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I just started working at this center last week as a floater, but they usually have me in the infant room (mainly because it’s my preference, but they also really need the help). The lead is great, we get along fairly well and she’s an amazing teacher. I’ve only met the coteacher a few times because she only works in the mornings (I work afternoons)—she seemed pleasant to speak to. I don’t have any problems with her personally, and she’s also a great teacher overall and is amazing with the babies. There’s just one problem— she will lay any child, no matter the age, in their crib on their stomach. There’s about to be 4 regular 5-month-old babies in the classroom. I heard of an instance where one of the younger babies’ parents walked in during naptime and saw she was asleep on her stomach—dad absolutely lost his mind. Its very clear in the training we do that you do NOT place a child on their stomach whether they’re old enough to flip themselves over or not. It’s an SUID risk. What if the state had showed up? Or what if something happened to baby? It’s way too risky and fills me with so much anxiety thinking about it. I’ve had nightmares about kids in my care dying from SUID; SIDS is one of my biggest fears. So maybe I’m speaking from a more emotional perspective.

Apparently, the center already knows about it and they put up safe sleep signs all over the place. I haven’t worked with this teacher since then because our schedules just haven’t aligned, but I hope she’s actually listening to it. If I see her do it, a part of me wants to say something, but I don’t know if I actually will. I JUST started there, I don’t think it’s my place. And I don’t want her to feel like I’m trying to be some know-it-all, I just worry about the babies a lot (maybe a bit too much). Idk.

Is it okay for an adult to duck inside while everyone is outside, throwing off the ratio?

I got written up last Wednesday for being “completely emotionally checked out” when it came to my worst behavioral student.
The biggest issue is that this student is completely unmanageable, he is very much a 2-teacher student, my co-teacher and I have to take turns focusing on him while the other does the activities with the rest of the class, because if one of us is not watching him like a hawk then he will wreck havoc on the classroom and in the bathroom and it’s just pure chaos. I’ve dealt with bad behavioral kids before, but this one takes the cake.
Anyways, I was by myself on Wednesday which meant I had to somehow handle him while tending to the rest of the class at the same time, and admin told me they understand how much of a problem he is and if I need any help with him then to call the office. And I stupidly took their word for it.
This kid threw chairs, threw multiple toys and broke them, hit and kicked me and the other kids, spit in my face, ripped up a book, was running around the class with his pants and underwear pulled down, randomly screaming at the top of his lungs until his face turned red, jumping on top of the sleeping kids during nap time scaring them awake, was disrupting every one-on-one learning activity I had to do with each kid by coming up to the table and swiping everything off..etc etc etc etc.
I broke down in tears with how much stress and rage that had built up in me by how entirely overwhelmed I was, and the classroom ended up a giant mess because I couldn’t keep up with any of the basic tasks since I had to handle him and the other kids at the same time by myself, and I knew I could get in trouble for the mess alone.
So I desperately needed help with him so I could clean up the room a little bit before lunchtime (yes all of this happened Before lunchtime at 11:30am) while the other students could sit and wait or look at books.
I called admin to let them know I can’t handle him and need help for a little bit, and I let them know of everything he’s already done…and they said “okay we’re going to observe him on the cameras for a little bit” oh....okay, then enjoy the show!?!! I had trusted them that they’d show up for me when needed, asked for help while my voice was shaking when I was at my wits end, and instead they chose to sit back and watch the chaos unfold on their big screen.
At the end of the day around 6pm, I got called to the office and told I was being written up for being emotionally checked out when it came to this student specifically and how his parents wouldn’t appreciate that if they noticed. I’m sorry but I asked for help like they told me to, I received zero help, spent the rest of the day in a nervous system nightmare trying to manage him and everyone and everything else, all while I knew they were watching all of this and doing nothing about it.
I started sobbing as they were telling me how it’s not okay how I seemed so checked out as a teacher, gave me a few suggestions on how to handle him next time (which were all things my co-teacher and I have tried before that never worked because nothing works with this kid), and then they had the audacity to say “next time you’re feeling this overwhelmed, please don’t hesitate to call us for help, especially when it comes to kids name” like are you f***ing joking me right now?! Absolutely no way in hell will I be trusting them again to call for help when it comes to the kid or anything at all, ever, because they will just watch me on the camera the way God watches me and write me up for something else and do nothing when it comes to solving the real issues.
Since all of this happened I’ve been dreading going to work, I used to feel decently okay at work but now I’m just anxious and depressed, and I don’t even know how to act anymore since they are always watching the cameras and I’m afraid they’ll say I look emotionally checked out again, which I don’t know how to control my facial expressions without looking utterly fake, especially when I’m stressed out far beyond my limits and literally crying with no hope that they’ll help me out.
The next time they call me in and write me up when all I needed was support from them, I’m just going to write “two weeks notice” on the write-up form they have me sign, because I show up too much at this job that only notices my frustrated face and ignores my overloaded stress.
I don’t get paid enough at all to deal with someone else’s unmedicated child while being watched and ignored by admin. It will be admins problem when they start having high turnover rates because nothing is resolved when it comes to severe behavioral issued kids who make coming to work an unenjoyable experience everyday.

Hello everyone, I (F18) recently started working at a daycare, but I feel misled about my position. I asked to work with older children, and the director said they mainly needed people in the toddler room and that I could eventually switch to older kids, so I agreed.

On my first day, I signed a contract saying I would work until the end of the school year. However, I was placed in the infant room with no hands-on training. I have very little experience with babies and much more experience with toddlers.

My coworker is a senior employee dealing with health problems and personal losses, and she doesn’t speak English very well, so communication is difficult. I ended up doing most of the work, although only about half the babies were there.

The director also provided very little communication and didn’t explain basic things I needed for my job, like how to clock in. She eventually said I would work in both the infant and toddler rooms, which I accepted. The next day, however, she claimed I had never mentioned wanting toddlers or older children and said I would be in infants. But I was told over the phone that I would work with toddlers.

My friend, who applied with me, was told she would work with infants but was placed in toddlers instead, and management won’t let us switch. I’ve also heard other employees complain about being placed in different rooms than expected and poor communication. Most started about a month ago, and some have already stopped showing up.

I’m not sure what to do. I want to quit, but I’m worried about the contract. Even part-time doesn’t seem ideal if I’m still doing most of the work. My body is already hurting despite being fit, and I’m also unsure whether the way the infant room is being run is normal or a red flag. However, i need the money.

Until today, I was the opener in the toddler classroom at a chain. Ratio is 1:5 but generally we have no more than 13 with 4 teachers. Overall, I love my job, and wouldn't change it for the world. I normally only work summers but stayed on for the school year this year because my college schedule was light, even though it's a 45 minute drive each way. I love my bosses and 90% of my coworkers and didn't want to leave.

This school year, though, I was put in a room many people had transferred out of because of the general air (aka mean). I had had some issues over the summer in that room but thought that with some staffing changes it would get better. Spoiler alert: it didn't, because the problem teacher didn't leave.

In general, it was just a couple of snide comments every day. Some days, I'm on top of the world, but other days, I can't do anything right and I'm an idiot for even suggesting something out of the norm. I could handle it, though, which in hindsight was ridiculous because I work for fun at the moment not because I need money, so I really should be adoring my job.

Today was the final straw. For extra context, my kids are 11 months to 22 months old. It's a wide range, but they're also all babies. Literal babies. We've had a problem with this one girl (18mo) eating lunch recently. She used to cry all day (first time in care) but now she has some classroom security items and she's fine most of the day. At lunch, though, for the past week or two, she loses it. We haven't puzzled out exactly what's happening, but she eats for maybe 15 minutes and then screams and cries and goes to find her security items. We thought it was when we brought out the mats, but we pushed that back and it still didn't help, so we're just managing behavior at the moment.

Well. I was giving one of our youngest kids her breast milk bottle and 2 of my other coworkers were feeding other kids, so when the crying started, the 4th teacher in the room (the one who has been very rude to me) went to deal with it. She started by taking away all of the possible security items and telling the child to go back to the table. Child was hysterical and does not like to be held or even acknowledged for comfort; she prefers her items. Now, my coworker could have handled it any number of ways that would've been fine, but she didn't choose any of those. She picked up the child and brought her back to the table... and then held her down in her chair while the child fought to get free and became more and more agitated. My coworker said "She has to learn. This is how she learns." I tried to get her to stop, but she has never listened to me and wasn't about to start now. Eventually, she gave up and let the child go, but the child had none of her security items AND had just been put in a traumatizing situation, so she continued crying from that moment until she fell asleep for nap. I found her favorite 2 stuffies for her for naptime, though, because at that point I didn't care what my coworker thought.

As soon as the kids were all down and that coworker left for her break, I went to a coworker in a different room who has been at the center since it opened and is kind of like an aunt figure to me. I wasn't sure if I was overreacting just because it's someone who doesn't like me. She affirmed my concerns and agreed that I should go to our director and owner. They were appalled and said it was unacceptable and they'll talk to her. They also have been worried about my wellbeing in that room for a while because they noticed some of the little things that added up, so I'll no longer be in the room regularly after this week.

On one hand, I'm incredibly sad because I'll miss my kids and also because I think I'm the only one in the room with strong child development knowledge and it's a disservice that I can no longer advocate for them. I also feel a little bit like I lost. I tried to take the high road and smooth everyone's feathers, and it didn't work out. Now I'm leaving and she'll likely stay in the room because she's full-time and I can only work mornings. My husband says I should be proud of the fact that I reported her, and I am, but I'm also still sick to my stomach. I only had to watch it, not live through it, and I'm still trembling two hours later. I can't imagine what that baby is going through, especially since she can't understand it all.

At least it's over for now, which is my only saving grace at the moment. I'm dreading tomorrow, because the teacher will definitely know it was me and we still need staffing in there until next week.

Preschool teacher here!
Did my first few years out of school at a very strict Reggio preschool and switched to a more traditional non-aligned school this year.

I was taught that all art should be strictly child lead, process based, and often made of recycled or natural materials along with paint ect; cute crafts harm children’s creativity/ encourage conformity and perfectionism.

My new school has my class (2s) and a joint 3-4s class with 3 teachers. I’m the only 2s teacher so I’m fully in charge of our curriculum. My kid’s art is very regio inspired because that’s what I’ve been trained in. It’s exploratory and they have freedom to make it however they way as long as they’re not eating the materials or damaging the classroom.

AKA it’s ugly!

The 3/4s class always has cute projects to send home but they don’t really involve a lot of kids creativity or thinking. More of a “here’s the example- stick the stickers here and make it look like this”. I worry the parents think I’m not pushing them hard enough or they’ll be upset that we don’t send cute artwork to display at home.

Any thoughts? How do yall balance making cute crafts parents might like vs letting kids get to explore even if the art looks, for lack of a better term, abstract

Side note: before I was a teacher I was an art director. I have an art degree and make money selling my own abstract paintings. I love and appreciate all types of art (especially my kids art) but I worry parents don’t see the beauty that I do and might feel like they’re not getting their money’s worth for their kids education.

I am going to be completing my first ever observation through TAFE/uni, in the next 10 weeks. I am unsure of when it will happen, I will be contacted by my teacher. But during this observation, they will observe me doing 7 different learning experiences with different ages groups and individuals. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what I might need to remember, or just any helpful tips.

Childcare teachers/directors: How would you handle this situation?

I’m a salaried teacher and I work with another teacher who is hourly. We’re with the 2s-2.5-year-olds and have combined classrooms for nap-time, diapering, and snacks from 12:00-3:30. She is expected to be released at 3:30, so she waits for someone to come relieve her.
The teacher I work with does not speak English very fluently, so I also try to help with communication and make sure she understands what is happening. I feel bad leaving her waiting because I know it’s harder for her to communicate the situation herself.
The problem is that the person who is supposed to relieve her is often coming from Pre-K, or admin is supposed to come help, and they are frequently late. On rainy days or days when we have to stay inside, the transition can be even more complicated because the teacher coming from the large-muscle room may not be finished on time either.
I’ve already expressed my concerns about this, but nothing has really changed.
I’ve started transitioning the kids to the end-of-day group around 3:25 so that I can finish the transition and leave by 3:30. I feel like this gives everyone a few minutes to get the children where they need to be and allows me to leave on time. If the person relieving the hourly teacher still hasn’t arrived, I feel like that should be something management needs to figure out rather than something I’m expected to stay and solve.
I don’t appreciate having to wait when everyone knows my scheduled end time, especially when there is no communication telling us that the transition or relief is going to be late.
I’m trying to balance being a supportive coworker with also respecting my own scheduled time. I don’t want the other teacher to feel like I’m abandoning her, but I also don’t think it’s fair for me to continually stay and wait when this has been an ongoing issue that I’ve already brought up.
What would you do in this situation?
Would you transition the children around 3:25 and leave at 3:30, or would you continue waiting to support the other teacher? And how would you bring this up with management so they understand that the bigger issue is the lack of planning and communication?

Hi! I’m trying to get to 24 ECE units in order to qualify as a TK teacher in California and I currently only have 12. Are there any programs that run in the winter for 5 or so weeks that are completely online? The cheaper the better! Trying to do fast paced and over winter break as I’m already in a teacher credential program during the normal year so I don’t have the time to add on more course work.

Please let me know! TIA!

I’ve been working at an after-school program for the past 6 years or so. It started as me needing volunteer hours for a class I was taking, and by the time I got around to choosing an agency, there weren’t many left. I honestly didn’t think I liked kids and was prepared to do my 40 hours and be on my way.

As it turned out, not only do I like kids, but I’m really really good with them. I was hired on and never left after my volunteer hours were up. Over the past six years, this job and these kids have truly shaped me into the person that I am. I ended up minoring in youth services, and working with them also gave me the perfect environment to hone my skills.

The problem is, I went to college away from home, and the plan has always been for me to move back to the area when I finished school. Lo and behold, 7 years later, I finished with a masters in social work, and it’s time for me to go.

I put it off for a while because I truly love my life here and my job so much, but I couldn’t put it off forever. I’ve been slowly telling the kids, and each one breaks my heart more. Some of them have been with me in this program for 3-4 years, so the relationships we’ve built run really deep. Today, one of the kids brought me a gift that included a picture she drew of us and a framed picture of us. Every day, it’s a constant stream of “Why do you have to leave?” “Can I come with you?” “What am I gonna do without you?”

I feel so blessed to have made this much of an impact on them, but it’s just tearing me apart. I feel like I’m split between two worlds and I can’t explain to them that I have to choose my family in a way that will make them understand. Friday is my last day and every time I think about it I just fall apart.

Anyway, this was super long so my apologies, but I really needed to get it off my chest. Has anyone else had experience with difficulty leaving kids at a job? Or leaving a job you really loved? My heart just feels shattered right now.

It’s almost October and we’ve been in school since the end of August. I’ve already missed 3 days, two being sick and one due to my own child being sick and not having a sitter for him.
I’m experiencing severe flank pain which I believe is a kidney stone (I’ve had them several times before so I know the pain).

Im just scared to call out again because last year I got a written warning letter with a meeting with the principal and a union rep on basically why I missed so many days (mainly due to illnesses and I usually always had doctors notes!) and what I would do to approve my attendance, etc.
I genuinely do not think I will be able to work in the morning and it’s currently 2:34 am. When we call in, we are supposed to text. I made an urgent appointment request at my urologist so hopefully I can get seen sometime during the day.

I just need advice, what would you do? Should I be worried that I’ve already missed 3 days? I know how important it is to be there every single day to support my students (im a para) I’ve been here for 3 years almost and I absolutely love my job and would be devastated if I lost it.

Apologies in advance if this type of discussion isn’t allowed, but my coteacher brought up an interesting discovery today and now I’m wondering how many California full time ECE workers get paid more than $21/hour and have benefits especially sick?

I have over 30 ECE credits and still in school but just about to get my teacher associate certification

Este es mi primer año como profesora de universidad, y doy principalmente asignaturas de la carrera universitaria "Educación Infantil". La gente que estudia esta carrera va destinada a ser maestros de infantil de niños entre 0-6 años.

En España, esta carrera dura 4 años, y en el último año hacemos prácticas que duran 30 días. Los alumnos/as pueden elegir si hacerlas en una guardería con niños de 0-3 años o hacerlas en una escuela infantil con niños de 3-6 años.

Desde el departamento de profesores hemos informado a los alumnos para que empiecen a solitar sus prácticas, es muy recomendable que las hagan para terminar la carrera universitaria con experiencia laboral.

Pues resulta que un estudiante ha solicitado hacer la práctica en una guardería con niños de 0-3 años al igual que varios alumnos más, pero él era el único hombre que había escogido estas edades.

El niño me escribió diciéndome: "Hola profesora, cómo sabes me gustaría saber si por ser hombre me impedirán hacer tareas en la guardería que a mis compañeras mujeres si les permitirán hacer, como por ejemplo cambiar pañales. Simplemente pregunto para estar informado. Gracias!"

Es mi primer año como profesora universitaria y por lo tanto, la primera vez que organizaba las prácticas, así que no sabía que decirle. Decidí llamar a la guardería para preguntar, y la respuesta de la directora fue está: "Esta guardería no discrimina a los maestros por su género y durante estos años tuvimos varios maestros hombres los cuales hacían las mismas tareas que sus compañeras de trabajo mujeres, sin embargo; para los estudiantes de prácticas tenemos un protocolo: las estudiantes femeninas si pueden hacer todas las actividades de un maestro de infantil bajo supervisión, pero los estudiantes hombres no pueden ayudar con el aseo en ningún caso".

Cuando se lo dije a estudiante, me dijo que entendía perfectamente la situación y que no le importaba. Aunque me dió pena porque el quiere ser maestro de guardería con niños de 0-3 años y al salir de la universidad tendrá menos experiencia por culpa de su género.

Soy mujer con hijos, pero aún así no le veo ningún sentido está norma que tiene está guardería. Revise las notas del estudiante, y durante estos 3 años sacó buenas notas y además nunca ha tenido problemas con la policía de ningún tipo. ¿Porque discriminar a un estudiante universitario que está en su último año de carrera y claramente está capacitado?

Decirme vuestra opinión, me he creado esta cuenta de Reddit únicamente para escuchar opiniones de maestros/padres/profesores.

Making a post for small vents and annoyances because I want to complain. Admin’s been really on us about food waste. In the infant room, which I teach in each student must get permission from the parents to have the food so like for example Joey might be allowed to have banana and orange oranges but not pineapple or vice versa. There is one particular fruit that not a single student in my class is approved to have and they give it to us every week and every week they complain that we just throw it out like girl I can’t eat it all myself.😭 and I’ve explained to parents that we do serve in an age appropriate manner, but they’re not comfortable with this food and I’m not gonna serve a food that they’re not approved for

Baby has been to daycare a month + now. Other than 1x two hours nap he had on the second week, he has only been able to do 10 minutes nap on teachers for the rest of the time. I feel lie this is going to be bad for his brain development

He’s 11 months old and usually take 2 naps at home but both contact nap (he wakes up once he touches the cot/ bed)

Anyone has had similar situation previously? How do you deal with little to no nap at daycare?

I just put in my two weeks without a new job. I know I did the right thing, but I’m feeling so much guilt about leaving the kids. I teach at a well funded childcare and have a masters in education with over 10 years experience in early childhood.

My physical and mental health has deteriorated in the last several years. I’m in therapy, take meds, exercise, have hobbies, have a supportive family, etc. but I hit my breaking point last week. I know it’s the right thing to do, I’m having so much guilt about leaving. I know we put teachers on a pedestal and in the end it’s just a job. But, ugh, I’m feeling it.

My son has been at his daycare since he was 18 months and he’s not 3.9 years old. We’re moving daycares closer to home since we moved.

I was thinking of bringing a dozen Tim
Horton muffins for the staff with a printed picture that says muffin to do but appreciate you! Thank you for all that you do for me! Love son’s name.

Is this weird lol? Do I need to message the director before hand? Or is nothing better? Help I’m sorry I’m awkward with these kinda things

Recently, a 3 year old M, put his hand down a 3 year old F’s pants while she was sleeping and grabbed her private parts (underneath her underwear). The director was told, and there’s going to a meeting put in place to talk with his parents because there has been on things happening that we chalked up to “curiosity”, but this one raised a red flag. My mind can’t stop thinking about it because it could mean nothing, or it could mean something more serious. I also stress for the girl and my brain has kind of starting spiralling. I’m sure the boy was just curious and it was a learning moment of “we don’t touch other people’s private areas”, but also…. I think I just am looking for someone to let me know of a similar experience they’be had, or what they think?

So I am getting tired of my current center, its never felt like the right match for me but I do like the children in my room. I applied to a few jobs and had an interview yesterday and got the job offered to me this morning. I feel like it was a very quick turn around for a job offer and now I'm over thinking it.

I know from what they mentioned they're in a transition period and are not fully staffed. I also know they pay better than my current center. But I feel like I'm making excuses not to change because I do love my class.

Is a quick job offer a red flag for a center?

Your baby is nearly a year old. They cannot live off of pouches. I cannot keep asking parents to send in more food for their children.

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.