I'm so angry I can't see straight (Re: Daycare)

My son and I got a late start this morning, mainly because he was watching cartoons, and I was napping... but nonetheless, it was approaching 10:30 or so. I went ahead and fed my son some lunch, and proceeded to get him ready for daycare. I walked in the door about 10:55, and the teacher stormed down the stairs hollering 'He can't be here! You've been told he has to be here by 10:00!'

This is the first I've heard of anything of the sort. I tell her I don't understand. All she can tell me is that 'it's the policy' and 'we've already served lunch, and we don't have any extra'. I told her I had already fed him lunch, but that didn't do any good.

I asked for one final clarification: "So... even though we've already paid, he can't be here at all today." She says that's correct.

So, I have to go get my son, who is already playing with his friends, and drag him out of there, while hearing him cry "But Daddy, I want to go to school!! Please, Daddy!!!!"

Can anyone explain this to me? I'm not a moron... I even have an education degree, and teach in public school... and you know what? If a kid checks into school at 3:00pm, I've still gotta teach them...

I pay 370 dollars per month, and I think the 'policy' is a bit unreasonable.

your child being there puts the number of children per adult ratio over the legal limit. Otherwise, they should take your son for the day.

there as there always is.

I would also consider putting your son on the list at an alternative center. These people sound rather unreasonable. I had to put my daughter in three places before I found one where we were all happy.

But isn't 10:00 AM a little late to be worrying about meeting the ratio? Seems like they'd want to know earlier in the morning, so they know if they need to call more staff in, or send some home.

In any case, the rules about something like that should have been made crystal clear in the beginning, not decided once the child is already there.

If this wasn't the owner/director? If not take it up with them.

You liberal DISRUPTER! How old is your son?

I worked from home when my kids were little and got this
crap once and a while.

I had to switch daycare until I found one that UNDERSTOOD
that I was going to keep my kids with me until I NEEDED
daycare, that I wanted daycare that revolved around OUR
schedule, not theirs.

I found it. But it took a while. And yes, I was willing
to pay for the time they WEREN'T there, and THAT was UNDERSTOOD.

:)

and I pay the full price. He could be there from 7-5:30 for 5 days a week on what I pay.

A good daycare situation is worth its weight in gold. Hope you get this sorted out and maybe find a better place.

Besides the preschool that is operated by the school district.

and you showing up with your kid put her over her 'limit'. Tht would explain her near-panic. Not that I think that is worth panicking over, but I can see how she would - she might feel like she's being caught kwim.

One daycare I used always insisted on knowing if she was coming in by 10am. Sometimes we ran late, so they called us at 10:15 or so to see if we were coming in. I finally asked why they cared so much and the director told me they like to accommodate 'drop ins' whenever possible but they can only do it w/o going over the limit.

And besides, if that were the case, she should have said so. I can 'understand' that. I can't understand made-up nonsense.

say they are limited to only 20 children per day, your kid doesn't show and she takes a drop in. You show up and that puts her at 21. This only matters if she's licensed for 20 and could face a fine for having 21.

I'm making up all these numbers and it might be more complicated than this, but that's the gist of what I'm trying to convey.

It doesn't matter in the end, she needed to treat you all a lot better and should have found a gentler way to handle it, for your kid's sake if nothing else. I hope you can clear it up.

If the daycare is licensed by the state, then they have certain teacher-child ratios that they have to abide by. If she took someone in, thinking your child wasn't going to be there, then it may have been an issue.

Of course, she should give you her reason before showing you the door.

And it's a stupid policy.

Their argument was that coming in late disrupted the schedule of the other kids. This daycare had no schedule, but that was their claim. We looked around at other daycares in the area, and every single one of them said that policy was goofy, and they did not have a similar policy.

7:00-11:00 Play
11:00-11:30 Eat
11:30-1:00 Nap
1:00-5:30 Play

Something tells me he could have 'blended right in'.

They had signs up on their bulletin board that tried to pretend they were a school more than a daycare, so I wondered if they were trying to pass themselves off under some state law as a school. But eat, nap , and play was all they did, and the eating was pretty disgusting, at that.

We recommended against that place so many times I know we cost them a lot of customers. But we kept our kid there because of her friends. I hated it, but I did.

We do. I haven't heard of this. We can bring our girl in (23mos.) whenever we want.

:shrug:

but I am aggravated beyond belief.

if you're going to change daycares, doing it now would be easier for him than later given his age. Three is when most humans start to develop long term memory so there's still a good chance he might forget his current friends once he's at the new daycare with new friends.

If there are some friends that he's especially attached to, I recommend writing a letter to the parents of the kids explaining that your son will be changing schools soon but would love to keep in touch for weekend playdates and just include your name and phone number. Put it in a sealed envelope with the kid's name on it and either place them in the cubbies or ask the obnoxious teacher to do it for you.

If you're paying for the service, they should be providing it. I don't blame you for being angry.

before I call and make an issue with the owner.

to determine whether this is common and considered a fair business practice.
It certainly doesn't sound fair to me. What happens when your child has a doctor's appointment? http://www.azdhs.gov/als/childcare/

It's possible this episode will prove to be a blessing. The provider sounds a little loopy...Maybe it's best to have your child in the care of someone more emotionally stable.

trying to remember. I know that if my son was two hours late
for P H school he was considered absent for the day though.

I think I did catch hell, a few times, for being late to drop
off or pick up at daycare and not calling.

They plan the days activities in advance, based on head count.

Not sure though but her reaction seems over the top to me!