So here it is. The very first post in The Daycare Chronicles. I have been wanting to vent, post, blog and just say whatever I want without anyone ever finding out who I am. What you are going to read in these pages will not be wonderful to hear. I also add a disclaimer: I am not speaking for every single daycare, daycare teacher, and daycare director. I am speaking for myself. What I see day to day, what I feel day to day, what I think day to day. These are my opinions and not that of anyone else. If you are offended then good, I am speaking to you.
Let's get something out of the way. Daycare workers ARE NOT BABYSITTERS. We are not there so you can go to the store without your child. Be like most of the population that have children and take them with you. Now, before you say I have no clue what I am talking about let me tell you, I have a vibrant, smart, energetic child. My life source. Who I take grocery shopping. Most of the time I am taking things out of the cart rather than putting them in.If I can do it so can you. And another thing, if you drop off your kid in pajamas and pick them up the same way. WHAT IN THE HECK are you doing that your child needs to be in daycare all day long? See, you may think we don't notice but we do. We know when you are not working and yet there is your child. I as a worker have your child in my care. I am seeing when then learn something new, not you. I know when a child is not getting your attention because they crave mine.
Let me set the record straight. YOUR CHILD is NOT the only child there, nor is your child the only one I as a worker I teach. I teach several at one time. Do I get thanked? NO. It is not thank you for all you are doing for my kid. It is oh, bye. I am home while you are having fun on your weekends, planning lessons for your child. I am looking at development charts to see where your child is and I build on that. I cannot tell you how many times I have got a child to start speaking, to recognize colors, their body parts. Although it is part of my job, I am not the only person who should be doing it. YOU THE PARENT should be working with your kids. Heck you should be playing with your kids. I see so many kids who just don't know how to sit down and play. Television has become today's babysitter.
Please do not give me the bull of well I am going to clean house today. Your child is learning, give them a damn wash cloth and have them dust, teach them to put things away. I teach my child to put away laundry, yes I wash, dry and fold it but my child puts it away.
I will say this again. WE ARE NOT BABYSITTERS. We are not there to just watch your child. We teach colors, counting, body parts, sounds, matching those sounds, using scissors, how to kick a ball or use a bat. Daycare workers do so much and yet, you, the parent do not see that.
We are in a thankless job. We are in a job where it would be nice to come home and be with our own children yet often times we are waiting for you to pick them up because something at the store needed to be bought at that moment.
So do me a favor, thank your daycare teacher. Get them something special around the holidays. Write a note telling them what an awesome job they are doing and you recognize how much your child is growing. Go to their director and tell them they are doing a wonderful job.
This is jumbled and all over the place but trust me I have more.
