Biting Policy?

[Guest]

Does your daycare have a biting policy?

I sent a child home with 5 bite marks today. The daycare I work for doesn't have a biting policy and nothing is ever done about it. Almost every day, a kid in my class is being bit.

Today, I was in the room with 9 kids (1 yr olds) by myself. 3 kids are known to have a problem biting, 2 pulling hair, and several climbing... which I'm sure is probably typical at most daycares. But it was pure chaos. While I'm trying to get one kid off of the table, one kid is biting. While I'm trying to break up the kid that's biting, then other kids are pulling hair or climbing. It was back and forth for at least an hr like that. I was so clueless on what to do. It just seemed never ending.

So, is there something I'm doing differently? Or should the daycare be expelling the biters?

[jenboo]

Does your daycare have a biting policy?

I sent a child home with 5 bite marks today. The daycare I work for doesn't have a biting policy and nothing is ever done about it. Almost every day, a kid in my class is being bit.

Today, I was in the room with 9 kids (1 yr olds) by myself. 3 kids are known to have a problem biting, 2 pulling hair, and several climbing... which I'm sure is probably typical at most daycares. But it was pure chaos. While I'm trying to get one kid off of the table, one kid is biting. While I'm trying to break up the kid that's biting, then other kids are pulling hair or climbing. It was back and forth for at least an hr like that. I was so clueless on what to do. It just seemed never ending.

So, is there something I'm doing differently? Or should the daycare be expelling the biters?

First of all
Is it even legal for you to be in a classroom with 9 one year olds??!! I don't know of any state that allows that. Have you mentioned this to the director? What did they say?? I also do not know what center would allow a child to be bit 5 times in a day and not term the biter(s). That is ridiculous!!

Honestly, There is nothing you can to do to make the classroom calmer with that many young children. If I were you, I would quit and report to licensing. In no way would I ever work for a center like this especially if what they are doing is illegal (out of ratio). Would you really want to represent this place??

Remember that if licensing comes and finds you in a room with 9 one year olds (assuming this is out of ratio), you are at fault as well as the center.

[14]

It actually is legal here (Mississippi). I can have up to 9 at a time. But I've posted before how horrible our ratios are in general at the daycare. I have 13 on roll, but have had up to 15. The two year old classes have up to 19 in one class!!!!

The director is fully aware of this, she is the one that makes the schedule.

I actually am putting in my two weeks notice this week. On top of everything else, my son is on the 2 yr old hall and all of the teachers were alone today so when the kids had to potty, they were sending them alone. Like, down the hall, to the bathroom by themselves. Anyways, that's a different story.. This is totally the daycare from h***...

First of all
Is it even legal for you to be in a classroom with 9 one year olds??!! I don't know of any state that allows that. Have you mentioned this to the director? What did they say?? I also do not know what center would allow a child to be bit 5 times in a day and not term the biter(s). That is ridiculous!!

Honestly, There is nothing you can to do to make the classroom calmer with that many young children. If I were you, I would quit and report to licensing. In no way would I ever work for a center like this especially if what they are doing is illegal (out of ratio). Would you really want to represent this place??

Remember that if licensing comes and finds you in a room with 9 one year olds (assuming this is out of ratio), you are at fault as well as the center.

[14]

OH, and the assistant director basically implied it was my fault that the kid has been bit so many times. She told me to not let it happen tomorrow and that I should be holding the kid or keeping him by my side at all times... Which I do try to stay near, but there's so many other kids that I have to care for. It's just impossible.

First of all
Is it even legal for you to be in a classroom with 9 one year olds??!! I don't know of any state that allows that. Have you mentioned this to the director? What did they say?? I also do not know what center would allow a child to be bit 5 times in a day and not term the biter(s). That is ridiculous!!

Honestly, There is nothing you can to do to make the classroom calmer with that many young children. If I were you, I would quit and report to licensing. In no way would I ever work for a center like this especially if what they are doing is illegal (out of ratio). Would you really want to represent this place??

Remember that if licensing comes and finds you in a room with 9 one year olds (assuming this is out of ratio), you are at fault as well as the center.

[Play Care]

Two week notice?! I'd be leaving TODAY. They let your TWO YEAR OLD be unsupervised. They are leaving YOU to be the fall guy for the biting.

And then I'd be calling licensing to report.

[taylorw1210]

Two week notice?! I'd be leaving TODAY. They let your TWO YEAR OLD be unsupervised. They are leaving YOU to be the fall guy for the biting.

And then I'd be calling licensing to report.

Ditto!

[coolconfidentme]

Your center needs to think of the safely of those being hurt. I have a ZERO tolerance policy for aggressive behavior. A child who understands, knowing & willingly show aggressive behavior toward another will be sent home & cannot return for 24 hours. 3 strikes & they are out. This puts parenting, back on the parenting. If they choose to ignore their child's behavior they can go somewhere else.

Report the center to the state.

[NeedaVaca]

You posted about this a month ago and got good advice-leave immediately and report. You are still party to this abuse, yes IMO sending a child home with 5 bite marks is abuse. You should have reported this a month ago, you are a mandated reporter...These poor kids

[Unregistered]

Please don't blame me. I'm one of the few people there that actually care about those children.

I couldn't up and quit when I have two children of my own to provide for. I have to have income, period.

And I did make a report. They said they would let the person in charge at the daycare know what was going on. But she already knows so nothing was done about it.

You posted about this a month ago and got good advice-leave immediately and report. You are still party to this abuse, yes IMO sending a child home with 5 bite marks is abuse. You should have reported this a month ago, you are a mandated reporter...These poor kids

[Play Care]

Please don't blame me. I'm one of the few people there that actually care about those children.

I couldn't up and quit when I have two children of my own to provide for. I have to have income, period.

And I did make a report. They said they would let the person in charge at the daycare know what was going on. But she already knows so nothing was done about it.

But, you've had months to look for another job...

Several years ago my sister worked at a center while she was going for her teaching degree. She didn't like what she saw and quit. A couple of months later, in her former room, a child was climbing shelves, fell and fractured his leg. Every single employee assigned to that room - even one who had been on her lunch break and wasn't even on site, was slapped with a FOUNDED allegation of abuse (neglect, I believe) The kicker? The girl who had been on her lunch break was ALSO going for her teaching degree. It's been IMPOSSIBLE for her to get a teaching job with a FOUNDED abuse allegation. My sister was sooooooo thankful she had seen the writing on the wall and got out of there before it hit the fan. Are you sacrificing your future for your current employment?

[NeedaVaca]

Please don't blame me. I'm one of the few people there that actually care about those children.

I couldn't up and quit when I have two children of my own to provide for. I have to have income, period.

And I did make a report. They said they would let the person in charge at the daycare know what was going on. But she already knows so nothing was done about it.

I believe that you DO care for these kids but that doesn't change what's happening to them. They are not safe. I would call and make a report until someone comes, why would they call the person in charge? They should be making unannounced visits and making sure the facility is in compliance? Call and talk to someone else...

[Unregistered]

And I have been. Unsuccessfully until this week. I just got a job offer at another daycare as a director. So I'm putting in my two weeks notice, so that me just quitting wont reflect badly for future jobs.

I understand all of this but I simply couldn't afford to have zero income. I've done everything I can to make the room better and to do what I could to help those babies while I'm there so hopefully whoever fills my spot will have a little more head start than I did.

But, you've had months to look for another job...

Several years ago my sister worked at a center while she was going for her teaching degree. She didn't like what she saw and quit. A couple of months later, in her former room, a child was climbing shelves, fell and fractured his leg. Every single employee assigned to that room - even one who had been on her lunch break and wasn't even on site, was slapped with a FOUNDED allegation of abuse (neglect, I believe) The kicker? The girl who had been on her lunch break was ALSO going for her teaching degree. It's been IMPOSSIBLE for her to get a teaching job with a FOUNDED abuse allegation. My sister was sooooooo thankful she had seen the writing on the wall and got out of there before it hit the fan. Are you sacrificing your future for your current employment?

[jenboo]

I honestly cannot believe that those ratios are legal!! It's impossible to properly supervise that many young children!
I'm glad you are leaving. I would report again because they should have done an unannounced visit, not called the director. Did you report to licensing or CPS?

[Heidi]

It actually is legal here (Mississippi). I can have up to 9 at a time. But I've posted before how horrible our ratios are in general at the daycare. I have 13 on roll, but have had up to 15. The two year old classes have up to 19 in one class!!!!

The director is fully aware of this, she is the one that makes the schedule.

I actually am putting in my two weeks notice this week. On top of everything else, my son is on the 2 yr old hall and all of the teachers were alone today so when the kids had to potty, they were sending them alone. Like, down the hall, to the bathroom by themselves. Anyways, that's a different story.. This is totally the daycare from h***...

Get the H*** out of there! :hug: