Uneasy about daycare

My 2 and a half year old is a very busy child.  I have my hands full a lot of the time with my 9 month old, so I thought it might be nice for him to be able to get out of the house and burn off some of his energy.  He goes to Playcentre twice a week with me, but he seems to need more to do.  I enrolled him at a Kidzcare facility for 3 days a week, four hours at a time and he has been there twice so far.  Earlier this week, I was in the office with the Manager talking through the paper work etc.  I heard my eldest screaming, I come out and he is crying in a heap on the ground having a huge tantrum.  There is no one paying any attention to him.  One lady saw me, walked over to him, picked him up, then told me it was because he wanted to go outside.  She then let him out, then said as he ran off  "you get what you want don't you" I thought this was quite rude and unprofessional.  I asked about this and apparently it is their policy to leave them to cry it out and basically get over it.   I was told that staff member would get spoken to when I left about her comment.  Does this seem right?  I know the comment was off, but surely they are meant to give a cuddle or something if they are tantrumming?  I have no idea what is normal in a care type facility, so I would appreciate some advice about whether I am over reacting or not.  There are no spaces at any other centres where I live (small town).


Edited by Sharlene28 - 09 October 2012 at 8:46pm

And this may just be one of the reasons why this daycare was the only one in town with spaces avialable!

I wouldn't be happy with my son there either. I don't think you are over reacting.

I woukdn't be happy either. I took my son to a daycare that was well recommended but at one of his "settling-in" days, my husband saw one of the teachers physically drag DS by one arm to make him sit on the mat for mat time (DS was only 15 months old at the time). That is not something we would ever do. DH picked DS straight up, left and we never went back. We then found a much more caring daycare that suited our ideas of how he should be treated.

You have to go with what you want your child how to be treated - you know best!

I agree, wouldn't be happy either. In a daycare setting I would expect them to distract the child which usually works. my dd has just started at a daycare/kindy I went along the first couple of times and noticed a couple of times when the older ones were naughty they had to sit with the teacher for a certain amount of time (depended on age of child) which seemed to work and I'm happy with that for my little girl as punishment at home is time out. Any tantrums were quickly defused with distraction. I think this is the best way.

Try get on the waiting list for a couple of the other centres and do some visits like you have. Your gut instinct is usually right.