Between Us

DAYCARE SUCKS

I’m sorry for the loud entrance to this post, but it’s so true, especially for a mom who just wants to make sure her baby is LOVED and knows it.

Carter is enrolled in a GREAT daycare; they are one of the best in Jacksonville, yet still relatively affordable. Naturally I did my research; I asked all the right questions and got all the right answers. So why is it that I have still been unable to LOVE the daycare I enrolled him in?

Call it mother’s intuition, that little unnerving voice that pulls on your heart strings and rings in your head telling you something is not quite right. I’ve had my concerns, not that he’s in any danger or that they’re hurting him, but mostly that he’s simply not being given the attention he needs. Maybe you can follow - He sleeps on his stomach at home (I KNOW – against what the world says is ok, but after the 1st 2 weeks of him not sleeping much, he finally would sleep on his tummy so we stuck with it), at daycare he has to be on his back. He has since (and really only in the past 2 weeks) developed a bald spot on the back of his head that this week turned into a line from where he rubs his head back and forth while in the crib. His hair has been seriously falling out…it’s really sad. But more unnerving is that I suspected they were leaving him in his crib longer than they’re supposed to and even when he wasn’t sleeping. YESTERDAY, I finally had proof (thanks to internet technology). SO here’s the breakdown:

He slept for me from 0720-0800, I left him at daycare at 0810 – he was happy.

0830-0900, they placed him in his crib. WHY? He wasn’t sleeping.

They got him up at 0900 to feed him, placed him in a swing afterwards about 0915-0930ish. THEN back in his crib at 0935. WHY? (I know his schedule, I keep strict track of his schedules on days I get to be home with him because I want to know for sure)

I watched video from 0940-1040 as he lay in his crib obviously not sleeping, obviously not happy, and as at least 4 times a teacher had to go to his crib to offer a pacifier, wrap him in his blanket, reposition him, whatever to try to get him to sleep! Why would he be left in there for over an hour like that – I know that for most of that he was probably crying. So I called….I could hear him screaming in the background. TWO teachers could not explain to me why he was in there if he wasn’t sleeping, and one tried to tell me he was just waking up – to which I interrupted her and said I’ve been watching and know he hasn’t been. Long conversation short, I demanded my child be picked up and taken out of the crib and NOT placed back in it unless he was already sleeping or until I got there at lunch to pick him up!

At lunch, I further addressed my concerns, they knew I was pissed and they were wrong so they didn’t even offer an excuse….I further explained that it was unacceptable and that under NO circumstances is he to be left in his crib for a period longer than 5-10 minutes if he is NOT sleeping. I certainly hope they understand I’m not playing. I’m giving them the chance to fix the issue before I take my concerns to the director…but that will be the next step should I find this happen again.

So, this working mother was terribly upset and still am. The teacher was super chatty and nice this morning – I hope she knows how serious I was with my request yesterday. I know it’s hard to care for LOTS of infants all day long, I’m sure it gets tiring and teachers need a break – I GET IT. BUT, I pay a lot of money to ensure he receives the best care possible while I have no choice but to work…this is what they are paid to do. I’d love for them to like me; I’m ok if they don’t. I’d love to like them…It’s not ok that I don’t. Something has to change.

Sorry for the LONG VENT…just had to get it out. I’m sure you all understand.