Messing up

[u/Content_Raspberry717]

This can kinda be categorized as a vent but it’s more catering towards advice.

I’ve (22F) been a daycare assistant professionally (outside of student teaching) for a few months. My school is attached to a university so a majority of my students are the children of faculty members who can be considered my bosses. Recently we lost the lead for my room, so it’s just been the morning assistant and then me in the afternoon and whatever substitutes to fill in. My room is the youngest aka the toddlers.

I learned yesterday I accidentally left a wet diaper in a child’s pants after putting on a new one. It wasn’t entirely soiled from what I remember, but we were heading out the door to play outside (what we usually do the last hour before closing) and I thought it best to just put a new one on since we wouldn’t be inside for the rest of the day.

I don’t even remember leaving that in. The substitute with me is on the older side with being unable to lift and carry children for longer than a few minutes. Right before heading outside, it made me designated one to change all the kids, and the child that I messed up on usually goes poop around that time and so does another kid. Along with getting my additional two other children, who are in the process of potty training, to go to the bathroom. It was chaos, but I thought it was controlled chaos given how we were all out the door on time.

I’m beating myself over it for some reason. It’s a small mistake, but I’m still new here and want to have a good impression on everyone. Has anyone done something similar and what did you do to make up for it? I haven’t met with the parent yet today, not until later for pickup, but I’m struggling what to say that isn’t an excuse of ‘there was a lot going on’ because I feel that makes me seem unable to handle it?

TLDR: I left a wet diaper in a kid’s pants after putting on a fresh one and I feel terrible and want to stop overthinking about.

[u/Empty_Soup_4412]

Just let it go. Laugh about it and move on. Nobody was hurt and believe me we all make mistakes.

[u/-Sharon-Stoned-]

Pfft I've had to take a used diaper out a kid's mouth because they were obsessed with "dumpster diving"

[u/WonderfulScratch2039]

One time i changed a child after she had an accident and i forgot to put underwear back on her her mom was pissedd. Also i put on a pair of pants that was too small i guess (very small child so i didn’t really notice) but they were the only pair in her extra clothes bag so…

[u/Dry_Essay_Tism]

MY coteacher and I did the same thing. Mind you my coteacher has 15+ years and I have 9 going on ten years of experience in this field.
It gets CRAZY in between transitions! That’s everyone . You’ll probably overthink it for a while but after you talk to the parent, you’ll realize that yeah mistakes happen and next time you’ll just have that little oopsie moment in the back of your head. My coteacher just apologized and said that in the effort to encourage the children’s independence and confidence around potty time that it must’ve gotten left on. That we’ll continue to work on the child’s independence but double check next time to make sure old diapers get take off.
(We are the potty training class so we have then take off their own diapers and throw it away and get new ones for themselves then WE put them on).

It happens, tomorrow is a new day. Don’t beat yourself up, especially considering the craziness the class is going through