Today I went to take Boy to the day care and the director tells me she can't take him today. Why not? Because Tuesdays are the day for daycare in the summer for teachers, and today is Monday. What do you mean, Summer? Teachers? Tuesdays?
There appear to be two and a half options for daycare. You can have your kid full time. Mkay. You can have your kid part time: three days a week, but they must be that way throughout your entire contract year. Mkay. Or IF you're a teacher, you can go to the summer schedule, which is 1 day a week (apparently Tuesday) for $140 per month.
The director knew I was a teacher (though she knew I didn't work for the city schools), and last week the city schools closed, therefore summertime starts and teachers go on the summer schedule. Apparently, it was assumed that I would do what all the other school teachers would do, and keep my boy myself since I didn't have to work. So she counted Boy out, and didn't schedule enough staff to meet ratios with him there. I was really irritated. REALLY IRRITATED.
Too bad, so sad, take the kid right back outta here and back to where you came from (of course she didn't say that, that's how I reacted to it).
OK. Let's be fair. We had a conversation in May about my options as an educator about day care. I remember specifically NOT committing to anything at that time. I remember saying that I may take SOME time off but not the whole summer. Secondly, apparently there is a newsletter for parents that is one of about 15 different piles of ads and irrelevant info on the foyer table that I failed to peruse and therefore failed to read. I don't know if it outlines when any deadlines for choosing summer teachers schedule vs full time is. Still, wouldn't you assume that my kid is coming if I don't say anything?!?!? I wonder if this has anything to do with my colleague who uses the same day care and takes the summer off to "mommy" (she doesn't have a research program, but I'm not going there...).
In any case, I may bear a fraction of the burden of this miscommunication, but much of it stems from the day care director's misunderstanding about my job. When describing myself to the public I have to choose whether to tell them I am a "teacher" or a "scientist". Apparently I should have told her I was a scientist, and not led her to believe that the moment the grade schools were out that I would no longer be working and therefore not need day care for my child.
I am really regretting signing a yearly contract now, because this feels like a straw on a camel's back. If not the last one, pretty close. One one hand, I'm tired of showing up to day care and not being able to bring Boy in. This has happened due to miscommunications and staffing three times now. Apparently the Director's disorganization and mine are exactly complimentary and result in a "perfect storm". These are not manageable surprises for me, and I don't know what else I can do, except give her an exact schedule of when Boy will need day care weeks in advance. On the other hand I do NOT want to irritate the person in charge of my child's welfare. Is this a battle I should "choose"? I will read that stupid newsletter and see if it's spelled out clearly if not, what should I do? What should I say? GRRRR.
Note if anyone is still following: The newsletter that I was wondering about went to the pre-school parents, not me.
ReplyDeleteBack to the idea that the Director's disorganization and my "absentmindedness" (my term for my inability to tend to ALL of the myriad details in my life) are somehow mutally destructive.
--PUI PROF at work, therefore not logged in