Daycare Dilema

We have been very fortunate since B was little to have had wonderful daycare providers. When we lived in OKC he had a lovely lady named Ms. Ollie who we adored.

When we moved to MWC we took him to a local church/preschool. It did not smell like a daycare (if you've been in one you likely understand). It was SUPER clean. The staff was wonderful.

He did have his problems there, let's face it he's a kid and kids sometimes get in trouble.

Well, then came this year. He started school and so he could no longer go to the daycare we had grown to love.

So, we made a tough decision and chose one of the two centers in town which could pick him up from Pre-K. From the beginning, he hated it. We just assumed it was because it was different. He doesn't like change. We assured him it would get better. It did, for the most part. He seemed happy. He had friends. He would sometimes tell us things we weren't thrilled with, but we figured that's just what happens with daycare. Then the week before his holiday school break he came home upset over something his teacher said. Stupid, that's the word he heard her use. I was hoping he had just misunderstood. We tried to make it a teachable moment. Told him it's important to tell the teacher that she hurt his feelings. He was going to do this on his own, but he didn't see her. The next day was a day that he wouldn't go to daycare, so I took him to talk to her. This teacher basically ripped into my child and said there was no way she said that and that he has been in trouble and causing trouble. Now, let's be realistic. He's 5. I don't doubt that he had been in trouble. He's 5. I had, however, hoped that this woman would at the very least tell him he had simply misunderstood her. She said no such thing. After listening to her tone and words I knew I could not send him back. As we left he said, "Momma, I know she said that." When we got to the car I told him I believed him and that I was sorry she spoke to him that way. I told him that we cannot control how other people react but that he did the right thing. I also told him that I did not like the way she spoke to him. It broke my heart to see how her reaction melted him. He was so intimidated and fearful. So, we pulled him from that daycare.

Yesterday he started a new, home daycare. His teacher at school has recommended this place. They've been around MWC for 20 years and have a good reputation. I was so nervous for him. When we got home he was so happy. He said he had a great day and he really liked it. He said lunch was good and the naps weren't TOO long.

If you're reading this and have never had to put your child in daycare then consider that a blessing. Finding someone whom we trust to care for him is so difficult. Again, though, we had wonderful daycare situations up to this point. I took him to visit the church where he went for so long a few days ago. It was so wonderful to see how kind they were and how loving. They hugged him and told him how much he had grown and how much they missed him. They were such a blessing.

Here's hoping his new daycare is great too. The lady in charge told Nate yesterday she had been nervous about him based on what we had told her about him getting in trouble at his old daycare. However, she told Nate that it turns out "he's just a normal 5 year old." Amen to that.