Day care vent!

MandMLeona · June 2014

Warning...totally vent, with no solution possible and it will probably be long to boot. Sorry, but you have been warned.

We love our day care we have for DD1. We were planning DD2 to start there in September when the older kids started school. (I'm lucky enough to be able to work from home so we can delay starting day care until the kids are a little older.) When I found out I was pregnant in December, I told our day care provider the next day. I wanted to try to get DD2 started in June. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, so I hoped the early notice would help. I was told she was turning away school age siblings, but some part time would be available. I said we'd make it work if we had to, but wanted to be on the list incase something happened to open up. I asked about a form or something to fill out so we were on the list...nope we're in her head. I mentioned it every month. In March, things got tense at work and I told her if she happened to have an opening sooner we'd take it. I heard her talking to other parents during pick up about making arrangements for summer. I heard her saying they'd make things work. I didn't want to interrupt, so the next night I'd remind her that we were still hoping to start DD2 soon. I'd hear that some smaller amount of time would be available once school was out. So school is out next week...I ask when DD2 can start. She asks what we want...suggesting half days and such. I explain that ideally we wanted full time starting months ago. Her response is that we should have talked about this last week. I was floored. Last week...what about December! Now it seems that I can choose any one day next week and then when other families go on vacation for an entire week she can come then...expected to be about 1 week in July and August. Things are so chaotic when I pick DD1 up that I don't have time to have a good conversation with her. We always get interrupted by my DD and the other kids, but this total disconnect has me totally ticked. I feel like it's too late to get in anywhere else for the summer...so I'd still end up with DD2 starting in September...so why disrupt DD1...yet just eating this is setting very poorly with me. I sent her an email tonight explaining everything I felt I did to communicate with her and expressing our desire in clear writing to get the next slot available full or part time. I tried to wait a day to send it so I could cool off, but I was getting angrier instead of calmer...so I sent it before I did something dumb.

So, there's nothing anyone can do...I'm just trying to express my anger so I can let it go and get some sleep.

tamarar5 · June 2014

How frustrating! I'm so sorry.

shevaCC · June 2014

I hate daycare issues, I'm sorry

missmiss307 · June 2014

That is very frustrating. I would definitely make sure to back up any future requests in writing, even if the director says it's not necessary.

Valancyy · June 2014

This reminds me of the daycare we used when I was working full time. They were very disorganized administratively. We mentioned to them that we wanted DS2 to start in Sept/Oct months and months before then. They told us verbally it was no problem.

Then, when I called to confirm the exact date I was told it would be either July or December. I wanted to take maternity leave until Sept/Oct, so these dates definitely wouldn't work. It was so stressful and annoying. It ended up working out, they had something open up for the date we wanted. But, in the meantime it was awful. We were scrambling for alternate plans.

Daycares really need to have a better option for communication. Anyone with kids in daycare knows it almost impossible to cement plans and have a good discussion during drop off / pick up.

MandMLeona · June 2014

Thanks, ladies. I am trying out the email route. Although I now realize I probably didn't keep a copy. Sigh. I guess this will just take some more trial and error. I think I'm mostly mad at myself. My gut said we were probably going to end up here, but I didn't find a way to stop it.

+RBL+ · June 2014

Just curious, is this an in home day care?

It just sounds like it's one woman running everything.

herecomesthesun · June 2014

It sounds really disorganized. I'm sorry, that is very frustrating.

We have a waiting list at our daycare but in order to secure a spot, you plunk down a sizable deposit, even for subsequent children. Do they not require this? It seems like it's the norm at most daycares around here. Once the money is in, you are penned into the schedule for a certain starting month and you can start that month, or any month after that, though you will have to pay beginning that starting month.

I think the email route sounds best so that things are down "in writing" but I'm also surprised that there isn't a deposit.

MandMLeona · June 2014

Yes, it's an in home day care that she runs with a preschool curriculum.

There is a deposit, but it's only like $25. She chose to waive that this time.

It's funny, she's so organized with all the toys and the kids etc that I forget that doesn't cross over to the administrative side. This is a woman who goes through all the toys every night after the kids leave and make sure every little toy is back where it belongs. I would NEVER do that. So I assume she's also handling the paperwork that I'd be much more organized on. Bad assumption!

I'm much calmer today. I was soo looking forward to not having to juggle DD2 and my full time job every day all summer. Even a couple of days off would have made things much easier, but I will survive.

Want a personalized experience?

Day care vent!

Re: Day care vent!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards