How much would this bother you? Re: Preschool

Mrs.K&C

DD goes to a preschool that we felt was a good fit for her needs (montessori-ish style) and we've been happy enough there. There are a lot of kids, and she's one of the youngest in her class - the 2-3 year olds - and I don't get a lot of feedback from the teachers unless I ask, but all in all it's been fine.

However this week alone she's had two clothing items go missing or stolen, which puts the tally up to 4 clothing items. Everything is labeled with stickers that I can't get off if I try (and I have when giving some clothes to her cousin) so even if something was taken by mistake, people would realize it wasn't theirs when they got home. Two jackets and now two tops. She often is put in her "back up" top during the day because she gets wet playing in the water fountain, so the top she wears to school is what is going missing. And Monday it was a brand new shirt so I think it especially irritated me, and today it was another jacket that isn't exactly old.

It's not like she's wearing designer duds to school, it's not the money as much as the principle. And when I told one of the teachers today that this was the 4th time and twice this week, she kind of said "sorry, I'll make a note of it." I don't know if I expected more reaction or what but I'm peeved.

Also, the school we originally wanted but didn't get into until the last minute called me monday about Sabrina starting next year with the 3 year old class. I don't know if I'm looking for an excuse to pull her out of her current school so she can go there, or what. there are things I didn't like as much about that school (more structured than I think Sabrina could handle right now, they seem a little snooty in some ways) but they do take less kids. Right now I'm so annoyed I'm tempted to pull Sabrina out of her school, put her in the same daycare Travis is in (in home daycare, Travis is the only infant the other kids are her age and I adore, adore the daycare provider and the other kids there) until she can start the other school in August. But I wonder if I'm just making a huge deal out of something that probably happens every day at preschool....

amyfelice

I would think that if they were not labeled you would be overreacting but it was super clear that they were her things and there is no excuse for this. I don't think you are overreacting at all and I think the daycare sounds great and then the new school in the fall. Sounds like a plan. 

Celyn

Is there a lost and found?  At Ryan's school, things often get lumped up together on busy days regardless of labeling and put out on the lost and found rack. 

dblhappiness

I'd be bothered too on the missing clothing. Heck it's a constant battle we have at A's afternoon class. What really bugged me was that I kept getting notes home to send more spare clothes when I already had at least 2 spare outfits at each classroom. I had to finally put my foot down and tell them I am not a dept store so if all the paras could please keep track and just look at labels I would be very grateful. I think they finally got the point. 

Mrs.K&C

Celyn:

Is there a lost and found?  At Ryan's school, things often get lumped up together on busy days regardless of labeling and put out on the lost and found rack. 

Yes, there is. They also have a bin for jackets which is where they often end up instead of their cubbies or their hooks when it's busy - which is normally how it is. Which doesn't bother me, I really wouldn't care if i found her jacket in a corner of the playroom...it's that we've looked everywhere (i even checked other kids cubbies and back up clothes) and they are no where to be found. 

jsugrin

Well I don't have my kid in pre-school yet so maybe I shouldn't comment but yes that would piss me off, especially the ehh response you are getting.  I know I've seen other people complain about it, for some reason someone on a National Board kept losing 1 of her kids shoes at daycare and they were the same way, ehh what can we do.  Come on, shoes are expensive and so are jackets.  There is zero reason why something like the shirt should get lost.  I mean, someone had to take it off of her and put a new one on right?  So that person should have put it in her cubby or bag, or whatever.  The coats would piss me off a lot because Coats are expensive and I don't know about Sabrina but Andrew gets pretty attached to his coats and what's certain ones for certain things and would flip the eff out if it got lost ( yeah I know my kid a little neurotic but he can't be the only one, is he?).

So in a nutshell, I'd pull her and put her in the other school come August.

tiki_t

When the kids were in pre-school/daycare, they'd sometimes come home dressed in some other kid's clothing. I'd wash it, bring it back and put it in the lost and found. Eventually our missing stuff turned up in the lost and found too. 

I quickly learned to dress the kids in clothes that I really didn't care about at all when they went there. I know it's annoying but when it comes to daycare issues, this would be a lower priority to pick a fight over. (This coming from someone who eventually ripped the kids out of daycare, quit her job and now stays home with them.) 

NorcalLinds

That would annoy me and be worth my time to contact the preschool director. If I was going to pull my kid out, I would wait till the spot was open in august. I would worry about the level of stimulation from a preschool to a in home daycare provider.

2bearichards

This happened to Peyton a lot when we first started at his current school and I was very upset about it at the time.  I told the teacher each time something went missing and the items were never found.  I figured it was also something that just happened at school and never pushed the issue (but never really understood how some parent could have taken home someone else's clothes and not notice!).

Now that he is older, it almost never happens because he is in charge of his stuff.

I would make up a sign and post it in the classroom, letting the other parents know you have some stuff missing.  I notice other parents doing that at P's school and they seem successful in getting their stuff back.

Good luck!  It is frustrating!

futrkingsley

J, your kid isn't the only one. C would freak if his favorite clothes got lost. It would bug me. Clothes jackets etc are expensive. And hard to replace right now (not in season). Thankfully c's school puts dirty clothes in bags and writes a big reminder for caregivers to alert them. They help kids care for their own stuff as part of tue Montessori principles. I'm sorry that's not your experience. I would guess another parent took them home. Is there a way to post a notice of missing stuff? Our school has a rarely used yahoo group and I've seen missing posters in the lobby for clothes and such. Heck I even found a great piece of c's artwork there.

AvaLikeLava

I would write a note and send it to each of the parents in the room asking them to check and see if they happen to have one of S' items. Describe the items, or if you can find pictures, even better.

At our daycare, like yours, if a kid has a spill/etc. and doesn't have clothes they can wear they use the ones from the center's bin. So I assume that any article of clothing he brings home is from the center. I'd wash it and bring it back, but I'll admit sometimes I'm in no rush to do so. AND I don't check the tags... again, because I assume the clothing belongs to the daycare.

So... if a parent/set of parents is oblivious, like me, they might assume what they have isn't being missed. So just let them know.

In terms of moving her to a new place, yes, I think that missing clothes might not be the most reasonable reason, BUT it sounds like you already have reservations about other things. Go back and visit the other school again, and evaluate how they handle the issues you don't like about your current spot, and if they've improved on the stuff that concerned you about them. Daycare is so stinkin' hard. It's pricey, has long wait lists, and moving isn't exactly a breeze.

Good luck!