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  1. #1
    Starting to feel at home...
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    Unhappy Should I Stay or Should I Go???

    Both my dd's, one since moved on to K, have attended a childcare center that exceeded my expectations...until the last year.

    The lead teachers remain fantastic, but some of the programming and admin protocols have disappeared. It times well with the graduation of the owners daughter to school and her new passion in athletics. Last summer I called attention to the decline and it was brought up to speed...only to decline again.

    Still...I love the location the teachers and the base structure...so I remain a customer. But today I am at a loss. The owner outright lied to me stating she never received my emails or messages about whether my K dd could attend for a pro-d day. To add to it, she threw her staff under the bus by stating they didn't pass along the messages. I know this is a lie.

    I wrote a pointed email back as I am unable to meet in person during her current hours and she no longer is present at drop offs...as she used to be about once weekly. I called the teacher and advise her that her boss lied and apologized for putting her in the middle of an awkward situation.

    My instinct is to terminate the agreement, with notice, and change my dd to another provider. My husband is counselling me not to overreact. But lying? Can you recover from that?

    I know the Owner doesn't like confrontation, but I am an easy parent to work with. Pay on time for over four years, provided word of mouth recommendations, always follow the rules and overstock my bins with diapers and clothing. Aren't I at least entitled to good customer service? Should I leave my dd in the care of a person I know lies to avoid confrontation?

    To be fair, the Owner is a good person, strong teacher, and runs a good centre. But it was once an excellent centre. Do I now settle for less to keep consistency for dd? Her immediate teachers are excellent and trustworthy.

    UGH! Four years is a long time....

  2. #2
    Euphoric !
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    Two things for me.

    1) In Canada, when you pay for a service, you are legally entitled to get the service as it was sold to you. This means if a kitchen installer tells you the cabinets you are getting are solid wood, then you are legally entitled to have solid wood cabinet and not pressed board with a veneer. The same goes for child care. When you signed up 4 years ago, you were told your child would be receiving a program that is no longer what they are getting. This is illegal. They are in breach of the contracted agreement. This is not acceptable.
    Why would you remain somewhere that you are no longer getting the service you are paying for? I am assuming when the programing standards reduced, your fees didn't reduce too? I wouldn't pay top dollar for mediocre service.

    2. When someone lies to you, and you know for sure they were lying, you will never ever trust them again. You will always question their statements to you and even if they are being truthful, you will have lingering doubts. I would not accept that for my child. As a parent, I am responsible for a minor child's well being, safety, etc and I would make sure that those supporting me in that role, were trustworthy. I would not leave my child with someone I did not fully trust. Ever.


    While I understand it's been a 4 year relationship, it's been crappy for 25% of that time.How long do you think is a reasonable amount of time to pay full rates for reduced care from someone you don't trust and whose morals don't match yours?

    When a relationship turns sour, professional or personal, why prolong that? You don't have obligations of loyalty to your child care but you do to your child.

    If you want to treat them fairly out of respect for the care they have given, then I think it's fair to give notice and move on. But I would move on.

  3. #3
    Euphoric !
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    When it comes to childcare centers (and home daycare I suppose) I think you need to look at the bigger picture before reacting. Yes, the quality seems to have dropped which is unfortunate and not what you signed up for BUT where does it compare to other centers. Would you be leaving this center for a center that is lower in quality?

    I would put some serious thought into what it is that has slipped. Is this something that went from being superior to just average? If so is there superior offered elsewhere or are you leaving an average place for another average place. The next place may have other issues to deal with, issues that may or may not be more bothersome to you.

    Obviously you need to factor in that the owner seems to have felt the need to lie. Is there a way to discuss this and figure out why and how to make sure it doesn't happen again.

    Lots to figure out. But my first thought would be to ensure that you would be happy with the care at the next place you end up before you severe your relationship here and uproot your daughter.

    On that note...what are the impacts of the changes you have noticed on your daughter. Has the loss of quality been something that impacts her, or is it something that an adult notices but ultimately doesn't impact her day? As much as you are the parent and have ultimate say in the matter...it is your child that is there all day, every day and her needs and desire should at least be considered before she is uprooted.

  4. #4
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    Will your child be allowed to attend for the pro day?
    The Owner may you as a parent that is rocking the boat as you are one that has noticed the program has gone down in quality and the timing of the lack of quality with her child moving away from the daycare.
    you say you like the teachers and the location so if it suits you for now and your child is happy that is one point to consider .
    The way I see it people lie when they feel cornered and you say the owner does not like confrontation so I think it is for this reason she lied.

    you need to ask yourself is it more important that you confront this person for lying or look at your child and see if she is happy at he daycare and has friends there and you can trust the teachers rather then rocking your child's boat over a lie that was made in haste by the owner and not by your child's teacher . So I would agree with your husband and go slow on this.

  5. #5
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    Suzie...that was absolutely my reasoning. However, the two primary teachers are excellent and exceptional. My dd hates change and new situations.

    I have checked out other care centres and they are state of the art, beautiful, and I can afford them. But they also lack dirt to play in and are large enough that it would be a bit impersonal.

    The Owner of the current centre had her child age out and then she started to pursue an amateur sport on an international level. That is the only correlation I see to her lack of visibility and the downturn at the centre. This is the second time I have had to email my concerns about programming changes and repairs outstanding.

    Our decision is to leave it as is unless one of the two teachers in charge leave. Then we would make a change... As the Owner doesn't teach anymore, unless covering for an unexpected absence, her involvement with dd is minimal.

    Have to do what's best for dd. But I seriously want to terminate the care and make a point of contacting her franchisor.

  6. #6
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    You can terminate and contact the franchisor when your child does not need the daycare anymore.
    Will your child need the daycare for the summer?
    Your timing has to be just right for your child.

  7. #7
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    Alas she needs full time care for another 3yrs.

  8. #8
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    Oh Dear! I understand your frustration!

  9. #9
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    Three years more. It is a long time. Probably you should start looking to move on. The ship is sinking and only two teachers are good, don't be surprised if they're also looking for better work places. When a quality of a centre goes down it will keep going down; in general when they open they need to fill their spots to start making profit, they contract the best teachers best curriculums, best equipment but then, when they figure it out that actually to run a good place takes 80% of their income only to pay teachers then is when they start trying to figure it out on cutting things. Best teachers go out young unexperienced (with lower wages) are in. Part timers are the most solicited (no benefits to pay). They start also cutting art supplies and sometimes even the quality foods. Teachers getting payed really late, etc.

    Start working on your plan B.

  10. #10
    It’s entirely up to you, however if it was myself, I would pull her from there.

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