Quote Originally Posted by Busy ECE mommy View Post
Yes I do write every penny of it off. I do all the craft gifts for parents too. I have never expected something in return, other than a simple verbal "thank you."
I do find there is a difference in my clients who come from the "entitled" generation lol.
I think it is less about the generation than it is about an individual just being an ungrateful asshole. Being a young mother myself, I am 34 and my daughter is 16 and my son is 14, I'd stay away from making those kinds of assumptions. It really isn't nice to be stereotyped which is something I have always experienced as a young mother. I have personally had the worst parents be the career driven woman who had children later in life as though it was just something on a list of achievements to check off to feel whole. Neglectful and expecting others to do for her as she prioritized work over the basic needs of her child. But of course, like anything, it is each individuals perception and not necessarily a truth about the individual and definitely not of the whole, but that's just my experience as a daycare provider and the clients I have dealt with. I don't think that any generation shows less gratitude towards me as a daycare provider than another.

As a daycare provider, I could never do what I do without doing all the little things. The difference is, I don't do it for the parents, and to an extent, it isn't entirely for the kids either but for myself. I do not seek the gratitude of others to make myself feel worthy or appreciated. My happiness in my personal life and my job is up to me 100%. I am providing a service that parents pay for and anything else is an extra.

It has taken me years to change my attitude for the positive, I refuse to reduce my program because of being annoyed at the lack of thank yous. I can't imagine compromising myself like that. Funny really because my number one pet peeve in life in and out of work is poor manners. I have very little tolerance for it. Please and thank you should be automatic, but like I said some people are just assholes and while they go about their day oblivious to me and happy with themselves, I am not going to get wrapped up in feeling bad about it. If I am happy it is my choice, but if I am angry and annoyed, that is my choice too.