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At my dd'1 daycare, there is a person who works the kitchen and delivers the snacks to the classrooms. The caregivers themselves don't do it and would likely take that wait time to changediapers (and writing it down on the reports) and tidy up theroom. Did you look at her daily report to see what time snacks were given? That might answer it for you.
However, if you distrust them enough to assume something wrong going on without asking about it, then you should seek another daycare. No one should leave their child with people they don't trust.
Great comments, that was how it worked at the day care centers where my kids attended.
In the future you should always ask right away. My daughter has been in the same daycare since she was an infant (3 now). I always ask about whatever pops up. They are open and so am I. 3 is snack time at my daughter's center. Do you get a daily schedule? When my daughter as an infant I got a report every day. Now that she is in Pre-k I don't get a report but the schedule is on the wall.
On the next day you are there I would just casually bring it up. Say you noticed that when you picked up your child the other day at 3 that all the kids were in highchairs. If you really have a bad feeling about the center than change it asap. Prior to where we are now my daughter was in another center. I had to go to back to work when she was only 6 weeks old. I would walk into this center at the end of the day to get her and she would be in a swing while the adults were all sitting around talking to each other---there was usually just her left or maybe one other baby. This was every single day. There is no reason someone couldn't be holding a 2 month old baby while they are chatting. I wasn't paying for her to sit alone in a swing. We were out of there within weeks. It still makes me sick to think about it.
If the highchair incident is your only concern then I would get more information first. If you see kids strapped in chairs or pack and plays all the time then I would switch asap.
At my dd'1 daycare, there is a person who works the kitchen and delivers the snacks to the classrooms. The caregivers themselves don't do it and would likely take that wait time to change diapers (and writing it down on the reports) and tidy up the room. Did you look at her daily report to see what time snacks were given? That might answer it for you.
However, if you distrust them enough to assume something wrong going on without asking about it, then you should seek another daycare. No one should leave their child with people they don't trust.
There is no kitchen for the infant and under 2 year old room. All food has to be already prepared and ready to go. The only thing they will do is reheat food in the microwave but it already has to be in the appropriate container and they do not provide any food what so ever for kids under 2. The refrigerator and microwave are actually in the same room as the high chairs so I would have seen them prepare the food. It's all just one big room.
I'm on the fence over what to do. The teachers might lie if I ask because what teacher is really going to admit yeah we leave them sitting there for multiple hours, saying something the director might lead to something being overblown because she is known to be very tough on the teachers, and not saying something would be bad parenting. Moving her is not that simple because we live in a secluded area where most of the daycares are home daycares which I simply do not trust. I'm going to have to think it over.
There is no kitchen for the infant and under 2 year old room. All food has to be already prepared and ready to go. The only thing they will do is reheat food in the microwave but it already has to be in the appropriate container and they do not provide any food what so ever for kids under 2. The refrigerator and microwave are actually in the same room as the high chairs so I would have seen them prepare the food. It's all just one big room.
I'm on the fence over what to do. The teachers might lie if I ask because what teacher is really going to admit yeah we leave them sitting there for multiple hours, saying something the director might lead to something being overblown because she is known to be very tough on the teachers, and not saying something would be bad parenting. Moving her is not that simple because we live in a secluded area where most of the daycares are home daycares which I simply do not trust. I'm going to have to think it over.
Thanks for all the input!
That's a good thing, imo! The well-being of your daughter is the #1 priority, I don't think you should be worried about the teachers at this point. You don't need to go out and accuse anyone, just bring it up with the director as a question, say that you just wanted to be reassured that it was indeed snack time or some other reason for them being in the chairs - if that is the case, the director should know or will verify with the teachers. If not - well the teachers will be in trouble and rightfully so. You have every right to bring up your concerns, and let the director and teachers figure it out between themselves from there, that's their job.
There is no kitchen for the infant and under 2 year old room. All food has to be already prepared and ready to go. The only thing they will do is reheat food in the microwave but it already has to be in the appropriate container and they do not provide any food what so ever for kids under 2. The refrigerator and microwave are actually in the same room as the high chairs so I would have seen them prepare the food. It's all just one big room.
I'm on the fence over what to do. The teachers might lie if I ask because what teacher is really going to admit yeah we leave them sitting there for multiple hours, saying something the director might lead to something being overblown because she is known to be very tough on the teachers, and not saying something would be bad parenting. Moving her is not that simple because we live in a secluded area where most of the daycares are home daycares which I simply do not trust. I'm going to have to think it over.
Thanks for all the input!
I'm curious as to what state you are in as that method of food prep would not be allowed in my state, nor would children age two be allowed to be kept in the same classroom as infants.
If you really feel that the teachers might lie, then you must take the time to drop in again at that same time and hang around to see what is going on.
Also, if you really feel that the director would be too tough on the teachers, then you must not feel what you saw merits the director checking into it in the first place.
Are home child cares required to be licensed in your state? If so, then they must meet the same general standards that your child care center must meet. If so, then what has caused you to not trust them since you obviously have not used one?
3:00 seems like it would be prime snack time, so maybe they were getting ready to dispense snacks. Did you try asking the caregiver?[/quote]
I would also drop in at a few other times. There may be something wrong or absolutely nothing wrong at all.
Don't jump to conclusions and blame the staff until you ask about why the children were all in highchairs.
Many times it is better to get more information than to just jump to conclusions.
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Sometimes "slice of life" observations can be very misleading.
While I'm not telling you to ignore your gut instincts just picture the scene slightly differently. Most of the children had just been placed in their high chairs for snack. Your child was just changed and the caregiving was writing it down because she knows it is important to you to have acurate information. Another child just had a poopy diaper so the second caregiver immediately went to change her instead of having the child "sit in it" until after snack time. The third caregiver had just read a story to the group of kids and immediately went to put the book away so that no one would trip and fall on it. She was then going to hand out snacks (as you said, already prepared and ready to go) to the group. And isn't it nice that the juice wasn't sitting on the counter getting warm and maybe growing germs? The caregiver followed the health & safety rules and kept it in the fridge until the moment before it was to be served.
Doesn't this seem a lot different than the horror stories that a few other readers have suggested?
I was looking up what to do about this and came across this post.
I work in a daycare as the lead with the babies, before that I worked with the toddlers. Its every single day that babies are taken from my room and placed in the toddler room so that we can minimize staff and send my assistant home. Occasionally it has been 4 hours that those babies sat in high chairs, usually its an hour and a half to two hours. I'm very upset about it and don't want them taken to baby jail so the owner can save money on payroll. Its my superiors that make the choice to do this and they choose to send the ones that can walk so its extra rough on them since they want to explore and play! I've thought about mentioning it to the parents so they can choose whether or not to continue to subject the children to this but I'm afraid I'll lose my job and I'm a single mom I cannot lose my job. What should I do?
I was looking up what to do about this and came across this post.
I work in a daycare as the lead with the babies, before that I worked with the toddlers. Its every single day that babies are taken from my room and placed in the toddler room so that we can minimize staff and send my assistant home. Occasionally it has been 4 hours that those babies sat in high chairs, usually its an hour and a half to two hours. I'm very upset about it and don't want them taken to baby jail so the owner can save money on payroll. Its my superiors that make the choice to do this and they choose to send the ones that can walk so its extra rough on them since they want to explore and play! I've thought about mentioning it to the parents so they can choose whether or not to continue to subject the children to this but I'm afraid I'll lose my job and I'm a single mom I cannot lose my job. What should I do?
Wow, thats between a rock and a hard place.. I feel for you. I really understand wanting to do the right thing but you really also owe a duty of care to your child(ren) to have a job. I really dont know what I would do but I do know that I wont ignore it because this could really become dangerous fast. Infants should never be placed in toddler rooms at daycares. I think it may even be against licensing requirements at least in the states that I am familiar with. Toddlers dont know yet how not to play roughly and could easily hurt an infant unknowingly since I'm sure the staff there will already have their hands fulls with the toddlers there. There are also toys / snacks etc that can be found in toddler rooms that may not be appropriate for infants
What I may potentially do in your shoes - few options (1), befriend one of the infant moms in your infant room and suggest to her to consider coming to pick up her child around the time that this happens. You should consider asking her not to say that you told her anything. Risk is that she may still use your name; (2) consider contacting the licensing authority in your state and let them know that the owner is breaking the rules and potentially endangering the infants in her care. ; (3) ask any of the other teachers that you are friendly with, what they would do in your situation
All in all, good luck making a touch decision and I think you are wonderful to worry about these kids in your care
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I cannot lose my job. What should I do?
