thing about a DCK not eating his food but eating crayons to his DCD and he said exactly the same thing, "Well at least he ate something" he said it so it sounded serious enough but I know he didn't mean it. I hope that these ladies really don't mean any of it and they'e just overexaggerating and venting.

If it happens again next time you see them why not just talk to them and ask questions instead of jumping the gun on reporting them like some suggested. I'm not saying that reporting them is a bad idea, believe me I'm just as astonished as the rest here, I would just want to get a better feel for it KWIM?

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear you. I'm in the child care business too, you'e not really serious about the kids [action they are talking about] are you? I mean you're just joking right?" and see what they say. If they really are serious about the food, and the mess and the behavior I would just say "You know, it's not supposed to be that way. I have never heard of a daycare being that out of control ever. Sounds to me like the director needs to reevaluate the way the center is managed" and offer kind suggestions. If they get upset or deffensive then chances are that sadly yes they are being serious and then you would have every reason to make that call to licensing. That's so sad I really, really, really hope that they are just overexaggerating.

[Sugar Magnolia]

..
I hate hearing about how bad child care centers are (not blaming you for posting this at all...), because there really are decent places out there. But, yeh, I hear you...it really can be hard to hear people talking like that.

I own/operate/teach at a small center. Not a big box place, a QUALITY 4 star center. I too grow weary of the generalizations i
hear here sometimes. Sure, those ladies were talking some horrible things, but for every bad center, there are 100 good ones. Same goes for home daycares. There are good and bad of both. There ARE center people on this forum, not many, but those of us that have nice, clean, quality programs DO take offense to sweeping generalizations.

[countrymom]

Can you report them somehow? None of this makes any sense to me. They're governed by rules and it sounds like they're breaking some of them? I just don't get why they're allowed to do any of this when there are other educators there. Aren't centres regulated by Health Canada in terms of nutrition? Ours certainly were and we were inspected regularly.

Ontario and Canada in general needs to be MUCH more strict with who they allow to be educators in centres and elsewhere. IMO anyone working in a centre should have their ECE and there should be skills that need upgrading all the time, reviews etc. The centre where I worked it was EXTREMELY strict and this type of behavior would never be tolerated. Not to mention that UNlicense home childcare account for probably 80% of childcare in the country. It's appalling really. I think the USA is much more strict.

Stuff like this give good providers and ECE's like me and you a really BAD name

thats what I thought, that we have rules, my odd was in a center and I dropped in at odd times to check things out, or I would ask them what they ate, I was really in their face when it came to the care of my kid (because its a center and I know they have alot of kids) Next week should be interesting.

[countrymom]

I told them that I owned a daycare, and they still continued. I think they were serious, because its not that they were venting about the food, they were venting about the late pick ups. The play doh thing, I was kinda of upset because apparently this child eats nothing everyday, and mom is aware of it, but when I heard what they fed the kids I understood why. They were serious abou the tv too, heck my dd who heard the whole convo says to me this morning, "why are those children forced to sit and watch tv are they bad" Reporting here isn't as easy as a phone call, you need to jump thru hoops here. I think the center is also over their limit too, because I asked them how many kids they have in a room, and mom b says 13, so I asked her if she was by herself, she was like "no" its only suppose to be 5 per person so she has a helper. I really feel sorry for those kids.

[Crystal]

I think what we need to keep in mind is that center workers do not have everything at stake like we do. We put 100% into our programs because if we didn't, our livlihood would be affected. Most center workers go to work, get paid minimum wage and put little effort into their jobs because if a kid leaves because the parent is unhappy, it doesn't affect them like it would one of us.

I have met and know many ccc teachers. I actually conducted a survey at the college when I was contemplating opening my own center. I can tell you that many of them are overworked and underpaid, have little or no training, are completely disrespected by the director or owner, get no paid time off, little or no benefits,have no support system, have no control with the option of terming if needed, have to put up with bad behaviors at risk of losing their jobs, have to grin and bear it when a parent is a jerk, etc. These things are a huge part of the reason for such high turnover rates in CCC....staff are constantly looking for a better job, and as soon as they find it, they move on.

What you describe was probably an exaggeration on their parts, but I wouldn't be surprised either.

[countrymom]

minimum wage is 10.50 here, so I think its pretty good considering sometimes what I make.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I think what we need to keep in mind is that center workers do have everything at stake like we do. We put 100% into our programs because if we didn't, our livlihood would be affected. Most center workers go to work, get paid minimum wage and put little effort into their jobs because if a kid leaves because the parent is unhappy, it doesn't affect them like it would one of us.

I have met and know many ccc teachers. I actually conducted a survey at the college when I was contemplating opening my own center. I can tell you that many of them are overworked and underpaid, have little or no training, are completely disrespected by the director or owner, get no paid time off, little or no benefits,have no support system, have no control with the option of terming if needed, have to put up with bad behaviors at risk of losing their jobs, have to grin and bear it when a parent is a jerk, etc. These things are a huge part of the reason for such high turnover rates in CCC....staff are constantly looking for a better job, and as soon as they find it, they move on.

What you describe was probably an exaggeration on their parts, but I wouldn't be surprised either.

Sigh. More generalizations. I put 100% into my program. I'm not going to divulge my income, but its way WAY more than minimum wage. I pay my staffer $10 an hour, she holds a masters degree and is highly trained and dedicated, as am I and my husband. I put MASSIVE effort into my program and DO CARE if my kids/clients are happy. My staffer has superior support, input, and training. No, no health insurance but neither do myself and my husband. I don't tolerate bad behavior OR jerky parents. My staff turnover is 0%. Again, as I posted above, sweeping generalizations should be avoided. NOT ALL CENTERS ARE SUCKY KID MILLS staffed by uncaring, untrained, and uneducated people and owned by money-grubbing hard a**es. I proudly work/own and operate a 4 star quality center.