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To write on DCBs daily care report or ask mom in person to please clip his finger nails? We play hard outside all morning and get dirty and I can't get them clean before lunch. He's young and still eats some with his hands. It makes me almost gag to wash his hands or watch him eat after he digs in the dirt, throws my dogs nasty tennis ball, etc. I know shes busy with 3 boys and a full time job but he has claws! Its been weeks since theyve been clipped. Disgusting!
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mmmm....thats a tough one. I hate to bring up things like that but I know how gross it can be. I had one mom that would let her daughters fingernails grow so long....ewww. I let mom know that DCK had accidentally scratched both herself and another child and that I needed the nails kept trimmed. She thankfully accepted that pretty well and kept them trimmed since them. Sometimes moms just need a reminder. It usually goes over better if you mention it in a way that is beneficial to them or their child...not in a way that expresses your disgust over the gross factor. I also know some providers just do the trimming themselves because the parents are not approachable or dont care. Its up to you to decide what to do next. -
Yes I think she would find it offensive, even though you're totally in the right. Honestly, I've seen it be a common problem! I'm kind of OCD about it but yes it's GROSS. I have to say I've clipped just about EVERY ONE of my DCKs fingers and toenails! The five year old, the 2 year old, the 2 infants. In fact, I just did the 2 year old's again today because they were BLACK with filth underneath that made me want to gag!
I just do it and don't even mention it, the parents may or may not notice but if they do they'll probably just think their spouse did it. On the infants I do tell the parents so they know, I don't want the babies to scratch themselves, and I file them a bit so they're not sharp.
Basically, I just do it and hope like h*** that I don't accidentally cut them because then I'll have an angry parent sue me probably! But honestly, I've never cut a single kids finger or toe ever, and I also have cut all of my pets nails over the years, I'm a pro. :PComment
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Oh, and BTW every one of the DCKs have LOVED it, they just sit contentedly watching me do it, fascinated. My OWN DS however, has to be held down by two people and literally screams and writhes like he's being murdered, really, you... can't... even... imagine!!!! Makes me feel awesome... NOT.
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I clip all my DCK's nails. I think parents just assume that their kid's nails don't grow anymore because they never have to do it. :
: It takes about 3 minutes a week to do all them.
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I wouldn't confront her either. Just would clip them myself and not say anything. I have clipped several of my DCKs nails/toenails in the past, and never had a parent have a problem with it.Comment
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I would say something. I wouldn't be the one to be embarrassed, the parent should. Like Miss Muffet said, it only take a couple minutes a week for her to do ALL her DCK's nails so how hard is it for a parent to um, parent?!?!
As a parent, I would be mortified if my provider brought that to my attention but you can bet it would NEVER have to be brought to my attention again.
I'm tired of people making excuses for parents who don't take care of their child's basic needs. I get that parents are busy and have tons of things going on in their life, but so do daycare providers. I also don't care how busy a parent is, your child and their needs MUST come first.
I have a paragraph in my handbook about this. It says:
DAILY HYGIENE:
Good hygiene is a part of our regular day. Each child will be given a tooth brush. Tooth brushing will occur after each meal. Hand washing will also be required before and after meals/snacks and throughout the day. Please make an effort to encourage and support this behavior at home.
Children are also expected to arrive at child care each day bathed, dressed and ready to participate in the day. Please keep your child's fingernails clipped and in clean condition. Uncut fingernails can pose a potential safety hazard to not only your child, but to others as well.
If I see a child with long nails that go uncut for days on end, I will absolutely bring it to the attention of the parent. I REFUSE to allow something like this to become a danger to others.
FWIW~ I feel so strongly about this because I used to have a 3yr old who used her nails as weapon and would scratch others any time she didn't get her way. The final straw came when she scratched a toddler on the face bad enough that I thought it would leave a scar.
Cutting your child's nails isn't hard. I won't excuse a parent for not doing it. If they are embarrssed that I have to bring it to their attention....oh well. Wonder how they would feel if someone scratched their child.Comment
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My son is 13, and it is a HUGE battle, usually involving rewards or bribes for him to cut them still to this day. It is a horrid sensory feeling for him. (He has Asperger's) However, when he was little, I used to slip in at night when he was sleeping and trim them then. So much less hassle than the "hold him down while screaming and writhing fest" we always had before.Oh, and BTW every one of the DCKs have LOVED it, they just sit contentedly watching me do it, fascinated. My OWN DS however, has to be held down by two people and literally screams and writhes like he's being murdered, really, you... can't... even... imagine!!!! Makes me feel awesome... NOT.
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When a child has a senosry issue then it is a completely different story and one I would have no problem working WITH the parent addressing.My son is 13, and it is a HUGE battle, usually involving rewards or bribes for him to cut them still to this day. It is a horrid sensory feeling for him. (He has Asperger's) However, when he was little, I used to slip in at night when he was sleeping and trim them then. So much less hassle than the "hold him down while screaming and writhing fest" we always had before.
I have to laugh though at your story, because my son was the same way (he has Asperger's too) and we did the same exact thing!
My DS is 21 now and sometimes gets overly obsessed with cutting his nails now and will often get infections because of it.
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I'd say the child scratched someone so please clip them. If the child hasn't already, it's an accident waiting to happen.Comment
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I always remind parents to clip their children's nails if needed, because of possible injuries. I've never had a parent upset with me for the reminders.Comment
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Interesting. I worked at a Center and one little girl's nails were awful to the point that I went to the dollar store and bought the little baby nail cutters. The Director was on my side and asked the parent who could care less if we cut the child's nails. So I did it - then made a fuss over her and told her how nice her nails were, yada, yada. The child could care less as well. Sadly, same child would aften reek when we'd change her diaper and her sibling used to draw on her with markers and it was obvious that she wasn't bathed regularly as the marks would stay up to a week.
The little nail cutters do come in handy - every once in a while a child would break a nail and in order for it not to snag on something and tear I would just snip it off.
I treat the children like they are my own. If they have a face full of bogies - I wash them up. If they come in wearing last night's spaghetti on their face, I wash them.
Long nails, dirty faces and noses are a pet peeve of mine as well. And while I don't touch ears, goopy gloppy ears make me crazy too!
Good thing I quit huh? ::
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