I have 3 kids, my oldest 2 had horrible experiences with daycare and ultimately their dad and I worked opposite schedules to accommodate being home with them.
My daughter is 10 years their junior and she was home with her dad for the first 18 months. He passed away from septic shock and I still needed to feed all 3 kids and pay for a house to grieve in so daycare was my only option.
I couldn't love my daycare more, everyone from the owner to the cook to the teachers, all incredible human beings and my daughter has flourished there. I'm forever grateful that I found a trustworthy place to care for her. My oldest son actually wants to work there when he's old enough.
My girlfriend is a pre-school teacher at a facility that's also a daycare. Every day I hear stories about these kids' shenanigans, ranging from the sweet to the horrific. (She had one girl last year that I'm certain was possessed.) The parents' behavior seems to vary widely too. Some are brusque and dismissive, but most seem to be kind, supportive, and grateful. I have no doubt you were the latter with little Radar's caretakers!
Now, where's this Careless Whisper thing coming from?
Radar definitely has some good stories about possessed kids from daycare! They do exist! Your girlfriend is a saint! Careless Whisper- it's a mystery. And when it's in HIS head, it's in MINE. So we're both walking around this house talking about our guilty, rhythmless feet. He also got into Forever Young recently. What the hell????
She IS a saint. I’ve told her I wouldn’t last half a day doing what she does. Well, I’ll have you know that Careless Whisper has also been in my head since you posted that the other day. If Forever Young finds its way in, we’re going to have a problem. For his next ear worm I’m going to guess…Take My Breath Away.
OK, not that you need me to help you come up with ideas, but here’s what I would like to see from you in the future. Your girlfriend telling you stories about the kids at her work and you telling the stories but as if they are adults. I would really love to hear about Peter from accounting stealing Josie‘s Cheerios and Marcus finally going poop on the potty and Josie’s birthday celebration where everyone got a popsicle and sang the monkey song!
Oh my God. I LOVE this idea!!! Sneak preview: the one I’m convinced is possessed loved my gf but then would turn on her. For months she kept telling her that she was “going to poop on your nipples.” That sounds like Lauren from HR, doesn’t it?
Sounds like you had an exceptional daycare experience compared to mine. As a single parent, it was a non-negotiable element of survival. I had to work.
But man, one daycare didn't even notice when my son walked out the front door and all the way home as a 5 year old. My neighbor called me at work to ask if I was aware he was playing in the front yard on a work day. When i called the daycare to ask if they were missing a child, they had no idea.
And then there was the dayhome lady who had pepper spray in her bathroom that my son found and...sprayed. 😐 Needless to say, the good old days of single parenting were challenging.
Oh my goodness, Kristi, that is AWFUL!!! Unfortunately those stories are true too. They're not all gems. How stressful that must have been. We had a day care facility on the bottom floor of our old office. You could look out the window see the kids playing .One day someone noticed a kid on a trike just peddling away, across the parking lot, heading straight for the street. A bunch of people ran downstairs (our windows didn't open) to bang on the door and let them know they had a runner! And this was supposedly one of the "finer" day care chains out there.
Oh, yes! As the mom of an only kid, having people with different perspectives in her life was a saving grace -- plus, as you say, a life where she was not doted on all day was good for her young soul. And a life where I got to work was good for mine. Thanks for this!
TY for this ode to daycare. We considered our daughters' daycare teachers to be partners with us in helping them to learn basic life skills. (Leave it to the daycare professionals to figure out how to teach toddlers to get into their winter coats all by themselves.) IMHO, daycare unfairly gets a bad rap. Just because it isn't elementary school doesn't mean that those teachers aren't professionals helping to shape good humans.
Totally agree, Joanne! And the coat thing-- that was a game changer! They had this very clever way of putting on coats. Laying them on the floor, upside down, putting your arms through and then up over your head or something? In any case, my son would be wearing capes only if I was in charge.
You make me wish I could have a found a place like that when my boys were little. Sounds like they did an excellent job. I had such a bad time finding good childcare for my first I was a SAHM once my second came along and did not enjoy it.
It’s fab that he said that about it being his home! We had my eldest in full time childcare and he was fine with it, excelling even like you say but had to take him out when he was 2 and my youngest was born and I wonder if that has impacted the making friends etc. by going down to 2 days. There have definitely not been any social events with our nursery but I am hoping we have a better experience at school.
From next week my youngest goes into nursery full time (currently one day a week) and he has no idea and he’s going to have to readjust ! But I know he will love it and he will excel. Thanks, Shelly, as always for a funny, honest and heart warming piece ❤️
Thank you, Kylie-Ann! Does this mean both of your boys will be in school full time??? What will you do???
School is definitely a great place for making friends (for parents AND kids.) I know we got really lucky with our childcare. It's been years since we left but my son is still friends many of his classmates and we're still friends with the parents. The cool thing is they left daycare and went to 1 of 5 elementary schools in our neighborhood and now they just started middle school are back together again!
I wonder if that will happen here too as the secondary school has a wider catchment and is near the nursery so we may well have a similar thing. The school he is in is huge though and about half his preschool are there but in different classes!
Yes both in full time care! I know I’ll be sat at home, twiddly my thumbs anxious about paying bills 😂😂 I have some work booked in so hopefully I can keep it coming 😬 I am sure I will still have lots to write about though lol
I have 3 kids, my oldest 2 had horrible experiences with daycare and ultimately their dad and I worked opposite schedules to accommodate being home with them.
My daughter is 10 years their junior and she was home with her dad for the first 18 months. He passed away from septic shock and I still needed to feed all 3 kids and pay for a house to grieve in so daycare was my only option.
I couldn't love my daycare more, everyone from the owner to the cook to the teachers, all incredible human beings and my daughter has flourished there. I'm forever grateful that I found a trustworthy place to care for her. My oldest son actually wants to work there when he's old enough.
I’m grateful you found thot support too! I can’t imagine what you were going through, Shandi.
Love this! I too believe that those stay-at-home parents have the harder job despite the rigors of daycare delivery and pickup.
100%! I am not made for that! Thank you for reading, Elizabeth!
My girlfriend is a pre-school teacher at a facility that's also a daycare. Every day I hear stories about these kids' shenanigans, ranging from the sweet to the horrific. (She had one girl last year that I'm certain was possessed.) The parents' behavior seems to vary widely too. Some are brusque and dismissive, but most seem to be kind, supportive, and grateful. I have no doubt you were the latter with little Radar's caretakers!
Now, where's this Careless Whisper thing coming from?
Radar definitely has some good stories about possessed kids from daycare! They do exist! Your girlfriend is a saint! Careless Whisper- it's a mystery. And when it's in HIS head, it's in MINE. So we're both walking around this house talking about our guilty, rhythmless feet. He also got into Forever Young recently. What the hell????
She IS a saint. I’ve told her I wouldn’t last half a day doing what she does. Well, I’ll have you know that Careless Whisper has also been in my head since you posted that the other day. If Forever Young finds its way in, we’re going to have a problem. For his next ear worm I’m going to guess…Take My Breath Away.
We can only hope.
OK, not that you need me to help you come up with ideas, but here’s what I would like to see from you in the future. Your girlfriend telling you stories about the kids at her work and you telling the stories but as if they are adults. I would really love to hear about Peter from accounting stealing Josie‘s Cheerios and Marcus finally going poop on the potty and Josie’s birthday celebration where everyone got a popsicle and sang the monkey song!
Oh my God. I LOVE this idea!!! Sneak preview: the one I’m convinced is possessed loved my gf but then would turn on her. For months she kept telling her that she was “going to poop on your nipples.” That sounds like Lauren from HR, doesn’t it?
That is SUCH an HR thing to say!!!!!! 😂😂😂
Right???
Sounds like you had an exceptional daycare experience compared to mine. As a single parent, it was a non-negotiable element of survival. I had to work.
But man, one daycare didn't even notice when my son walked out the front door and all the way home as a 5 year old. My neighbor called me at work to ask if I was aware he was playing in the front yard on a work day. When i called the daycare to ask if they were missing a child, they had no idea.
And then there was the dayhome lady who had pepper spray in her bathroom that my son found and...sprayed. 😐 Needless to say, the good old days of single parenting were challenging.
Oh my goodness, Kristi, that is AWFUL!!! Unfortunately those stories are true too. They're not all gems. How stressful that must have been. We had a day care facility on the bottom floor of our old office. You could look out the window see the kids playing .One day someone noticed a kid on a trike just peddling away, across the parking lot, heading straight for the street. A bunch of people ran downstairs (our windows didn't open) to bang on the door and let them know they had a runner! And this was supposedly one of the "finer" day care chains out there.
Wow, the potential for danger, hey?
Good daycare are difficult to find!
Oh, yes! As the mom of an only kid, having people with different perspectives in her life was a saving grace -- plus, as you say, a life where she was not doted on all day was good for her young soul. And a life where I got to work was good for mine. Thanks for this!
Definitely a win win, Mary! We got lucky!
TY for this ode to daycare. We considered our daughters' daycare teachers to be partners with us in helping them to learn basic life skills. (Leave it to the daycare professionals to figure out how to teach toddlers to get into their winter coats all by themselves.) IMHO, daycare unfairly gets a bad rap. Just because it isn't elementary school doesn't mean that those teachers aren't professionals helping to shape good humans.
Totally agree, Joanne! And the coat thing-- that was a game changer! They had this very clever way of putting on coats. Laying them on the floor, upside down, putting your arms through and then up over your head or something? In any case, my son would be wearing capes only if I was in charge.
This sounds super amazing even though the thought of becoming friends with other parents is wild. Love the footnote.
Ha ha, why? I would love to be your parent friend!
You make me wish I could have a found a place like that when my boys were little. Sounds like they did an excellent job. I had such a bad time finding good childcare for my first I was a SAHM once my second came along and did not enjoy it.
It is very hard to find a good spot and I know we lucked out big time. I wish it was like that for everyone.
It’s fab that he said that about it being his home! We had my eldest in full time childcare and he was fine with it, excelling even like you say but had to take him out when he was 2 and my youngest was born and I wonder if that has impacted the making friends etc. by going down to 2 days. There have definitely not been any social events with our nursery but I am hoping we have a better experience at school.
From next week my youngest goes into nursery full time (currently one day a week) and he has no idea and he’s going to have to readjust ! But I know he will love it and he will excel. Thanks, Shelly, as always for a funny, honest and heart warming piece ❤️
Thank you, Kylie-Ann! Does this mean both of your boys will be in school full time??? What will you do???
School is definitely a great place for making friends (for parents AND kids.) I know we got really lucky with our childcare. It's been years since we left but my son is still friends many of his classmates and we're still friends with the parents. The cool thing is they left daycare and went to 1 of 5 elementary schools in our neighborhood and now they just started middle school are back together again!
I wonder if that will happen here too as the secondary school has a wider catchment and is near the nursery so we may well have a similar thing. The school he is in is huge though and about half his preschool are there but in different classes!
Yes both in full time care! I know I’ll be sat at home, twiddly my thumbs anxious about paying bills 😂😂 I have some work booked in so hopefully I can keep it coming 😬 I am sure I will still have lots to write about though lol
Oh yes! A whole new chapter for you to mine!