I hate the state of day care in America. Hate it!!! In France, they have publically funded daycare centers and nurseries where workers are trained and valued. What do we have here in the greatest country on Earth? A mess of independent companies offering inconsistent care, paying their uneducated workers as little as possible, and charging families exorbitant amounts for their “service.” Is that really the best that we can do for our children? It’s immensely frustrating for a mother who wants to work, wants to provide for her family, and wants to leave her child in a safe, healthy environment.
Daycare is undoubtedly the reason that Hailey has a “no” problem. The daycare provider’s daughter is 3 and is going through her “no” phase. Hailey is simply mimicking her behavior. That aside, I have a pretty good daycare situation right now, but the ongoing negative influence is causing me to look around at other alternatives. Here are my alternatives right now:
1) Put her on any number of waiting lists for daycare centers across the city. The waiting lists range from several months to years. The daycare centers are not as convenient to either home or work as the place that we are going to now, and she would be around more kids, increasing the likelihood that she’s going to be sick all the time.
2) Try to enroll her in some type of preschool beginning in 2008. By the way, these preschools conveniently only offer classes for four hours at a time, usually 9:00-1:00. Some cost more than I’m paying now for full time care, and some require that I take off from work to go work at the school for 12 days a year.
3) Umm yeah, that’s all of the choices.
You might say, “why didn’t you get on some waiting lists when you moved to Atlanta?” Good question!!! I actually did, but the waiting lists for daycares are similar to the waiting list to get the roof rack for my car (don’t get me started on that), sometimes they are “misplaced,” sometimes you aren’t added, sometimes they get thrown away when they get too long, sometimes they don’t exist, and sometimes they won’t add you because they’re too long to begin with. It’s not a rock solid system that we’re talking about.
So, I’ve found one daycare, which is not particularly convenient, but that may have space available in the near future. I’m going to look at it tomorrow. Grumble, grumble.
P.S. We leave for Italy on Friday! More on that later...
3 comments:
Ummm, I'm not sure, and I certainly haven't experienced the full effect of the "no" syndrome (although this coming week may change my mind), but maybe you're too worried about something that's not that serious. I know it must be annoying as hell, but certainly she will outgrow this, don't you think? Are you happy with everything else about the current daycare? If not, then start looking. But this doesn't sound like it should be the sole reason for a change. Besides, someday, it might be a really good thing to have a teenage daughter who says no to drugs, smoking, and (ugh) boys!;-)
Love,
Dad
NO NO NO NO NO... what is so bad about that? it happens to be my initals. :)
i loved this post... i love the way you are passionate about such issues... that's my girl, out to save the world! um, one italian vineyard at a time?
You go girlfriend! I swear you should consider running for political office.
You have to look at the flip side of this:
1) She is going to be influenced by her surroundings no matter where she is.
2) She is going to be building up an immunity to illnesses so when she does go to kindergarten she won't miss as much school as those kids that have not been in daycare.
3) She is exposed to new and different cultures, ideals, morals...perhaps giving her an understanding and compassion for peoples' differents - thus she is learning tolerance.
Chill out! You are stressing over this too much. As much as you want to protect your children from the negative things in life, it's better to expose them to it and hope that through your guidance (remember, you are the main role model) they will learn right and wrong.
Good news, I'm sending Hailey some "non-messy" art supplies, since her mother freaks out about that too!
Love ya!
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