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Working Moms
GreenMonkey1
member
Update - DC & The Squeaky Wheel (My Child)
GreenMonkey1
member
in Working Moms
Thank you for everyone's comments, it was (and still is) good to hear I am not being unreasonable.
DS does hold his own bottle and has for sometime. Although sometimes he drops it, DS is fairly good with the bottle. Yesterday and this morning apparently he apparently wanted to be held to eat.
This morning DH went to DC because the teacher called DH and told him our son wouldn't take the first bottle. DS took the bottle fine from DH and took the following bottle fine when the teacher held him.
The teachers were all normal when I came to pick up this afternoon. One suggested feeding him at 4-hours was the solution (we've been saying feed him 3-4 hours, with most feedings being at 4-hours). This logic makes no sense because with that idea he should have scarfed down bottle 2 and 3 yesterday because it had been something like 7 and 10 hours since he first ate.
I talked to the Director and while she agreed that DS not eating for 10-hours was a problem, her rationale really bit (Director told me the teacher's statement of "holding DS to feed was not an option because it would be too hard with the other babies" was probably out of frustration because teacher just really cares for DS). We all get frustrated.
State ratios in Ohio at DS' age are 2 teachers to 12 infants or 1 teacher to 5 infants, so it sounds like many other people live in states with much lower ratios. I've looked at other state policies, but the revised code here is a pita to search (and I have training in legal research) so I am probably just going to call the State and see if they have a cheat sheet for families. I've also requested the licensure report for the childcare center.
At the end of the day I feel like this center might not be a good fit. I don't want to have to advocate for my son to get fed (this is the second or third issue, although the most major) and I don't want to be made to feel like me/my son are a burden when I bring up issues of heath and wellness. We're going to look in to other centers and probably move DS when a slot opens.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Update - DC & The Squeaky Wheel (My Child)
It sounds like this place isn't a good fit for you/your son, especially if this isn't the first issue it's probably best for everyone to find someplace new.
I wouldn't have been too pleased with the Director's "reason" for what the teacher said either, it sounds like they are just making excuses.
Good luck on your search!
You're doing the right thing.
Gosh we have been on the waitlists for different centers that were as long as 18 months...so I know what a PITA it can be depending on where you live to find a DCP that looks good and that you can also get into, let alone find a NEW place if that first one doesn't work out.
But there are just basic things that just has to be a priority and I bet you will be able to find some place that handles this vey basic thing properly.
I agree 100% with your decision to find a new daycare situation. That ratio sounds really high for an infant room. Babies need a lot of individual attention. I think it's absolutely important for babies to be held multiple times a day even when they don't need to be fed. This daycare doesn't have time to hold your baby at all, not even to make sure he eats. Totally unacceptable.
Have you thought about an in home? My sister in law does an in home and the most babies she's ever had at one time has been 2.
Or maybe a nanny?
We have the same infant ratios here and I've never felt like my DD was ignored. I have seen a couple of times when the teacher was changing a diaper and another child started crying or something but she never seemed flustered and took care of both in a reasonable way and time. I've seen them sitting on the floor holding the littlest one with another older baby on each side in a boppy and they're all drinking bottles and happy. No, the teacher can't hold everyone at once but she was still paying attention to them.
I cannot understand how your teachers didn't have 10minutes over all that time to hold him and feed him. Kids have off days, he needed extra attention and they should have been able to provide it.
It seems like everyone who has posted has much lower state ratios, it is very interesting. No, I cannot imagine taking care of 6 infants at once. Although Ohio's state ratio is 1:5 if there is literally only one teacher, 2:12 if there are two, which makes no sense to me - but so goes the law.