How Would You Handle This?

[Malmom]

In my 10 years of doing daycare, this is a first.

I just had a parent call me. Turns out, their child, age 5, told her that we watched a scary movie today where a girl was locked up in a cage, and had her fingernails cut off.

Obviously, that NEVER happened here. We watched a little bit of Marley and Me, and I wouldn't even let the kids (mostly school age) watch the end of the movie because it was too sad. We just fast forwarded to the funny dog parts, and only watched about 20 minutes total.

I'm so upset- I've never had a kid lie on me before. The child is a new one too- they've only been here for a few weeks. How would you handle it? I felt awful- the dck was crying in the background while I was on the phone with her mom. I feel sorry for her, but I'm absolutely certain this did not happen here. And I'm frustrated she told her mom it did.

[cheerfuldom]

Did you tell mom that you did not watch anything of the sort at daycare?

[Familycare71]

How was Mom? Upset, understanding? Did marley get his nails cut? Was there a crate in what they saw?
I saw the movie but obviously don't remember much!
Hope this is easily resolved!!

[blandino]

I once had a DCB who told his mom that we told him playing with Barbies was "gay". Clearly, we never said that.

I would just tell mom that the only TV viewing today was Marley and Me, which has no scary scenes.

Just be very to the point about what happened and what you did watch.

[Josiegirl]

Just last week I had a set of siblings, ages 4 and 5, tell their dad that my 20 yo dd brought just them to the ice cream place. Fib. Then as I was talking to a dcm of an almost 4 yo, she was chattering in the background about me hitting her. My jaw dropped and I told dcm I've Never hit any of the kids, ever! Not sure why but those ages seem to be notorious for making up stories. It's kind of scary really, especially when you imagine one of these parents might actually think their child is telling the truth!

As suggested, I would just ensure dcm that you would never allow that kind of movie, what you did allow, and explain kids have very vivid imaginations. It's really up to them to trust in you and since they're still relatively new, they're still learning to do that.

[Meeko]

Any parent who actually thinks so low of you as to think maybe that really happened....and they need to question it.....needs to be sent away...and quickly.

However, I think maybe she called to teach the child a lesson. You said the child was crying in the background. I get the feeling that the child lied to the mom and was sticking to it when called out on it and so the mom said
"Fine! I'll call and DC provider and ask her!"
Which was probably met with frantic tears because the child knows she's telling a fib.

JMO!

[CedarCreek]

Any parent who actually thinks so low of you as to think maybe that really happened....and they need to question it.....needs to be sent away...and quickly.

However, I think maybe she called to teach the child a lesson. You said the child was crying in the background. I get the feeling that the child lied to the mom and was sticking to it when called out on it and so the mom said
"Fine! I'll call and DC provider and ask her!"
Which was probably met with frantic tears because the child knows she's telling a fib.

JMO!

Ditto.

Also,I love Marley and me.