https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:27:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775667 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 15:01:52 +0000 macintosh 2775667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: Yeah, I called the director today and explained all of my concerns. She made me feel much better and of course agreed that they would address the cell phone issue. She also said she would implement a potty training incentive chart in that room. I think there's a good chance the teachers would know it was me who complained, but oh well. We are all adults, so I hope they will be respectful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775666 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 14:58:08 +0000 petitenoisette 2775666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: well being on their cell phones, oh hell no. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775633 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 12:25:23 +0000 pinkb 2775633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes the cell phones would not fly with me. I trained in a NAECY preschool when I was in high school. It's is a very strict program to be approved for and expensive. The things you are describing would not be done at an accredited place. Also I know a couple preschool teachers and they were never allowed to be the teacher in their child's class, so that strikes me as a bad practice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775623 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:50:41 +0000 erinbaderin 2775623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SeptMomma12: Agreed. That's like a teacher pulling out a cell phone during math class. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775621 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:46:02 +0000 SeptMomma12 2775621@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: The fact they were both on their cell phones would bother me more than anything else you've mentioned. Our day care has a very strict no cell phone policy for teachers when kids are in the room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775614 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:05:04 +0000 gingerbebe 2775614@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: Well, if its any consolation, my son was more into using the potty and staying clean/dry at home long before he made the connection for the school day. Like, he sort of mentally separated the 2 places. So maybe that's part of it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775612 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:04:25 +0000 macintosh 2775612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, I just looked our daycare up on NAEYC's website and they are not currently accredited :meh: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775610 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:00:11 +0000 macintosh 2775610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I just mean that we make him sit on the potty and try at home. So many times I'll say "time to go potty" and he'll protest. When he sits and relaxes he will often pee. My mom was with him this weekend and she had no problem getting him to use the potty, so it definitely can be done. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775608 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:54:02 +0000 gingerbebe 2775608@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would raise the ratio issue but only because it violates NAEYC ratios. If they advertise for it, I assume charge a premium for it too, so that would bug me. In CA for preschool age kids, the ratio for toddlers (18-30 months) is 1:6 and preschoolers is 1:12. At dropoff in the breakfast room, they generally have 2 teachers at all times, but only because the headcount in the room will go over 12 at some point during dropoff and they will need to move an older set of kids and a teacher in to a second classroom for fire code reasons. It is kind of a zoo at drop off, but its totally fine to me personally. Half the kids are still eating, half want to play toys, everyone is pumped to see their friends - its just a crazy time in the morning. Same with our teachers - they kinda have to raise their voice to be heard, but they are all welcoming and pleasant.</p> <p>The potty training thing I don't know. I feel like they can manage your son fine, but I don't see how they can force your kid to pee if he doesn't want to. My son is in a 2/3 combo class that has 12 kids on totally full attendance days (some kids are part time) and on lower days its 6-8. There is almost ALWAYS someone potty training or needing to go potty in his class. They almost always have 2 teachers or a teacher and an aide in his classroom. And if its 1 teacher on a lower attendance day and she needs to take one kid potty, the director will hop into the classroom (her office is right next door). So similarish ratios that your kid has, or worse. They recommend when the child/parent is ready at home to go full bore into potty training at school with no diapers and try to boot camp it for 2 weeks. When one kid has to potty, they usually ask all the potty training kids if they need to go as well and the herd mentality sorta helps. They also build it into the flow of the day - for example, let's all use the potty before recess, before nap, before whatever transition to the day. But if the kid wont go, there's nothing they can really do about it. They can try to wheedle them like "Please? Can you try?" But if the kid is like no, I can't get my kid to sit on the potty either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775607 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:53:40 +0000 macintosh 2775607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@petitenoisette: yeah, it's hard to tell if I'm expecting too much, however today at drop off (I always get there a little later, after 9) both teachers were on their cell phones basically ignoring the kids. I took my son to go potty and a couple kids followed me in there, but nobody seemed to notice. Both teachers have a kid of their own that is a part of the class, not sure if that's a factor in the vibe i'm getting.</p> <p>@kiddosc: Pick up is usually worse than drop-off, especially with only 1 teacher in the room. Thats when it seems like she is yelling a lot to get them to listen. I'm with you on the enforced potty breaks rather than asking if he needs to go. 2 year olds like to be in control, after all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775597 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 10:36:52 +0000 kiddosc 2775597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>drop-off is always going to be chaotic. There's a lot of extra people in the room disrupting normal activities and I wouldn't use it as a gauge for how the day would normally go. I would look up what the ratios are supposed to be for accredidation and discuss that with the director, however. They're using their status to be able to charge families more, so they need to follow the rules. </p> <p>As for going potty. My son always said no if you asked him if he had to go. It led to him having accidents at school long after he was fully potty trained at home. It was simple enough to just not give him a choice and have the teachers tell him he needed to go use the bathroom. There never had to be a fight about it, he would just go to the bathroom when reminded. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775528 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 07:12:58 +0000 petitenoisette 2775528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe the ratio thing would bother me but I think that at that age things are going to seem a bit chaotic. My kid's DC has only one teacher there when I drop her off but she is normally one of the first few there so I don't know what it gets like as more kids get there. Not something I've ever really worried about. </p> <p>As far as the potty training, I agree with @erinbaderin: that I think you are expecting too much. It's nice when DCs are really supportive and helpful with potty training but it's also not really their job to train your kid and if he needs to be cajoled into going to the bathroom then I think that's still part of the training process. It's great that he is doing well with it at home but I would not stress if it is not as smooth or an immediate process at school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775519 Tue, 26 Sep 2017 05:48:01 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2775519@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This sounds totally normal. </p> <p>We were at an apple accredited school and it was the same thing. The ratios are much lower as infants but as kids get older it still was a lot of kids for one teacher. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775491 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 21:18:35 +0000 macintosh 2775491@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pinkb: my thoughts exactly about the accreditation. I may start sending him in undies soon, but I'm sending pull-ups for nap and I feel like they will just end up putting him in one if there's an accident.</p> <p>@gotkimchi: yes, I do try to take him at drop off and pickup, but I need to be more consistent about it. Today he peed a little bit when I took him at pickup! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775476 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:49:24 +0000 gotkimchi 2775476@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: just for a perspective on the potty thing my 3yo goes to a parochial preschool and I heard her teacher telling a mom at pickup that the mom will have to take him potty at drop off as he won't go all day and the teacher can't make him.</p> <p>Eta when we were actively potty training I did take her potty at drop off just to help ensure no accidents however she's only there for a 3 hour morning </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775475 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:47:26 +0000 pinkb 2775475@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If they are NAEYC accredited then they are breaking the rules as far as ratios go. You pay a pemium for accredited schools (it's cost more for them to get the accreditation) so this would not fly for me. I would definitely bring it up.<br /> As for the potty training I agree with PP if you send him in undies I think they would be more apt to help and take it seriously. But at his age I wouldn't push it either. Maybe he isn't comfortable with going to the potty at school yet or maybe there are too many distractions there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775474 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:43:47 +0000 macintosh 2775474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@erinbaderin: I haven't exactly counted not she's probably right at 8 and it's hectic. Their bathroom is connected to the room so I imagine they get away with that since they aren't technically leaving the room. They definitely have floaters who go in to help but I don't see them as much in his room as I did in the previous room. There are 2 teachers for that room but they aren't always both there, like today when I got there just before 5.</p> <p>Thanks for the potty training insight. Is it just my kid who is super stubborn and says he doesn't have to go when he does? He will sometime say he has to go then say no as soon as I try to take him :bummed: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775461 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:15:12 +0000 erinbaderin 2775461@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In terms of pick up, how many other kids are usually there - what is the ratio? I would definitely raise your concern with the director, it's actually, I assume, their fault - the teacher isn't doing the scheduling. I can't believe they allow that, at my sons' daycare I've seen them call in teachers from other rooms because they had to take kids to the bathroom and needed to keep the ratios. </p> <p>As for potty training, I feel like you might be expecting too much - if they ask and he says no I'm not sure expecting them to insist is appropriate. Although if you start sending him in underwear I bet they might be more convincing because the alternative is messy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-can-i-do-about-this-daycare-concern#post-2775454 Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:04:42 +0000 macintosh 2775454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS is 28 months and has been in his 2s classroom for just over a month when they did a big group transition. He is happy and safe there, but it's been bothering me that his main teacher is often solo at drop off or pickup. This results in a chaotic environment that doesn't seem to be getting any better. The teacher is often yelling (not angrily, just loudly) to get the kids to listen.</p> <p>DS is potty training at home and doing really well, but I end up host sending him in pull ups because they don't seem to have time to make him sit on the potty. She says he tells her no, so she leaves it at that, but he'll sit on any potty if I tell him firmly he needs to.</p> <p>I've been told the max ratio is 1:8 for that age which is in line with IL state standards, but they advertise NAEYC accreditation which should have lower ratios. I plan to bring up my concerns with the director, but I don't want to get the teacher in trouble or cause I don't think it's her fault. </p> <p>Any advice for me? I don't think there's any safety issue that would make me pull him out, but this is a pretty high end center and I think they can do better. </p>