Not Sure If I Can Keep Doing This

[grateday]

As a former director who made the terrible mistake of being everyone's friend before I was their boss, you need to put your foot down. The next time she raises her voice to you or is disrespectful, suspend her on the spot. Just send her home for the rest of the day. If she comes back tomorrow with a p!ssy attitude, send her home again. Rinse, repeat, everyday until she figures out that you run the show.

If the owners contradict you and don't allow you to send her home, turn in your notice. Tell them you are useless as a director if they won't allow you to actually do your duties as a director. And be done with the place.

For the employee in the nursery, talk to her just like you would if it wasn't your child. I had my own child in my center also and I always worried the staff would think I was being harder on them because the issue involved my own child. But I had to come to the point where I just didn't care what they thought. I knew it wasn't because my own child was involved and that's all that mattered. She needs to be brought into the office and have a formal conversation ending with a written reprimand.

Exactly

[Dilley Beans]

If your boss does not do their job of supporting you, they are not doing their job. In turn you can't do your job. If she is treating your child differently because it is your child, she is discriminating and that could lead to neglect and abuse, therefore shutting your program down. You need to write her up for her verbal attacks and neglecting a child, regardless of who the parents are. She needs to be reprimanded and corrective action taken, like she needs to be shadowed or create a plan of corrective action that includes protocols for such issues.

A side note, your bosses are focusing on the wrong thing by keeping her employed! The cost of unemployment expenses is a cost of doing business, get over it and protect your customers and their children. With unemployment they wouldn't necessarily have to pay if they have been in business enough and don't have many layoffs/firings. If they let her go, they aren't guaranteed to have to pay anything, there is an equation that comes into play based on what they pay into the system to begin with.

[KiddieCahoots]

Like the saying goes....."one bad apple spoils the bunch".
You've got a bad apple in your bunch.
If this employee is talking back to you in front of others as well, it's got to be stopped before a reputation is started about the center and you.
This unfortunately comes back to reflect on you as the director, and if I saw this occurring where I brought my child, I would wonder if this teacher is acting this way to the children.
I'd definitely talk to the owner with my compiled incidents and concerns. I'm sure the owner understands good business practices, and would rather let an employee go, than risk their business reputation.

[rosieteddy]

If she left your child (the directers child)like that what does she do with another child. I think you should do exactly what others have said .I would have a meeting explain new policy.No talking back treating the Directer with respect and caring for all children approptiately.Tell her what the consequences of her actions will be .Write it up give her a copy and have her sign a copy for you.Then follow through send home if needed.Good luck.