OK, Are You Testing Me? Or...

[KIDZRMYBIZ]

This dcm is a nurse, so she usually works 4 10's, one on the wknd, so she almost always has 2 wk days off every wk. Kids are here anyway on those 2 days 95% of the time, so this convo really confused me:

DCM: Isn't this terrible? I have this single mom friend w/ a 2yo. She will drop him off (at retired grandparents) like an hour and a half early 2, 3 days a wk. Then pick him up like 2 hours later the other days cuz she hits the gym. She should be spending that time with her son!

Me: Ah...(stammer)...yeah...ummm...(stammer)...people forget they grow up so fast.

I wasn't sure how to respond! She was off work THAT VERY DAY, dropping her 3.5yo and 16mo off at 7:55, picked up at 4:05. Then yesterday, too. She was off, but dcd dropped off at 7:30 and she picked-up at 3:55. I guess she thinks it's not the same thing. Or maybe it's okay cuz I'm a paid professional and her friend is taking advantage of her parents' generosity?:confused:

[Scout]

This is one thing I will never get. When I worked I could not wait for the weekend to spend time with my kids! I always felt bad too that we never had money to do fun things and I ha to get my cleaning done on those 2 days too but, I was with my kids!:confused:

[DaycareMom]

I had a DCM like this too! She always brought her kids on her day off, never picked them up early when she got to leave early, and wouldn't stay home with them when they were sick - she would hide symptoms and bring them here.
But, then she would comment about another DCM bringing a child back after a morning dr appt.
I will never forget her calling me one day and informing me of a dr appt for her twin boys. The dr appt was at 3pm and she was to pick up by 5pm. I asked if she planned to bring them back after the appt and she said "No I want to spend some time with my lil guys." I said, "Ok great!" and made some appts of my own.
When she came to pick them up that day, she told me she would be bringing them back after the appt. I said "No, that's not what we agreed on, and I made other plans" She was so mad. Needless to say, I no longer have them in my care.
Sometimes parents who seem to not care (perhaps they are just clueless) are great because they will just go along with whatever you say, but then sometimes they are awful because they are so self absorbed they think your life revolves around their family.

[Blackcat31]

This dcm is a nurse, so she usually works 4 10's, one on the wknd, so she almost always has 2 wk days off every wk. Kids are here anyway on those 2 days 95% of the time, so this convo really confused me:

DCM: Isn't this terrible? I have this single mom friend w/ a 2yo. She will drop him off (at retired grandparents) like an hour and a half early 2, 3 days a wk. Then pick him up like 2 hours later the other days cuz she hits the gym. She should be spending that time with her son!

Me: Ah...(stammer)...yeah...ummm...(stammer)...people forget they grow up so fast.

I wasn't sure how to respond! She was off work THAT VERY DAY, dropping her 3.5yo and 16mo off at 7:55, picked up at 4:05. Then yesterday, too. She was off, but dcd dropped off at 7:30 and she picked-up at 3:55. I guess she thinks it's not the same thing. Or maybe it's okay cuz I'm a paid professional and her friend is taking advantage of her parents' generosity?:confused:

Did MY daycare mom drop off at your house this morning?? ::

I have the same convo with my nurse mom (who works the same shift schedule).


Her child is here MORE than any other daycare kid.

She is the ONLY parent I have that comments/complains about rates and paying for days she is off.

NOT sure why it matters because the child is here from open to close anyways.

[Great Beginnings]

Did MY daycare mom drop off at your house this morning?? ::

I have the same convo with my nurse mom (who works the same shift schedule).


Her child is here MORE than any other daycare kid.

She is the ONLY parent I have that comments/complains about rates and paying for days she is off.

NOT sure why it matters because the child is here from open to close anyways.

I have the SAME nurse mom!! :: Kids are here every day regardless of her days off from 8am to 6pm. The only time they get picked up early is because she feels crappy and doesn't feel like coming out again !

[Jack Sprat]

I had a dcm ask me yesterday if she could bring daughter two days a week because "I need a break. After working with little kids all day I want to go home and rest instead of deal with her."

I about died. She chose to adopt this child and then accepted a job at a preschool. Needless to say I told her no.

[melilley]

I had a dcm ask me yesterday if she could bring daughter two days a week because "I need a break. After working with little kids all day I want to go home and rest instead of deal with her."

I about died. She chose to adopt this child and then accepted a job at a preschool. Needless to say I told her no.

I seriously want to know what parents think we do all day. I know that this is our profession, but come on! I have a dcm who also works with kids and her son is always here, whether she is working or not. I feel like she thinks it's a "break" for her also. She even took what she called a "wellness" day and brought her kids here and did whatever she did.

[Unregistered]

Crazy!! I have a nurse mom who does the same thing. Brings her child here on days when she's not working, but then talks about missing him and wanting to spend more time with him. Well, then keep him home with you! One day she made a comment like this at drop off, and then told me on her way out the door that she had a nail appointment. What?? Is there something about the nursing profession that draws this out of people--LOL?

[melilley]

I have a dcm, who brings her child here every day she has off, and is even trying to bring him here Monday when he has to have a tube down his nose for 24 hours AND dcd has the day off too. She is the only parent of mine that does this. And she can pick up by 4:30, but dcd comes at 5:30 instead. I can see a day or half of a day here and there, but every day!

I guess I shouldn't care because they do pay me and I shouldn't care what dcp's do, but it's the principal of it. I could never do that to my kids.

[melilley]

Crazy!! I have a nurse mom who does the same thing. Brings her child here on days when she's not working, but then talks about missing him and wanting to spend more time with him. Well, then keep him home with you! One day she made a comment like this at drop off, and then told me on her way out the door that she had a nail appointment. What?? Is there something about the nursing profession that draws this out of people--LOL?

Nursing is a very stressful job (well for most), BUT my sis is a RN at a hospital, works 3rd shift SO she can see her kids, lacks sleep to do activities with them, is going back to school to get a BN, so there is no excuse! I guess there are just two different kinds of people.?

[elprice]

ideas?

As a student in Early Childhood Education, and a mother of 6 and grandmother of 2, I think I would brag it up about how fun the nurses child is and send her pictures of what he/she is doing at childcare. The guilt would kill me. I was lucky to be able to stay home with my children, so I don't really know how it would be to drop them off and only have a little bit of time with them. I would probably talk with her and tell her the importance of spending time with her child, and tell her a little bit of what we learn about the importance of that. She is a nurse- she should know how to be loving and caring, and what it does to people when they don't have family interacting. It is very sad to see someone who has children but does not want to spend time with them. I hope she figures it out!

[julie]

I do call people on that.

"Oh, were you asking to take the today off with your kids? I mean, I know you are off too, so I guess that's why you brought this up? That's great! I am so glad you have those values.. You shouldn't feel obligated to bring your kids like your single mom friend. I mean, go on! Have fun with your kids! Obviously you are paying for the availability of the space when it is truly needed so I know you won't need a refund for this, but you certainly don't need my permission to go out and have fun with them. Have a great day!" Push them out the door with a great big smile.

Either she'll shut up about her hypocrisy in the future, or she becomes a mom of her word and gives her off time more to her kids. Either way, I stop hearing about it, and her kids stop hearing about it. Win win.

For what it's worth, I don't begrudge ME time either. We all need some of it. I just don't like when they judge others for the same thing, and it happens to make my job harder. Kid know when they are being dumped and they don't have to be. So I don't put up with that nonsense at all.