Among Friends

[Twins Mom]

DD is teacher in early childhood. She usually has infants. Hours 7 to 6 and many parents use full day for childcare. It’s illness season again and it’s amazing how many admit their child has fever when dropping off. Licensing says no fever above 100. One parent yelled today that their doctor says below 103 not a fever! Some guve Tylenol before dropping off to disguise situation. Do they realize how it spreads to kids and caregivers alike? They would be first to yell if school shut because no caregivers available!
No doubt many pushed by their employers but in most of these cases they are not hourly workers but rather professionals or stay at home moms.
One parent does not want to use plastic bottles. Understand concern with heating but they offered to heat in glass and transfer to plastic. Not acceptable.
Yup, these are the caregivers to their children that make less than the $15 they want to pay fast food workers! Christmas gifts? Some nothing or a B&B lotion. DD will soon learn thankless job but she loves those kids. She can go in any classroom and calls them all by name. Caregivers CARE but there are limits.

[FastDogWalker2]

I retired from early childhood education 3 years ago after a 30 year career.  I have a Masters degree and worked in an accredited private school with a high concentration of well educated, affluent parents and this was my experience throughout my career as well.  It is sad.

[Laura14]

I work in customer service and the lack of common courtesy and just straight up lack of common sense is downright appalling in recent years.  I mean people are just incredible with their demands and entitlements these days aren't they?

I hope her manager straightens the parents up.  Unless there is real competition for kids which I doubt, I'd let the parents know management runs the show there, has rules for a darn good reason like protecting their kids, and the expectation for everyone is that they be adhered to at all times. 

Otherwise, bye, Felicia. 

I am not sure when the rules just don't apply to me and my children happened for everyone.  

[Twins Mom]

@ Laura14
The issue of rules applying to others but not self is prevalent and drives me crazy. Look on airplanes when they tell people to put phones away, seats up, etc. - rule for safety of all but THEY are special.
These parents screamed at administration. Tgey hear what they want to hear from doctor - not what’s said.

[Laura14]

@Twins Mom  That's a bad manager. 

Probably a family relative of mine.  She watched a tantrum take place three times in my office and all three of those people are still here too. 

I don't get not protecting your staff and encouraging future bad behavior by not confronting or handing out consequences even if it's a warning that if they speak to a staff member like that again, they'll be finding another daycare.  

Managers caring about how their staff is treated and not wanting to lose good people used to happen once upon a time.  

[Twins Mom]

@ Laura14
Actually administrator is trying to take pressure off teachers and be more firm with parents. She got the rants. Hope she can remain firm.

[hckynut]

It's their world and everyone else is just passing through!

hckynut

[happycat]

Where my nieces went to daycare, if they weren't feeling well or acting sick the providers checked to see if they had a fever. If they had anything above 98.6 my sister got a call, and thats how it should be.

Its sad that anyone would send a kid to school sick, let alone with a fever of 103. I do believe this by the way, because people are nuts.

[Gorgf]

I worked my last five years  in my career for   Federal Tribal Head Start with similar licencing laws. I did it until my Medicare was available and I retired.We had an Early side, birth to three. Yes, I experienced all mentioned. Hand and Mouth comes in the building and spreads. Dirarea all day and the excuse teething every single time. Parents change phone numbers  or get the phones cut off so a long list to find someone to pick up the child.  Meanwhile the child gets more ill. Some times the building had to close as not enough staff to work and illness widespread. Yes ,parents had to find alternate care and were not happy.

We had a nurse but not an infirmary, meanwhile everyone gets sick. Head Lice and parents don't treat properly and infect the group. The Govt. did not want children sent home as disrupts education.  We decided not worth spreading head lice. Pink Eye periodically. Staff would be out also with it.

Some parents were grateful but most treat you like a servant and take their frustrations /rudeness /meaness out on staff. I used to often think at least most of the day they had good food and care with us. It is a well funded program.

Since I retired a year ago I haven't been sick. I had a minor in Early Childhood. I think I would go private  Day Care myself or work for the private sector that enforces policies and has parents who keep the ill children home with alternate care. Unfortunately ,Early Childhood teachers are not paid like other degreed teachers. 

[NicksmomESQ]

  When my son was little I had him in pre school two afternoons a week. I never ever sent him in sick.(Even when he started regular school I never sent him in sick.) However, a lot of parents did. Some were working mothers & some weren’t.They just wanted “time off”.

  My son was sick a lot in pre school because of all the sick kids there. He went to a private pre school.At one point I demanded & got a partial refund because he was out so much. I was about to pull him out when the administrator agreed to start screening the really sick  kids & deny them entry.The parents who were like me stood with me.