Many of you know that just over 2 months ago, Carlos and I made the decision to pull our children out of public daycare. While there wasn't any one thing that happened to "set us off", we felt it was the best decision for our family. Nicholas was having difficulty with the lack of individualized attention he was receiving. Both kids had been sick continuously for the first 2 months of the year, passing colds back and forth with the kids in their respective classes.
It all came to a head when Nicholas was hospitalized for pneumonia. Coincidentally, one of our favorite teachers at the daycare (we'll call her Kelly) had been "released from employment" around the same time. Without getting into the nitty gritty on all that - Kelly made an anonymous suggestion to the owner that all employees should be treated fairly in order to improve morale. Needless to say, the owner didn't like that, figured out that Kelly had made the suggestion, and fired her during a staff meeting.
So, in one of the hardest weeks in my life, my child has pneumonia and ends up hospitalized, and I find out Kelly is "no longer working with" the daycare. I contacted Kelly and asked her to consider keeping my children at her home, and we struck a deal. I notified the daycare that the children would cease attendance and let them know the kids were moving to a home daycare environment.
Now for the past 2 months, the owner of the daycare has continued discussing my family, particularly my children, with her staff. She has said on multiple occasions that she knows Kelly "stole" my children from her, and has threatened to call DSS (Department of Social Services) to report her. FOR THE RECORD, the DSS website clearly states that the arrangement I have with Kelly is legal. She is not required to be licensed, or register as a home daycare. This is because the only children who she is paid to care for on a regular basis are mine. Of course Kelly and I already knew this, because she contacted them before agreeing to keep my children.
So the hothead protective mother in me wants to march into that daycare and give the owner a piece of my mind. How dare she threaten to call DSS in regards to my children? And for what?? She apparently does NOT know the law, or she wouldn't make these accusations and threats in the first place. The rational side of me knows there are better ways to handle the situation, and so I've been seeking advice from those closest to me. I am planning to send a certified letter to the owner requesting that she cease discussing me and/or my children with her staff, and instructing her to direct any questions or comments relative to my children TO ME.
I doubt I'll hear anything. But I'll keep you posted.
To quote the My Space page of a friend of mine:
"Junior High called. They want their drama back."
Squeezes & Smacks,
LaSon
1 comment:
Wow. So sorry you are dealing with this! It's hard enough finding a person you trust to watch your children - let alone being trashed behind your back by the person you originally trusted. You're better off OUT of there and hopefully as other parents learn the story, they'll realize that it's hard to talk your way out of bad-mouthing in a small town. Hold your ground and good luck!
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