I guess you could kind of sneak around it and ask the daycare provider to speak to ALL of the children about not calling each other "bad boys" and "bad girls." Then ask your DS if she did so.

If not, seach elsewhere.

Well then you are stuck. I would just make it clear that you aren't happy with this and ask her how she suggests it can be addressed.

Anonymous wrote:Clearly the daycare worker is calling him and others a bad boy. Very common in daycare settings in DC. The workers just don't know how damaging it can be. Lack of training and education. Usually a parent has no idea what a daycare worker is saying to a children all day. Consider yourself lucky! You have a DS who is attentive and a good little imitator. Talk to the director.

It's a home daycare provider, there is no director.

I think you have to get to the bottom of where it's coming from, but don't assume it's the daycare provider. It very well could be another child parroting what their parents say.

Here's how I've dealt with this. I tell my son sometimes his behavior is not good but that it does not mean he is a bad person. I tell him that he is a good person and that part of being a good person is learning how to control our emotions and apologize when we've done something wrong. You can figure out how to communicate those ideas at a level appropriate for your child.

It'll all be just fine, OP. I think most parents have had some version of this talk.

Omg OP...of course she said no. Duh.

This is OP. Thanks. We asked the daycare provider if she ever called him a bad boy and she said no. Will have to speak to her about this again and then consider changing daycares if it continues.

Anonymous wrote:Very normal for young children to do this. It's normal for kids to say they are bad, they want to die or they want to kill themselves.

I hope this is sarcastic.

Very normal for young children to do this. It's normal for kids to say they are bad, they want to die or they want to kill themselves.

Clearly the daycare worker is calling him and others a bad boy. Very common in daycare settings in DC. The workers just don't know how damaging it can be. Lack of training and education. Usually a parent has no idea what a daycare worker is saying to a children all day. Consider yourself lucky! You have a DS who is attentive and a good little imitator. Talk to the director.

It's a tough one, OP. My 3 year has started saying he's a bad brother and a not nice brother. He says it at appropriate times too, like when he's gotten in trouble for hitting his sister. Not sure where it's coming from since we would never tell him that.

Daycare provider is calling hm a bad boy. You should talk to the director.

Fwiw, I know a kid who kept telling his mom that "sometimes I make bad choices"...which is true and hilarious. His K teacher told him that (which was fine).

Maybe they're watching Cops.

Why is the other boy telling his mom that he's a bad boy too? That would concern me if two kids are going home and telling their parents they are bad boys.

Have you asked him why he says that or who told him he was a bad boy? And yes, I know at 2 it is difficult but is there a way to try to get an answer out of him?

Daycare provider is calling him a bad boy. Sorry, OP.

For the past couple of days my son (2 yrs) has been saying he's a bad boy. My husband and I tell him he's a good boy but he just keeps repeating "bad boy, bad boy." We asked his home daycare provider if she knew anything about it and she said that another child (4 years) tells his mom he has been a bad boy when she asks how his day was. We figured maybe he's been saying it to the other kids? Or maybe his parents tell it to him and he goes to daycare and repeats it? I'm not quite sure what, if anything, we should do. It seems weird to talk to this other boy's mother about it.

It breaks my heart when I hear my son say he's a bad boy (as he's really SUCH a good boy and I would never tell him he's a bad boy, maybe only that's he's done something bad) but it could be that I'm just overly emotional as I'm pregnant. Need a bit of a reality check or any advice. Thanks.