I work in a daycare in the infant room. We have a baby that has recently started coming to the daycare. One day, he is acting pretty fussy, and as I am trying to comfort him, I notice he feels pretty warm, so I take his temperature. Sure enough, he has a fever, so I call the parents to have him picked for the day. Mom shows up and is slightly upset.

Mom: “I just don’t understand why he’s sick again. He just started a few weeks ago, and this is the third time he’s gotten sick here.”

Me: “I understand your frustrations. It’s not fun when they’re not feeling good. However, it is pretty normal for kids to get sick frequently the first time they start daycare. They’re building up that immune system. When I first started working here, I got bronchitis and sinusitis in the first few weeks.”

Mom: “He shouldn’t be getting sick, though! He’s breastfed.”

Me: *Very confused* “What do you mean?”

Mom: “I thought breastfed babies don’t get sick. Only formula-fed babies do!”

Me: “I don’t think that’s how that works.”

I worked at a daycare that overly catered to parents’ whims.

In the infant room, we often had kids up to twelve months old in the same space as three-month-olds. A couple happened to be watching their daughter play through our window when one of the older kids walked up behind her and started pushing on her. (She was sitting down, so she didn’t get hurt.)

It took me about ten seconds to set down the baby I had just liberated from the trash can — the other teacher had a kid on the changing table — and get over to them to get the older kid off.

I was written up for not paying attention to the children.

Later that week, we were told specifically that we should not sit on the floor with the kids; we had to be up and moving around the room. Two days later, we were told to make sure we had floor time with the kids and engage them in activities for at least twenty minutes.

I was there for two months and left as fast as I could get another job.

I work in a daycare attached to a library and gym complex (it’s a big building). I am relatively new and don’t really know my manager yet. She’s stern but fair, so I respect her. A mother comes in and drops off her toddler.

Mother: “I’m going to need him to be kept active and busy while I am gone. I prefer him to be fatigued when we’re at home.”

Me: “O…kay? We have plenty of activities that can keep him entertained such as—”

Mother: “No, you’re not listening. I need him kept active! Like you have to actively wear him down. You seem new so I don’t blame your ignorance—ah! There’s the manager. You! Over here!”

She actually points at my manager and yells for her to come hither. My manager slowly walks forward with the weary gait of someone who knows what’s coming.

Manager: *Strained.* “Mrs. [Mother’s Name], how lovely to see you again.”

Mother: “I need [Child’s Name] to be worn out when I return. What will you do to accommodate me?”

Manager: “Well, [Child’s Name] is four, right? We have a small playground that—”

Mother: “I saw that, not good enough. It’s just some swings and a slide. What will you do to ensure my child is kept active?”

Manager: “This is a daycare, ma’am, not an activity center. If you want some sporting activities then—”

Mother: “—you’re not listening! What will you do to accommodate me… today!”

Manager: “Well, we could try tossing him into the river and see how quickly he can swim back.”

Mother: “What?!”

Manager: *To me.* “What do you think, [My Name]? How strong is your throw?”

Mother: “Stop being so preposterous before I report you to—”

Manager: “The librarians are always moaning about rodents of unusual size* scurrying about the air vents. [Child’s Name] looks small enough to enter the vents and take them out for us. Just give him a torch and a pen-knife and he’ll be good to go.”

Mother: “That’s it! I will be reporting you to your boss unless you start taking me seriously!”

Manager: “Okay fine, we’ll just pit [Child] against the other kids in gladiatorial combat. The librarians like to place bets on the victor and the winnings we get make up for the s***ty customers like you.”

With that, the mother released a desperate shrill of a noise before storming off to the building’s management office. I am staring at my manager in awe.

Manager: “That was Mrs. [Mother’s Name] and she runs the club of mean mommies that have made my job miserable for the last year. I’m quitting today… good luck!”

My manager really did quit that day (well, two weeks’ notice), before any complaints could be bought down on her. One of the building managers took over managing the daycare while they trained one of the other workers, and they got to experience this mother and her friends firsthand. Their response was “now I know why [Manager] quit” and after multiple complaints from literally every other employee who had to deal with these mothers, they were banned!

*Yes, this is from “The Princess Bride”.

CONTENT WARNING: Mention Of Child Abuse

I am new at work in a daycare and I am working on admissions. A mother comes in with her toddler fast asleep in their car seat.

Customer: *Quiet.* “I’ll just leave him here in the seat so that he doesn’t wake up.”

My manager suddenly storms over in a purposefully booming voice.

Manager: “Hi, there, Mrs. [Customer’s Name]! Oh and here we have little [Child’s Name] with us again! I’ll just get him out of that seat for you so that you can take that with you.”

Customer: “What? No! You—”

My manager gently undoes the seat’s straps, and lifts the boy out of the chair, waking him up and making him crabby.

Manager: “There we go, little guy. Do we want to go and play?”

Customer: “Why did you do that? I wanted him to stay asleep!”

Manager: “It’s the policy of the daycare that we do not accept sleeping children. We need them awake on arrival. We also can’t leave them in the car-seat, you need to take that with you.”

Customer: “That is so stupid! I’ll be calling your corporate about this!”

Manager: “Ma’am, that would be the same corporate that had to deal with a demand for us to replace a car-seat because a toddler wasn’t wearing a diaper, and they urinated right through it and blamed us for it. That would also be the same corporate that had to fight a legal battle because a child woke up in an unfamiliar environment and had a tantrum so violent that they ended up emotionally distressed to the point of vomiting and… you guessed it… law suit.”

Customer: “Well I would never—”

Manager: “The worse one was when Corporate took a sleeping child from a grandmother who had been micro-dosing the babe with whisky to keep them sleepy and had overdid it, and what we thought was a sleeping baby was actually a drunk baby. We had to call the hospital, the parents were called, the grandmother denied it, and BAM! Law suit. So no, ma’am, we will not be accepting your baby unless they are awake, alert, dry, aware that you are leaving, and – sad that I have to say this – not drunk. Agreed.”

The mother grumbled an agreement, and my manager took the calmer little boy to the play area. I later learned she had that little speech ready to go because sadly she has to say it multiple times a week.

I work in a daycare and am currently pregnant. It is a high-risk pregnancy, so during the last two months, I’ve had appointments twice a week involving growth ultrasounds and non-stress tests. I work four tens, so I schedule one of the appointments on my day off, but I need additional time off on one of the days I am scheduled to work.

I inform my director of the situation and provide a doctor’s note explaining why these appointments are necessary. He tells me he will inform the rest of the administration and they will work with me to make sure I have coverage.

I plan my appointment around my lunch break and ask for a two-hour break instead of one hour to give some wiggle room, but I am always back within an hour and a half, if not earlier. I give reminders as my appointments come up and on the day of.

However, every time I am gone for an appointment, I get multiple calls asking when I will be back and to hurry up. The person who covers for me complains, as well. I talk to my director about how it is extremely stressful for me when this happens, but nothing changes.

One day, the assistant director asks if she can speak with me.

Assistant Director: “Having you gone additional time during the week isn’t working for us. You’ll need to have your appointments on your day off.”

Me: “[Director] said he was willing to work with me on this. It’s two appointments every week. I have one of the appointments on my day off. I still need additional time for the second appointment. I am also always back earlier than what was planned. I only drive there, do the appointment, and drive right back to work.”

Assistant Director: “We really need you here instead. Do you honestly need to have two appointments every week? With my pregnancy, it was only once a week toward the end.” 

Me: “Yes, I do. If you need me to come in earlier on those days, I can, but I really need to attend these appointments. I could also come in on my regular day off after my other appointment if needed.”

Assistant Director: “Did you know you’re allowed to refuse procedures or appointments? Your doctor can’t make you go.”

I take a long pause before I respond.

Me: “This is a high-risk pregnancy. The tests are to ensure that my child is able to tolerate labor and survive birth. Are you denying my doctor’s note?”

Assistant Director: “Well, no. It would be you denying your appointment with your doctor.”

Me: “Ah. Understood.”

Assistant Director: “Perfect! I’m glad we could come to an understanding.”

The following day, I go in and explain what happened to my director. I then hand him my resignation letter. 

Director: “What’s this?”

Me: “My two-week notice.”

Director: “I thought you were going to work up until you gave birth?”

Me: “And I thought administration would be more understanding.” 

When the assistant director found out, she tried guilting me into staying for the kids and said that I should have talked to her first and we could have “figured something out”. 

I made sure during my last two weeks to take my time during my appointments and take the full two hours instead of hurrying back. 

I also enjoyed not working the last few weeks of pregnancy and can happily say I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy little girl.