A mother has revealed her fury after nursery staff scolded her for picking up her daughter before she had finished cleaning up with the other children.
The anonymous father, believed to be from the US, led Reddit to explain that her two-year-old daughter’s teacher, Sasha, expected her daughter to “finish cleaning up everything she was playing with” before leaving daycare.
She explained on a recent occasion that she was in a hurry and took her daughter without helping clean up, which angered Sasha.
The mother revealed that she had received a text saying “poor planning doesn’t mean you have to break the rules” before receiving a “verbal warning”.
After telling other users that he found it “ridiculous”, they were split on whether he had acted inappropriately.
An unnamed mother, believed to be from the US, revealed her fury after daycare staff scolded her for picking up her daughter before she finished cleaning up with the other children (file image)
Posting on the forum, he wrote: ‘My 2-year-old daughter has been in home day care for a few months. The teacher, Sasha, is very nice. Normally I’m all for my daughter cleaning up her own mess.’
‘However, I find that when I arrive, Sasha is waiting for my daughter to finish cleaning up whatever she was playing with. Which, again, would be fine, but she delays us getting out the door and back home, sometimes we have plans, etc.
“I started texting Sasha when she was so many minutes away asking her to get my daughter ready and that seemed to work.
“My daughter would be in her jacket and reading a book, easy to put away vs. a big double project or the like.”
She said on a recent occasion that things had been “crazy” and that she had been “in a rush.”
She added: “We had a lot to do this afternoon and I was running late because I had car trouble.”
‘When I arrived, my daughter and some friends were cleaning up a huge mess.
‘I told my daughter we had to go get her coat. Sasha said that she needed to finish cleaning her part.
‘I said any other day, of course, but I’m late and we can’t miss this appointment.
Sasha tried to argue that children need to learn responsibility, and I flatly said no. I took my daughter, put her coat on and left.
She took to Reddit to explain that her two-year-old daughter’s teacher, Sasha, expected her daughter to “finish cleaning up whatever she was playing with” before leaving daycare.
She continued: ‘Like I said, busy afternoon so only now had time to check my texts. I got one from Sasha saying that bad planning on my part doesn’t mean she can break the rules.
‘I pointed out that this is not in the contract and that I can take my son home when I need him.
He accused me of undermining his authority. I was given ‘a verbal warning’ which I found ridiculous.’
However, other users were confused as to whether his behavior had been acceptable, with some saying he had acted inappropriately.
One wrote: ‘If those are the rules all children are expected to follow, and you were aware of that, you and your daughter should follow them like everyone else.
“If you’re upset, there are a lot of daycare centers, you should find one that has different rules.”
Other users were mixed on whether his behavior had been acceptable, with some saying he had acted inappropriately.
Another commented: ‘I have worked in highly regarded licensed facilities for a long time. This is standard practice.
‘If you have trouble keeping to your own schedule, that’s not their problem. It’s also likely that he has a waiting list and can (and should) replace your place entirely, since you seem to get the idea that “it’s his job.”
I wouldn’t deal with you, and neither would my administration. You get 2 warnings for disrespectful behavior or policy violations and then you’re out.
Another added: ‘If you knew you had a date you should have let Sasha know ahead of time.
‘Cleaning up teaches the girl responsibility and she has to leave her mess with the other children who now have to clean it up.
However, others confessed that they sided more with the mother, with some saying it was her choice when she picked up her daughter.
“If you have plans, please let the teacher know ahead of time or when you will be coming to pick him up so she has a reasonable amount of time to get your child ready, you have many other children to care for, not JUST your own.”
One wrote: “Don’t be surprised when I replace you with a father who is willing to make his kids play by the rules.”
However, others confessed that they sided more with the mother, with one commenting: ‘Would it be possible on days like this to tell the teacher that ‘daughter must leave on time x due to appointment’ so she knows in advance that you will pick her up and leave at that time?
“Not just texting ahead of time, but letting it be known that you’ll be out the door at a certain time, regardless of the mess.”
Another added: ‘Um, no. NTA. If you say you’re going with your son, you can go. You can’t keep her there until you decide that her child can go.
A third commented: ‘I worked in childcare and if you have a set time for pick up then there’s no reason cleaning can’t start before then.
‘Then give the child an activity that takes a few seconds to save when you get there.
“It’s common practice in most care settings for children and parents to easily pick things up, as it’s harder to get the child to put things away when the parents are there.”
