Is this a legitimate daycare complaint?

Runaway Bride! · August 2009

I don't go back to teaching until September, but I wanted DD to have the month of August to transition slowly into daycare. She has really bad stranger anxiety and I wanted to make the transition as easy as possible. She started on Monday and each day I've spent an hour in the classroom with her and then I leave her with her teachers for 1/2 hour.

What I've noticed is the large amount of time that the teachers spend on "housekeeping". It seems that they spend a huge chunk of the day washing dishes, picking up toys, preparing meals, making notes for parents on diaper changes, naps and meals, etc. The room is spotless, but the teachers don't seem to spend nearly as much time as I'd like on the floor interacting with the kids.

I know that DD can't get as much personalized attention at daycare as she would at home with me, but I'm planning to bring my concerns to the director.

What's your perception of the amount of time teachers at your LO's daycare center spend on housekeeping tasks?

expecting-n-tx · August 2009

I would say as a day care teacher I spent 50% of my time cleaning. Even in the older room, just in there it is cleaning finger paints up instead of bottles. I think that you are going to find this most places, sorry!

Kim-n-Eric · August 2009

daycare facilities are teeming with germs. I'd be worried if they didn't spend a lot of time cleaning.

KMLP · August 2009

I would say, no, not really. My mother owns a private daycare center and preschool and they have to devote quite a bit of time to cleaning and things like that or the school could not function the way it does.

karenmarie20 · August 2009

Do you go at the same time everyday? Maybe it's that particular time of the day?

Unfortunately, I think you may be being a little unrealistic. I hope everything works out. GL!

ETA: Sorry I hope that didn't come off snotty, just from what I can see at DD's DC there is always something to do so sometimes the kids have to play in the exersaucers or just sit at the table with a toy while things get done in the classroom.

niki81 · August 2009

My daughter spent five months in daycare before I pulled her out to be home with me for the summer. I never stayed around to observe the teachers, but I would say that the duties you mentioned the teachers doing are necessary for them to stay organized and successfully make sure each child is getting his/her needs met (ie. fed, changed,). As a mother, I really appreciated those daily sheets that came home with DD, each outlining how much of her bottle she took, how long her naps were, etc. Thus it being necessary for the teachers to take time to fill such sheets out throughout the day. The question should be, what are the teachers doing when they're not doing things like filling out sheets and cleaning dishes? If they're spending the time with the kids, then that's what's important. Also, the kids will be interacting with each other and also learning how to play independently.

Runaway Bride! · August 2009

Thanks for helping me get a clue! I hadn't really thought about it from the other point of view.

J+O · August 2009

As a SAHM, this sounds like my day at home. ?I have to still cook and clean and pick up. ?And it does take away a little time from DS, but he's just fine.

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Is this a legitimate daycare complaint?

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