My Child was Tied to a Chair at Daycare

[Guest]

safety of the kids

I don't know about what is legally allowed or not, as far as tying kids to the seats. I understand straps in strollers and high chairs/boosters...but regular seats??! These kids are walking and should be able to sit down. What struck me more, was what about the safety of the child when there is an emergency in the building and everyone has to evacuate??!!! How can 2 teachers, get 10+ kids unstrapped and out the building? Sorry, but I would rather the teachers teach the kids to sit properly in their chairs, so when there is an emergency they can evacuate my child quickly and SAFELY. That is the other side of liability I don't think anyone has considered.

[Chickenhauler]

I don't know about what is legally allowed or not, as far as tying kids to the seats. I understand straps in strollers and high chairs/boosters...but regular seats??! These kids are walking and should be able to sit down. What struck me more, was what about the safety of the child when there is an emergency in the building and everyone has to evacuate??!!! How can 2 teachers, get 10+ kids unstrapped and out the building? Sorry, but I would rather the teachers teach the kids to sit properly in their chairs, so when there is an emergency they can evacuate my child quickly and SAFELY. That is the other side of liability I don't think anyone has considered.

Let me put this bluntly.....if two adults cannot release 5 buckles each in time to safely evacuate the building, it was already too late before they even realized it.

Comparatively, how often do DC centers have to evacuate in that rapid of a time frame vs how often kids do really dumb things (like climb on the table)?


It's kinda like arguing that you won't wear your seatbelt cause then you can't get out of the car when you drive into a body of water......while in AZ.

[Unregistered]

I have a question

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?

[hawkfan428]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?

I would be pretty suspicious...mostly if your child really is ALWAYS in the highchair when you come in! It's possible the door is locked for the kids safety, but if you child is almsot always sitting in the highchair it makes me wonder how long he/she is sitting in there for?

[Daycare Mommy]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?

Ok how? If you want to see if it's okay in your state the regulations are go to your state's social services site and read up.

For the doors, I keep my doors locked too for safety. I would be disturbed if the doors weren't locked myself.

As for the high chair, are you perhaps picking up at a meal time? If you have concerns about the amount of time spent in a high chair just speak to your provider about it.

[momma2girls]

Sorry, folks, but my son is not a climber. I'm telling you, this place has these kids strapped down to "teach them" not for safety. The chairs are toddler sized, and my son is almost too big for them. And the fact that the state says it's OK to strap them at mealtimes, but not any other time, and I walked in and he was strapped AT ANOTHER TIME - yes, it's a huge issue.

And as I explained before, I have nowhere else to take him for two days a week. Maybe I should leave him at home, strapped down 'for his safety' so I can go off to work?

He goes someplace new on Monday, and DCFS is opening an investigation against this place after I called to tell them is was strapped down during naptime, along with three other kids.

I love how people, no matter where you are on the web, don't read the whole post and then stick their dumb judgments out there for all to read. Well, for those of us who actually bother to read the whole thing, anyway.

With all due respect, sounds like you people are a bunch of daycare providers who think parents are evil and should just accept whatever measures you think up for our kids 'safety.'

I think I'm the one who is amazed here...

I think this is wrong I would never use a belt, or a scarf to keep a child down on the chair to eat. If they are out of the highchair, then I have a booster seat for the chair at the table. When they are old enough or big enough, they just sit on their knees or their butt at the table on the chair. I personally would look for a new in home or another center!! Good luck!!!

[DBug]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?


Depends -- what time do you pick them up, and is it the same time every day? If you're picking them up at meal or snack time, then it makes sense that your youngest would be in a high chair (younger kids do tend to take longer to eat). I'd vary the times that you pick them up (if possible), to see what they're doing at different times. Or just ask your provider what your children did that day (in a non-accusatory way, of course).

As for the doors -- if this is a home daycare, your provider may be protecting the kids by keeping the doors locked at all times. I had an issue with parents walking in my front door, which is fine, but I didn't want a stranger to be able to walk right in. I ended up changing my daycare entrance, but if your provider doesn't have that option, she may be keeping it locked with good reason. And it is her home, so if she feels better keeping the door locked, that's her choice. She may also be locking it to keep little ones from taking off outside.

Just some thoughts to consider ...

[momma2girls]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?


Depends -- what time do you pick them up, and is it the same time every day? If you're picking them up at meal or snack time, then it makes sense that your youngest would be in a high chair (younger kids do tend to take longer to eat). I'd vary the times that you pick them up (if possible), to see what they're doing at different times. Or just ask your provider what your children did that day (in a non-accusatory way, of course).

As for the doors -- if this is a home daycare, your provider may be protecting the kids by keeping the doors locked at all times. I had an issue with parents walking in my front door, which is fine, but I didn't want a stranger to be able to walk right in. I ended up changing my daycare entrance, but if your provider doesn't have that option, she may be keeping it locked with good reason. And it is her home, so if she feels better keeping the door locked, that's her choice. She may also be locking it to keep little ones from taking off outside.

Just some thoughts to consider ...

I try and remember to always lock my door as well, when I know everyone is here for the day. I do not want anyone just to walk in, and to keep my toddlers from opening the door.

[Chickenhauler]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?

I also want to reiterate-what times are you picking the child up? Is this around meal or snack time? Are there other kids finishing up eating, or evidence of food being given (table needs wiping down, some residue on the childs face, they're not hungry for a few hours after picking them up, DC worker is clearing the table, etc)?

My front door is ALWAYS shut. Keeps the kids in and the varmints (two and four legged) out.

As for the screen door being locked, kids are little Houdini's....there has been a couple threads on here recently about kids bolting out the front door. Gotta keep them from running into the street.

[fctjc1979]

My children are in daycare and everytime I pick them up, my youngest 28mos is always on in the highchair. Is this ok ? Also the screen door is always locked and the wood door is shut. Is this ok ?

Does your child care provider know when you are coming? When my oldest daughter was in daycare when she was a toddler, the woman knew what time I would be picking her up so she would get her in her shoes and socks, jacket, etc and then sit her in the high chair/booster seat with some juice. That way my daughter knew when I was coming and she wouldn't pull her shoes and socks back off.

[Unregistered]

I live in Illinois

and I have been doing daycare for 20+ years I have been a director of a large center and now have a home daycare .. RESTRAINT is RESTRAINT .. I have never heard it was ok to do this .. INFACT one of the first centers I worked at would take cot sheets and wrap around the 2 year olds to keep them from sliding out of chairs--- and I believe that center was wrote up for it or was given 30 days to make corrections .. (the 2 year olds little bottoms would not stay in the chairs ..but slide out) I took over the 2s room and got shelving paper to put on the chairs to keep them from slipping!

Like I said I live in Illinois and to my knowledge this is illegal .. restraining a child even if he will cause harm to himself is illegal!

[HeatherB]

Question #1-scarf and chair- If you feel unsure or uneasy about this situation...go with your gut and be searching for alterntive care before you regret it. I personally feel that a 22 month old in a smaller chair as described should not need a safety belt. They need another adult to sit with the kids at the table and focus completely on them to teach them to sit down while in a chair.

Question #2-sittting in highchair during pick up
Depends on what time you pick up.. is it during a meal or snack time? In my 11 years of childcare I have had one child that just wanted to be in the high chair alot..I would of course take him out often....if your child seems content and not frustrated at home when you prepare to place him in a high chair then I feel that your child is just fine. JMHO!

[Unregistered]

Child restraint

My child was having a pretty rough day with behavior i don't denie that but when i come in the room with my husband in order to pick him up no on eat the front desk notified us that there was an issue. When we stood outside the room to observe him we noticed the lead supervisor had his completely restrained to the point she had her arms around him and her legs locked around him so he couldn't move. We walked in the room and demanded our son be released and were told he had been hitting another child and he threw a toy so they had to restrain him. The worst part about this is the incident happened on a military base at fort Stewart Ga child development center. The child was held against his will and forced to stay in one position with no range of motion. Screaming and crying because of the force the staff was using against him and asking for a drink. The army really needs to investigate more child care centers we have asked for the tapes of everything and have been blown off every time or the tapes are lost or not working. I'm worried to file a police report because my husband is stationed here i don't want it to effect him with his career.

[MissAnn]

Wondering if there is a 2 weeks notice she's wanting to avoid.

[Lucy]

Never mind. Maybe I read it wrong.

However, this thread is 3 1/2 years old.