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My son poops every morning in his car seat. Idk if it is on the way there or when I am getting stuff ready. I have offered MULTIPLE times to change him in the morning.

I am getting passive aggressive comments in his daily sheet about it. I am sending a message to director about it but am I in the wrong for not pulling over and asking to do it there. I have a bad back and they have a high up changing table.

For information purposes: I feed him at 6. I change him and dress him at 6:30. I have an older kid who I have to get ready. I usually have to run upstairs to get a stuff animal or shoes or whatever and I think that may be the time he does it or like I said in the car. I don’t notice it. We leave at 7:30 so it is within an hour of first change.

I put in message that I will diaper cream him at first change because he does get red in mornings during second change aka after daycare arrival.

What more should I do?

Edit to add something that may be important. This is a teacher that does not like me. The other teachers are equivalent to saints and would let me change upon arrival.

To start, I had a boy that was crying for his mom for a little over 3 hours even with home comforts and distractions, and hugs given. - I am not mad about that, at all. I am very sympathetic bc I was the same when I was his age, to the point I was professionally diagnosed w/ Separation Anxiety. Mom ended up picking him up early since he couldn't make it through the day after getting through some meetings at work.

We had another girl and boy visiting from a lower class. Despite all efforts the little girl had a few accidents, which is to be expected at her age the thing is, one of the accidents was so bad that it went through her underwear, pants, and onto our circle time carpet.

And the cherry on top of the cruddy day - It had rained all day so we weren't able to get the kids outside because by the time it stopped raining it was pick up time.

I was so overstimulated from today that I was so close to crying in front of the kids. Today was the cure I needed for wanting kids.

I'd like perspective on the following situation: an ECE Teacher pushed a 2-year-old child in a high-chair with emotional and developmental delays (probable Spectrum diagnosis in process) just out of reach of the lunch table while they cried, screamed and reached for their food. The child is non-verbal and was clearly dysregulated. When I asked why the child was pushed away the Teacher replied, "They were kicking the table." It was a very stressful scene as the other children watched, and lasted about 5 minutes with the child reaching for their food and crying and the Teachers just watched. What are your thoughts about this? I handle this type of behavior by removing the child and bringing them to a hallway or another area and calmly hold and speak to them until they're regulated. I'm feeling pretty disturbed by this Teacher in general. We were above ratio that day with one staff for every child . Thank you.

I’ve been posting my experience the past few weeks at a daycare centre I’ve been working at for a month. I mentioned the director looking into my degree program in hopes to force me to demote myself and trying to intimidate me during a debrief meeting by threatening to fire me.

Over the weekend I decided I was just going to resign and had put in my notice on Friday night. I came into work yesterday expecting to be pulled aside immediately. However nothing happens and everything goes as normal until lunch time I go on my break and get called into the office. The assistant supervisor lets me know she received my letter and appreciates the notice, “but they will not be needing it”. She lets me know I can actually leave right now and I do not need to come in for the rest of the week. I return all my work material get my things and leave immediately.

As relived as I am to not have to return, I didn’t get a chance to thank and say goodbye to my coworkers who’ve been supportive and kind to me. I didn’t get to even tell my students goodbye. This happened during nap time so they would have woken up and not see me there. I didn’t even get to say bye to parents who’ve I’ve gotten to know and build relationships with. Just goes to show how terrible this centre really is and what I went through from beginning to end.

Advice please — no judgment or harsh comments, I’m already very self-aware of my situation
I’m looking for some honest advice, but please be kind. I’m already carrying a lot of guilt about this and I’m not looking for pity or for anyone to tell me that I’m completely in the right.
I work in childcare and lately I’ve been struggling pretty badly with burnout, along with my own mental health. On top of that, I have a very mentally ill family member who has been in and out of the hospital. Recently things became especially bad, to the point where my mom and I were being kept up at night and I was genuinely worried about his safety.
I know everyone has their own lives, stressors and responsibilities, and I understand that at the end of the day, a job is a job. You still have to learn how to manage everything and show up. Unfortunately, I feel like I haven’t found the right way to balance everything yet.
I’ve been feeling extremely overwhelmed and like I can’t juggle everything. I’m scared that this has affected me at work. There have been times where I probably haven’t been the most reliable staff member, and I worry that my head hasn’t always been 100% in the classroom because of everything going on outside of work.
I don’t say that as an excuse. I understand that it’s my responsibility to manage my personal life and my job, and I’m aware that my coworkers and workplace have their own responsibilities too. I guess I’m just struggling with a lot of guilt because I genuinely do care about the children and my job, and I never wanted anyone to think that I don’t care or that I’m not trying.
Recently, I’ve gotten the impression that my hours may be getting cut and that I may potentially be replaced by a new hire. I was moved to another centre because of staffing coverage, but it sounds like new people have since been hired. There hasn’t really been a conversation with me about what’s happening, and I’ve mostly heard things through other staff.
I realize there may not be much I can do about the situation at this point, and maybe this is simply the consequence of how things have gone. But I’m wondering:
Would it be appropriate to write my supervisor/centre a genuine apology letter acknowledging that I haven’t always been as reliable as I should have been? Or would that just make things worse?
I don’t want to make excuses or overshare my family situation as a way of getting sympathy. I mostly want to take accountability, acknowledge that I know I could have handled things better, and express that I do care about my work and would like the opportunity to improve if that opportunity is still there.
I’d also really appreciate advice from people who have experienced burnout, especially while working in childcare/education. What actually helped you recover? How do you prevent yourself from becoming so overwhelmed that it starts affecting your work?
I’ve also wondered whether I may have some undiagnosed ADHD and/or be somewhere on the autism spectrum, because I’ve always struggled with organization, overwhelm and juggling multiple things, although I obviously haven’t been assessed and don’t want to self-diagnose. I think some of it is also a lack of self confidence doubting myself as a good educator at times dose anyone deal with that?
I’m honestly just looking for some perspective and practical advice. I’m very aware that I have things to work on, and I’m trying to figure out how to do better rather than just feeling guilty about what’s already happened.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to respond, and please keep the comments respectful. ❤️

Basically what the title says. I went on 3 interviews at one center for an assistant position. 2 of these interviews were working interviews. I even got a bunch of compliments from the staff during the working interviews including how engaged the kids were during the activities I brought, and thanking me for supervising kids while other teachers were busy.

I got an email today that thanked me for my time and told me I didn’t get the job. Basically they said that I wasn’t interactive enough with the kids for the position. They told me that I was unable to connect with young children and that it’s an important part of the position (after only being near these children for 3 hours total) I feel like that’s just kinda crazy! I’m currently an assistant in the age group. I have been for years. I feel like it’s crazy to bring me to 3 interviews just to insult me in the rejection?

Hi! I’m 20F and have interest in pursuing early childhood education! I’ve struggled to decide what career path is a good fit for me. I’ve changed my major 4-5times. I’m currently on a gap year and based on my research, a bachelors degree in ECED seems to be a solid option. Ideally I’d go back for my Master’s after a year or two of teaching to get better pay.
I love kids! I think kindergarten might be a sweet spot for me. Prek seems too chaotic but I love the idea of working with young kids. I’m sure it’s challenging, but is the reward worth it?
Maybe I’m naïve, but I feel like ECED curriculum can’t be too difficult for an adult with (potentially) a masters degree to master. I feel like that gives more opportunity to master lesson planning and focus more on classroom management and bonding with the students as they are starting a new chapter of their lives.
I think this job has potential to be a fun and meaningful creative outlet. From decorating a classroom, lesson planning, wearing fun teaching outfits, and of course pouring love into a new generation.
Of course I hear teaching horror stories, lots from this subreddit! I have no doubt that the job is challenging and mentally and physically exhausting at times. I’m looking for any advice/ insight! Feel free to ask questions.
I think I’m scared of choosing an education and career path that I regret and feel miserable and stuck in, hence changing my major 4-5 times lol.

Repost because it got taken down :)

my toddler is 24m. very much is still in the stage of “what happens if I do ______?”

this morning I dropped him off at daycare. a peer he didn’t know came and sat in front of him. im not sure if he thought she was going to take his toy, or was testing the interaction boundaries, but he put his hands at her neck and pushed her backwards.

his hands weren’t grabbing at her neck hard, but he placed them there for the push. when I picked him up, the daycare teacher said he did it twice more with other peers. not grabbing, but pushing with hands on necks.

while it wasn’t actual choking, it definitely freaked me out. my mind wants to say “well maybe that spot was just in his line of sight so thats where he pushed.” But just seeing him put his hands near someone’s neck freaked me out, especially multiple times.

He is in a “mine“ stage and is possessive with toys, so sometimes I will see him hit, but not often. I would definitely not describe him as an aggressive kid at all.

has anyone seen this in their toddler classes? I’m freaked.

I'm new to working in a daycare. I work with infants for the first half of my day and then I'm rotated to the toddler room. I've been having no issues with the infants, but one of the toddlers has become a nightmare and their parents are not taking it seriously.

I have a 2 year old who punches, kicks, pushes, and bites. He's bit me twice within the past week and punched me in the face while I was having marker and chalk time yesterday. I was demonstrating what to do and all the other kids were just fine but he decided he wanted the exact piece of chalk I was holding and punched me. I didn't retaliate obviously and I took him to the take a break corner to sit and cool off with some water. After that, about 10 minutes later, he played just fine. And then he became tired. I asked if he was tired and he nodded. He looked tired. I lifted him to put him in the bed, and he started throwing a fit and bit me. I put him in the bed and called my boss. My boss said "Yes, thats how he acts. Just keep him in the bed. " like can we call his parents or something? Later that same day, he pushed a kid out of her chair because he wanted it.

I told my director and she said she'd tell the parents. His dad came in and we talked and he said "He don't do that to me. You gotta pop him" And left it at that. I obviously 1- Do not want to pop your child and 2- legally cannot pop your child. I've had parents tell me similar and suggest that I just pop the kid like they do at home. I don't understand. This kid has made it difficult to keep playtime peaceful. He hits anyone who even gets too close to a toy he wants or hits kids when he wants their toys. I stop of as often as I can because they all move so fast and I can't just not let him play. It's to the point where I've been considering another job, I'm not getting any help in this situation from the parent or my boss.

I am reaching out to any employees of a Brightpath center in USA. Even better if you are in Ohio.

Our center was bought out by brightpath and I didn't have these issues before we were Brightpath.

I am unsure if this is a corporate problem or our directors are just not on it. We have been without cleaning supplies for OVER A WEEK. And this was not the first time. Some staff are using hand sanitizer to wipe down tables because it's all they can get their hands on. I've been using soap and water which is fine but we don't have sinks in our rooms so that's kind of hard to use. Toys/works aren't being sanitized at all unless staff take them to a sink. Many staff have told me they reported to both our directors weeks ago that we need more cleaning solutions and directors are claiming they have been ordered. This happens with paper towels, baby wipes, toilet paper and other essential supplies. To me, these things shouldn't take weeks to come in.

Is this a corporate approval/ordering issue that other brightpaths run into? Or is it just directors not staying on top of things? Looking for feedback about others experiences with Brightpath. They seem to have no trouble getting marketing materials quickly. I have been so frustrated with just having basic supplies that teachers need and I just don't understand how it's possible to run out of things this often. Thanks for your feedback!

I have a second interview with the CEO for an EI Service Coordinator position. I have experience as a business manager and a special education paraprofessional. This group seems amazing, and I really want to work with them. My first interview went great. Will the interview with the CEO throw me any curveballs? I have never had a job like this before. I'm kind of freaking out.

Teilt mir gerne eure Erfahrungen

I’ve been a nanny for 8+ years and I also subbed in a daycare previously. Recently I took a job in a 2 year old classroom and omg. First I want to say I am INCREDIBLY patient and good with kids and feel like I’m doing really well. That being said I swear someone is ALWAYS crying. Everyone is snotty. 1 kid doesn’t nap. Nobody is good at helping clean up yet. I try to spend a lot of time outside but one kid always wants to go in. I have 6 kids and omg. The rate at which they make messes is actually insane. Someone always wants to be held. And also the pay isn’t anything special for the amount of labor needed. Anyways idk I’m just venting I’m sure it’ll get easier since school just started a 1.5 weeks ago.

I''m dealing with a particularly frustrating situation trying to help my 2.5 year old and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions or has dealt with something similar and what helped. I am a first time parent but have previous experience nannying older children, working a summer camp with elementary school aged children, and as a RBT.

My toddler is 2.5 and has been in the same daycare since infancy. The daycare has never mentioned any concerns about development but we had a meeting with them to discuss behaviors like hitting and pushing peers a few months ago. We agreed to have him evaluated by EI, but he did not qualify. He was continuing to have the same struggles at school so we sought out a private evaluation with an OT who was able to work with him 1:1 and observe him at daycare. He is frequently hitting and impulsively pushing peers, and has more recently started with hitting teachers when redirected. He seems excited and hyped up when this is happening, so it seems sensory or an overstimultion thing. I am fearful that we will be asked to leave and my partner and I both work full time. I expressed my concerns with the situation to his pediatrician and she said she could refer us to get a developmental assessment. I feel like I'm trying to do all that I can to support him, but maybe this just isn't the right fit? I feel like the impulse control has gotten a lot better at home (he'll stay with me in public and won't run into a street, we were able to remove our baby gates, cabinet locks etc. because he leaves that stuff alone), but school has been a totally different story.

The tricky parts:

\-no professional we have seen feels he is delayed. His OT even admitted it would be easier to figure out how to "help" if he had a skill deficit. I had hoped as his language improved this would reduce, but no luck. He will literally says stuff like "mom, I saw a dragonfly outside on the blue truck. It was cool". He has also improved at asking for help, asking to play, and telling us things like when he needs space or that he is doing something safely.

\-we don't see this behavior at home nearly as frequently as it presents at school. He is fine with our pets, kids within our famly, and on play dates. We went to a playground yesterday and one of his classmates was there. They happily played together for like 40 minutes and there were no issues. He just cried for the other child when we had to leave.

\- He is very verbal and social. Regularly speaks in 5-6 word sentences, can follow directions, has little conversations, and is always asking questions. He'll go up to kids and ask them if they want to play with toys or play pretend like being dogs or something like that. The OT also noted that he was extremely social during her observation.

\- He definitely understands that hitting is not ok, it just seems like he can't control himself in the situation. I've seen another kid hit him unprompted and he immediately ran to tell the teacher what happened.

I make commercial preschool furniture (factory side, not a classroom teacher), so take that bias for what it is. I keep seeing new rooms buy a full set of cheap toddler stackers, then replace them in a year.

For 1–2s, skip the cheap stackers unless a child can sit and stand without you hovering. Seat height should let the whole foot land flat, usually around 5–7 inches for toddlers, not the preschool 10–12. If they perch on the edge or need a boost, the chair is too tall and you will spend the year spotting.

The 4x price gap is usually joinery and the seat shell, not branding. Residential plastic loosens at the screws after a year of daily sanitizer and 20 kids climbing. In a licensed room I would rather have fewer chairs that an 18-month-old can use alone than a class set that fails inspection or dumps a child.

If you already have a table, match it so there is about 8–10 inches from seat to tabletop. Mixed ages usually means two chair heights, not one “toddler” SKU for everyone.

Directors who have already been through a replacement cycle: what are you actually buying now, and what failed first?

Hi all,

I am a solo mum to a donor conceived boy (21 months) who has been in daycare from quite a young age. He goes to a beautiful centre with amazing educators.

My little boy (21 months) has just moved into the toddler room about a month ago. He initially settled in quite well but I’m now getting reports of him being quite rough. He’s gone to bite a couple of times, is pushing kids and snatching. I understand this is all age appropriate but I want to support him as best I can as these reports are becoming more frequent. I was told yesterday he was biting hard into some toys.

I also get reports of him having beautiful days too and that he has a little group of friends. It’s not all bad and he’s happy on pick up. Apparently there’s quite a few boys who are high energy with similar behaviour so they’re doing their best to monitor and intervene.

I’m wondering if I’m contributing to his difficulty in processing emotions. I struggle to see him sad and I’m a solo parent. For example.. if I need to do something in another room then I give a snack or a brief moment of TV as I know he’ll get really upset. I’m quite a gentle parent but am working on being firmer.

I also get confused if it’s pain from teething vs a tantrum from unmet need. He does have tantrums at home but they’re usually quite brief and easier to redirect (maybe due to quieter environment etc)

I guess my question is to educators. Has anyone seen an improvement in kids behaviour once mum has jumped on board with being firmer/holding boundaries?

He’s where he should be developmentally but he could improve on expressive language. Hes got a good variety of words and gestures. He can say no but we’re still working on nodding yes. He can do it but is still grasping it. I also want to work on him being able to communicate if he needs help or is in pain.

He understands being gentle and I’ve seen him “shhh” his doll to sleep and give gentle pats.

Obviously I don’t see snatching or pushing at home as he’s an only child so I can’t really work on that stuff at home. We are ready books about saying please, being gentle etc

Someone tell me to relax plz :)

My 2.5-3 year old classroom is getting 8 new children next week and I’d love any tips or advice with how to mange having so many new children as they learn the routines and expectations in the room.

Working in the older infants room and oh my god, A baby in Infant 1 room had what was assumed to be a rash, ahaha no it was Hand Foot Mouth and he is known for his blowouts/very drooly guy... The infant 1 room is the opening room for my kids. The baby and 2 of my own room's kids are always there within 20 minutes opening before my shift starts and now one kid was out last week and two kids left today with confirmed diagnoses. We've been holding these wiggly kiddos at the sink to wash hands, disinfecting and removed all the plush/fabric toys and replaced with hard surface, easy to clean ones. I'm itchy just thinking about it all!

Illinois for context! I work with a child in an infant room who is disabled. No diagnoses but they have a team of therapists who come multiple times a week and is fully working with early intervention. The child is one month past the age where we typically move them to our toddler room. They don’t sit up or crawl, they spend most of the day on the floor rolling and playing on their back and tummy. They have a chair for assistance in sitting but they only can spend about thirty minutes at a time in it and only a few times a day. They aren’t potty trained and cannot feed themselves, they are still bottle fed and only can eat purees for solids. Every child in our toddler room can walk, feed themselves and is potty trained. My question is, has anyone been in a similar situation and what ended up happening? I’m having a really hard time imagining our toddler room being a safe environment where this child could thrive. I think there has to be a school that could serve her better but idk our obligations for providing care as far as the ADA goes and such? Really I’m just curious what yall think because i’m a little at a loss! Thank you!!!

I have a five year old who can’t see well, lots of behavioral issues. Mom is a single mom who has three other kids with behavior issues.

This child doesn’t nap but wants to be under my desk for two hours while talking and disrupting everyone. Any ideas for a cozy nap area under my desk for this child? It really seems like they just want to be close. And I’m hoping if it’s comfy enough they will go to sleep

For the past two years I've been teaching Pre-K (3-5 year olds) in a program run by the school board. I just saw today that I'm currently the only permanent teacher assigned to my room. I'm honestly really surprised to be in this position because out of the three support teachers at my school I'm the one with the least experience (this is going to be my third year in the field). But I'm up for the challenge, and I'm looking forward to having the opportunity to do things my way, as it seems like I might be acting lead indefinitely. The only problem is that in the past I've had a hard time getting the kids to actually listen to me. They usually see me as like "the fun one" and not someone they have to respect. Like when they're acting up and I try to use some sort of teacher voice or put my foot down they take it as a challenge. Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent this? Thankfully this is a whole new group of kids so I kind of have a blank slate