What are your Daycare Favorites?

My two sons are in after school care at a daycare center. I work at the daycare, in the room, as an assistant?

• teacher. My problem is the other staff in the room are very hard on my sons. They have their favorites and they make it a point to punish my sons for every little thing they may do. If another child/children are bothering them or doing something to them, their complaints go ignored or worse, THEY are punished for it. This has been going on for a long time, and it's hard since I also work there. I have complained to the director and nothing comes of it as they only see me as an overprotective mother. Recently, one of the assistants yelled at my 11 year old and told him to sit down and shut his mouth. Nothing was done about it. I can not afford to quit and am currently looking for other options for daycare for them. But I am not sure how to deal with this. I would love to have it out with the other staff in the room, but would probably loose my job. This one assistant in particular really has it out for them. She has said to me recently that they drive her nuts and that she can't help but yell at them. Then threw in a dig of "I know there must be some good in them, somewhere." Seriously, I would love to slap the woman. Any advice on how to get her to ease up? She is also a boy scout leader outside of work and has kids, and I don't know what her problem is. She yells and looses her temper often. When I see my son is not doing anything wrong (honestly) and see her punishing him or yelling at him, what am I supposed to do? Last week I did step in and say something and that resulted in her running to the director and telling her I was making her look bad. Any advice?

• Answer:

  Unfortunately you are going to hate my answer. This is a case of why most folks do not mix their personal and professional lives. In fact, many day care centers in my state have a policy against having staff bring or enroll their own children to the same facility where they work. The best idea would be to have your sons in a different daycare, I know that is not often possible, but that is the only choice. It sounds as if the director has lost control of her staff, and it also sounds as if the facility is not a place where I would ever place anyone for which I cared. Daycare staff who "yell" at children and spend much of their time "punishing" them would not be a draw for me. What State are you in? What is the age of the children in care? do staff members have regular training sessions? Does the State inspect this facility? Does your state have a Whistle-blower law? All these answers have an impact on any decision you may need to make.