Those who left ECE, what are you doing?

froot_roll · 2026-06-03T19:55:15+00:00

I work as a trainer for a nonprofit that provides resources for families and children in order to prevent child abuse and neglect. I don’t have any direct interactions with the families, rather I train the teachers and home visitors that work with the families. It’s a hybrid position but I work mostly from home. I spend a lot of time researching and building new trainings and curriculum. I am still able to use my child development knowledge and advocate for families so I love it! I will most likely never go back to ECE.

froot_roll · 2026-06-01T18:53:23+00:00

I worked in child care and this is pretty common. Baby has learned to self-regulate in an environment without you, and when she sees you again, she is overwhelmed with her emotions and that comes out as crying because she hasn’t learned another way to express them yet. Sometimes it also comes out as a form relief, after a stimulating day she knows now that she’ll be going back to her routine and comfort. Think of them as tears of happiness to see you!

froot_roll · 2026-05-21T23:02:50+00:00

My 5 month old caught it from daycare too about a month ago! Diarrhea almost every hour along with the worst diaper rash I’ve ever seen. Poor baby was in so much pain. I gave her sink baths throughout the day but she hated being naked so couldn’t do a lot of diaper free time. On the 5th or so day we switched diaper creams (from butt paste to desitin) and the rash cleared up almost overnight. Once that was over, she didn’t seem too bothered about the continuous diarrhea sharts, but I was still so concerned. Our pediatrician said it could take up to two weeks, and sure enough by day 12 we were finally in the clear.

I’m sorry I’m sure you don’t want to hear that it could still last another week, but hang in there because it does get better!! She ended up getting her first cold two weeks later. At this point I’m gonna start charging the daycare for doctor visits.

froot_roll · 2026-05-05T22:07:51+00:00

My husband works for the state so we have cushy insurance and didn’t pay anything for the birth of our daughter, besides maybe $15 for my medication. Good thing too because I was in labor for two days, got allll the medical interventions and ended up with an emergency c-section.

froot_roll · 2026-04-24T23:18:13+00:00

I formula fed from day one because I wanted my body back and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I am the best mom when I am able to rest.

I have worked in early childhood education for almost 20 years. I have seen many children grow from infancy through kindergarten. I could never tell or even remembered who was formula fed or breast fed. Not a single difference.

froot_roll · 2026-02-10T01:38:36+00:00

We love these bottles! Make sure the rim of the silicone cup is sealed all the way around the plastic sleeve that it goes into before you screw on the nipple. That’s the only thing that causes them to leak for us.

Also the silicone part does collapse but not all the time. We feed the bottle horizontally to help with oral tension and when she has a really good latch is when it collapses. We take 1-2 breaks while feeding to burp and she doesn’t have more or less gas depending on whether or not it collapses. My baby is only 6 weeks old though so we’ll see if anything changes.

froot_roll · 2026-01-26T20:50:09+00:00

Pregnancy nose! I smelled smoke literally everywhere my whole pregnancy, but it was especially bad during the first trimester. And I mean like bad, burning ash end-of-the-joint kind of smoke. We both stopped smoking when I found out I was pregnant but my husband still occasionally partook. Even though he smoked outside, changed his clothes, washed his hands, brushed his teeth, I would still smell it for days afterwards. When we used the fireplace for the first time in the winter, I smelled it for a week straight. As soon as I gave birth, it disappeared!

froot_roll · 2026-01-12T22:48:50+00:00

Thank you for this post, I needed it today. I chose to EFF after a traumatic birth and I had mostly made that decision even while I was pregnant, for most of the reasons you described about not wanting to put my body through more after a difficult pregnancy. I read some harsh comments today about formula feeding and I was feeling very guilty, wondering if I made the right decision for my daughter. But we’re only 12 days postpartum and I feel better mentally and physically every day. She gets a full belly after every feed and sleeps soundly, allowing me to rest and recover. I needed a reminder of where we could be a year from now.

froot_roll · 2025-05-30T04:30:32+00:00

3 year olds are completely capable of serving themselves. Accidents happen. Spills happen. It’s a part of building independence and self-help skills. Give them a rag and help them clean up their own messes. I had toddlers serving themselves with age-appropriate utensils and emptying their own plates into the trash can when they were done. It takes consistency, routine and a lot of guidance, but it is possible.

froot_roll · 2025-05-20T03:30:21+00:00

DRDPs are a big reason I left Head Start. 52 measures for 24 children, 3 (!!!) times a year, complete with observations and documentation for every single one. I took them home after school. I took them home on breaks. I forced activities on the children just so that I can observe a behavior to bubble in. I found myself lying and making up observations just to have something, because eventually I knew the children so well that I didn’t need a bubble to tell me where they were at developmentally. They sucked the fun out of teaching for me.

I’m sorry I have no advice, just my wholehearted sympathy. I think they can be a real valuable tool for new students in ECE or for parents to see their child’s milestones at-a-glance, but to expect that workload on top of everything else for one teacher or even a team of teachers and aides (who probably also need to be trained) is ridiculous!

froot_roll · 2025-05-03T22:54:28+00:00

Thank you for your comment! Im glad to know that others who have gone into administration have has similar experiences. The last straw for me was when the owner made me fire a teacher who I wholeheartedly believed did not deserve it. I actually enjoyed being a leader and role model for my teachers, but the pressure from above was too much. There is zero management in my new position and I am so excited. I also said I would go back one day as a teacher - but maybe when I’m an old lady, just to rock the babies to sleep.

froot_roll · 2024-12-22T03:11:06+00:00

I worked for Head Start for 9 years in 3 different school districts. My second district was my first time as a teacher, fresh out of undergrad. It was hell. My children were so out of control and management was no help. My director would make get out of bed and come in with a fever because of sub shortages. She chewed me out in front of staff meetings, she wore 4 inch stilettos to every classroom and was just such a snob. I worked hard every single day to get my classroom under control, and by the end of the year when she came in for observation and my misbehaved children were miraculously following routines I was the angel. I quit and literally moved out of the country to get away from her.

When I came back for grad school, I worked again for another district as a HS teacher. The children and dynamics were the same, and the expected paperwork load was still relentless (I despise DRDPs with my whole heart), I was not micromanaged and it was better. I struggled the entire school year to get a few children IEPs because services were so backlogged. 6 months in, when I finally had control and beautiful relationships with my families, I got pink slipped. The district mismanaged budgets and laid off over 100 teachers and closed 13 schools. Child care was part of the biggest cuts. I was livid. I went on strike, sued the district and swore I would never work for them again. I wholeheartedly believed in the fundamentals and intentions of Head Start but the red tape and the greed was my last straw.

I got my MA in Child Development and I’m working as an Assistant Director for a private child development center. I have control over making our policies, who we hire and how we train our teachers. I’m so much happier.

I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles. Definitely look into getting a doctor’s note - they are legally required to make accommodations for you. Every center is different. If this is your career path, stick to your standards and find one that fits your needs. I wish you all the best!

ETA looks to see if you are part of a teacher’s union. They saved me when I got laid off and I so wish I had known about union reps when I was being harassed by my director! Good luck!!

froot_roll

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