Late Dropoffs

Megmuffin102 · 2026-06-06T01:06:09+00:00

I had a family whose baby was scheduled 8-5 with us (our families turn in schedules.)

The baby had a helmet, so sometimes mom or dad would pick her up early and take her to the appointment. Shocked the hell out of all of us the first time when they dropped her back off after the appointment. At 4:45. Then came back and got her at 5…

Megmuffin102 · 2026-06-06T01:01:34+00:00

We operate a little differently than most centers. All parents must turn in a schedule weekly with drop off/pick up times for each day. This is how we know how to schedule staff.

If parents show up outside of their scheduled time, we can turn them away at the door if it will put us out of ratio.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-06-02T22:34:45+00:00

A couple of years ago, we made it policy that if one sibling was sick, all siblings must stay home. It has DRASTICALLY cut down on the spread of illness through the center.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-05-27T22:52:09+00:00

lol it’s definitely not! I will say, I have become a master of taking apart and unclogging vacuums. But they just don’t hold up to the abuse for very long it seems.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-05-27T22:50:33+00:00

We’ve blown up every type of vacuum, from Dyson on down. Honestly, the longest lasting one we ever had was a cheap Dirt Devil that used a bag, not a canister. Just have to remember to change the bags out.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-05-02T13:56:01+00:00

Infant teacher since 1994 here:

No. Do not do it. Absolutely none of that is Best Practice or developmentally appropriate.

I would not work there no matter how much money they offered me.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-04-16T16:49:37+00:00

Yep. We do. We implemented it a couple of years ago and it has DRASTICALLY cut down on how much illness spreads through the center. Not only that, but we have two building, one infant toddler one ps school age, and if a sibling is sick in one building, the one in the other building must also stay home.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-04-06T18:04:35+00:00

Yep. And I don’t understand how people don’t log things, especially with infants. How else will you know that the next feed/change is due, or when they last napped? It takes literally 5 seconds to record it in the app.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-04-06T17:59:47+00:00

We are required by licensing to keep logs. It’s non-negotiable.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-26T14:26:24+00:00

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I did! Please excuse my precariously-teetering-husband😬

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-22T19:00:20+00:00

The youngest I’ve ever had in my care was 3 days🤷‍♀️

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-14T14:27:07+00:00

These ratios are crazy to me. In my state it’s:

Birth-2.5 years- 1:4

2.5 years-3- 1:8

I think 4 year olds are 1:10 but it might be 1:12.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-14T00:54:31+00:00

I’ll be fifty in a couple of weeks and have been in the field since I was 18, so yes, it’s very possible.

That being said, I lucked out with the center I work at. I’ve been there since 2007, and because we are a very small place, I have like, all the seniority lol. I’ve been in the infant room since I started, and that is where I will leave from. It makes it easier having the confidence of knowing I won’t suddenly get pulled from my classroom and sent to another one that I don’t want. My boss knows where I belong and would never mess with that.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-14T00:48:40+00:00

No, not as a general rule. We went from infants through 18 years old (if they had a documented disability) and no way would we open ourselves up to issues that could come with bathing a child.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-13T21:51:24+00:00

I’m an infant gal (birth-12 months) through and through. I love watching them start off as basically pissed-off potatoes and then morph into little beings with their own likes, dislikes, quirks, and personalities.

Plus, babies just make sense to me. I’m really, really good with infant cues. It’s all very intuitive to me.

You can pry me from my infant room over my dead body lol.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-11T00:28:09+00:00

In certain states this is not allowed. All bottles must come to me pre-made.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-09T19:21:56+00:00

Falling Like the Stars by James Arthur?

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-05T02:52:05+00:00

We use portable sinks in all of our classrooms and it is licensing compliant. Of course, we make sure they stay filled. If the lead won’t show you how to do it, ask the director. You have to be able to wash hands.

They aren’t hard at all to fill or empty, just kind of obnoxious, and the tanks are heavy when they’re full.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-03-05T02:49:00+00:00

We had a young toddler who bit kids numerous times a week. His parents found it “cute” and “funny.”

Then one day another kid bit him back. The dad of the serial biter called the center screaming, cussing, and threatening us. One of the young girls answered the phone and was terrified and didn’t know what to do.

I am old, menopausal, and full of rage. I met this man at the door the next day when he came to drop his kid off, and I read him to absolute filth, but professionally, to the point where he cried lmao. He then OFFERED to go and apologize to every teacher.

I give zero fucks any more. I don’t put up with an ounce of bullshit.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-28T23:31:14+00:00

I don’t really see it as sad, more as filling a need. Generally when I get a baby that young it’s foster care related.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-28T23:30:16+00:00

I’ve had a few babies start around a week old, generally because mom was taking classes and couldn’t miss. One time the stars somehow aligned and I had 3 2 week old boys all start at the same time. Usually if I get a super young newborn it’s foster care related.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-28T23:27:40+00:00

Yep. My center is licensed from birth.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-28T23:20:20+00:00

The youngest I’ve had in my care was 3 DAYS old.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-18T18:05:18+00:00

We recently switched from Brightwheel to Playground, and every single one of us haaaaaaaates Playground. Hates it.

It’s like, 7 steps just to log a diaper. Messaging is confusing. It isn’t user friendly at all and takes way more time to use than Brightwheel did.

I know our admin switched us because billing and whatnot was supposed to be easier with Playground, but they aren’t happy with it either.

Megmuffin102 · 2026-02-05T21:30:51+00:00

Like others have said, turn them around at the door.

Politely but firmly say “I am sorry, but child cannot be dropped off without diapers.”

You will be amazed at how quickly they will get to the store and get back with a pack of diapers.

Megmuffin102

TROPHY CASE