daycare workers with daycare kids in tow at target

[Anonymous]

This would piss me off, if I were a parent of these kids.

[Anonymous]

Strange. It seems like it would be more work to take the kids to Target to shop then to just stay in the daycare or play outside.

I wouldn't like this as a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my daughter told me her caregivers and the kids went for a walk to the cupcake store....my kid did not get any..just sat outside and waited...just the workers enjoyed the treat!

I hope you changed her caregiver. If the caregiver is selfish like that, she probably is selfish around your daughter other times, too.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Not multiples for sure. Unless someone adopted 12 kids of varying ethnicities all around the same age. Hmm and if it's true that they do this more than once in a while, and in fact do it everyday, then maybe next time if I see them I might inquire which daycare so I know which one not to send my kid to!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Not multiples for sure. Unless someone adopted 12 kids of varying ethnicities all around the same age. Hmm and if it's true that they do this more than once in a while, and in fact do it everyday, then maybe next time if I see them I might inquire which daycare so I know which one not to send my kid to!

Also know that this is the exception, not the norm. Most reputable daycares would not allow this. You can ask about policies like this (taking the children out), and also, there are several daycares that have webcams, etc. so you can tell what is going on. I would encourage you to find a daycare that is not funny about having parents come in at different times during the day (red flag if they say this disrupts the children - that is BS - you are the parent and have every right to make surprise visits, and further, in corporate daycare centers where the parents work, this happens all the time and is fine).

Because this is DCUM, I'm sure someone who has never stepped foot inside a daycare will choose my post to quote and tell me I and other parents have no idea what goes on and this is happening all the time, but I can assure you, there are tons of ways to be fully up to speed on things like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Not multiples for sure. Unless someone adopted 12 kids of varying ethnicities all around the same age. Hmm and if it's true that they do this more than once in a while, and in fact do it everyday, then maybe next time if I see them I might inquire which daycare so I know which one not to send my kid to!

Oh, and I just posted, but I would also not send my kid to a daycare with that ratio (12 kids to 2 adults). If they were all in strollers, this is likely illegal also - not sure about DC but in Maryland, it is a ratio of 3 kids under the age of 2 to every 1 caregiver.

I understand not everyone has the luxury of this choice of ratio financially, but to OP, if you are concerned about this and are able to have more options, you can find a daycare that has a smaller ratio.

[Anonymous]

Totally unacceptable. My child is in a BH daycare and 2 teachers were fired for taking care of personal business while on walks with the students. The parents had no idea it was going on.

[Anonymous]

I don't know which day care this is, but I live in Columbia heights and have seen kids being pushed around on 14th street several times, near the target, and have always thought how much better it would be if they would take them to a park or something. I know there is the CentroNia nearby, but I cannot say what that daycare is like--anyone know? I"ll be looking in columbia heights soon and would like to know which ones are good as well as which to avoid!

[Anonymous]

There is no excuse for teachers in a Child Care Center to take them into a Target or other"shopping" spot. I would suggest finding out what Center the teachers come from and inform the people in charge. I have also always been concerned about the crowd that takes the children to places and the chidren just sit. Children need to move!

[Anonymous]

I was in Target last Monday and saw a group of preschoolers there with their teachers. They were walking through all the departments and the kids were looking at toys. It was a group of about 15 4 year olds. I was really disturbed.

[Anonymous]

the next time one of this board's readers sees the kids in target, perhaps inquire (kindly) what day care it is? I'm sure many of us would like to know!

[Anonymous]

I am a director of a child care center in the DC area and have to say that I find it horrendous that a class of children would be taken to Target (or any other personal errand of the teacher's). This type of behavior is exactly what prevents the "teachers" in Early Childhood from being taken as serious professionals. While this is not the norm, unfortunatley it does happen sometimes and it is bad for everyone - the reputation of those in the field & that particular center, the children, parents, etc.

If anyone ever sees this type of behavior I encourage you to kindly inquire where they are from and then call the director of that center. The director probably does not know that it is happening and most likely action will be taken - hopefuly termination like a PP mentioned happened at another center. Even if you see that the teachers are sitting on a bench and the children are just sitting there, I would report that back to the center too. The children should be taken to the park and allowed to get out and explore. There is little value in sitting restrained in a stroller - that does not count as "outside time."

The only time it may be appropriate to venture into a store with a class of children is if it is purposeful. For example, a pre-k class takes a walk to the grocery store to pick out and purchase items for a cooking project they are doing. Or they take a field trip to see how cupcakes are made, etc.

How disturbing!

[Anonymous]

i've seen what I'm assuming is the same group at the CH target, the kids were in a red multi-kid stroller thing. I actually asked the adult in the group which day care center they were from and she said that they were from the high school.

I'm not saying that it's right or wrong or that it shouldn't matter because the kids belong to HS teenagers, I'm simply posting to share the info I got from the care provider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree the parents probably know. Not something I would agree to under ANY circumstances, but people have different tolerance levels.

I have a cousin who lives in another part of the country and her baby is being kept by another relative who is a SAHM, and she takes the kids all over creation - Target, the mall, etc. She has 3 kids of her own and then my cousin's.

There is no way in hell I would feel comfortable taking 4 little kids anywhere, much less having someone else do it, but I guess some parents have a different comfort level. FWIW my cousin's baby is now 2 and so far nothing has happened thank God.

What is wrong with a relative taking their cousins child out to places along with her own? People on this forum are quick to judge people who take children out in public. Although you state you couldn't handle it, others may be more adept and experienced at taking a large group out

What i dont get...if it isnt ones business, why criticize it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate to say this, but this might be either a family situation like my cousin (unlicensed), or, if these are all low-income parents doing shift work, they likely don't have the flexibility to pop in and out. Sad but true. For state licensed home care providers, the state accrediting board makes unannounced visits and I would think it would be very hard to explain it if they came around to find an empty house. So I'm guessing this is not licensed.

Why assume they are unlicensed? Licensed providers ARE allowed to take their charges out for walks, parks, field trips, etc. As for the state coming in unannounced, I hardly believe they would have an issue with finding nobody at home. We are not tied to our houses for the day.

I think there are a LOT of narrowminded people on this forum.