Monday marked the 4 week mark of Coop's stint in Big Boy School. 4 weeks of CRYING, CRYING, CRYING. All. day. long. His little paper always says "What I ate today: NA" and "Nap Time Today: NA". 4 weeks, 3 teachers (red flag) , 2 directors (double red flag), and 1 crazy, loony mama bird over here. Every morning when I drop him off he SCREAMS. He chases me out of the classroom and I whisper prayers that he will love his class and his nonexistent-consistent teacher and the blocks and the cars and the spaghetti oh's and the slide out in the play yard. Every day I drive to work with my mind just a-racing. Every day I call at noon to check on my sweet Super Coop. Every day the girl answers the phone and tells me that he is still screaming.
Yesterday when I called to check on him and the girl told me he was still screaming, something inside of me snapped. I left work early (again), zoomed up there, and watched the closed circuit video feed of him to see what in the world was ruffling his little feathers. I watched (alone in the lobby) for 20 minutes as he sat alone in the corner, with his blankie and pappy, just a boo hooing. I asked to speak to the director and was informed that she quit 2 weeks ago. Hello? Is this not a "cute little note taped to the cubby" type of thing in the world of daycare?? I walked down to his classroom to scoop him up and take him home and was told that his teacher had also quit. Again.
Snap.
Crackle.
Pop.
I asked the pseudo-director to pull the video feed from the day so I could see for myself, why he is having such a hard time adjusting. She said no.
I asked again.
She said no.
We peeled out on 2 wheels and have not looked back. Sigh. Big Boy School=Total Fail. At least the hand print spider craft was cute.
Being a working mom comes with its very own sweet set of challenges. I wouldn't change it for the world--well ok, maybe I sometimes dream about working two days per week, but I digress. It's hard y'all. Question...what do you do? In-home? Nanny-share? 1:1? Daycare? Advice needed. Before 8am on Thursday, preferably. *Blush* [End Irrational Mommy Banter]
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oh girl. i can't imagine. i can't even leave mary margaret in the church nursery if she starts crying when i leave!
ReplyDeletei'm blessed that my parents take care of her while i work. if i had to pick what kind of set-up if i didn't have them i think i would do in-home. my great aunt gladys watching a little boy (10 months old i think) in her home and sometimes a 3 yr old little girl. i let mm stay w/them while we work during the christmas tree season. i can give you her name & number if you want it to see if she could watch cooper for you. they live off bogan road near the mall of ga. (near hamilton mill)
i love gladys and leon and they are so sweet to those kids.
saying prayers for y'all that everything works out for you. i know leaving him is sooo hard!
natalie
You know, Bill has a lot of time on his hands... just sayin. ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove you guys!
CB
I'm so sorry Ali :( That is so hard...knowing how unhappy your kid is all day is heart-wrenching. We went through a random 3-week period of that with Liam this year, and it was awful. I almost left work several times myself.
ReplyDeleteWhat about trying a different center? With the turnover they've had just in the last month, it sounds like they just have some issues. Maybe it just wasn't the right fit. Maybe the particular teacher(s) he had to start out his Big Boy School life didn't agree with him. We've been in the same center for more than 3 years now, and it's been SUCH a positive experience for both of the little ones. I feel like that is a stroke of luck, and it could have gone the complete opposite direction of we'd chosen the wrong place (and what do you REALLY have to go on in making that choice, you know? Blind faith, really).
There have been times when I was not happy with the director and thought "you know, I should explore my options." In the end, though, they have been so loved by their teachers that they have kept us coming back.
Maybe the day care option isn't the right fit for Cooper...but perhaps the case is just that you didn't find the right one. Maybe another try or two, then write it off?
Another thought - for some of the more difficult classroom transitions, I would go spend time with Liam in his upcoming classroom after the day was over so that he could get used to it with me around. If you were to try something else, maybe spending some time with him before leaving him for a couple days might help him ease in.
Whatever you decide, good luck! I know in the end you'll find what's right for you!
I have always done home daycare...And this is a prime example. One-they terrify me. I don't feel like the people working really give 2 squats about the children. Second-germs, germs, germs.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Avery is about to be enrolled in a morning program at one of the elementary schools here for the purpose of getting more therapy...if my pediatrician and SLP didn't think it would greatly help him therapy wise...NO WAY JOSE! I'm about to lose my mind thinking about him going to a morning program...it's making me crazy to think about it!
Wow. I could not imagine. I will have your family in my prayers. I am soo sorry for this string of events :(
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