[mom2samuel]

I am getting aggravated with our daycare because my son keeps having clothes get ruined. Last week he had gotten something on a shirt ( I guess) and they threw it in the washer. A day later, when I realize the shirt was not in his bag, I asked for it. Well, surprise, a bleach rag had been thrown in with the shirt, ruining it. Fast Forward to today. My dh picked son up (who is almost 3). When I get home, I see that he has purple marker ALL OVER his new shirt and new pants. Granted, I try to just buy cheaper clothes to send him to daycare in, but they still cost money. I'm trying at this moment to get the stains out. (It was NOT washable marker) He had a new shirt ruined last year due to marker, too. I know it's not the end of the world....but I feel like I can't put anything new on him....and because he's grown, EVERYTHING'S new! AAHH. Food stains have been an issue, too, it's like they let them loose like cattle at the trough. Anyone else ever have this problem? Sorry for the vent....but I feel better

Michelle

[mrskt]

YES!!!! Every farkin' day DD comes home from daycare covered in everything they did all day! If I'd known it was going to be this bad, I'd have invested in Shout stock when we got her! It makes me nuts!!!

[greenbottles]

You are not going to like this!
Come on ladies get real - these are children and it's a daycare situation. I have always dressed my kids in secondhand clothes for daycare. Yes, they don't look pretty since I also let them keep wearing the clothes that have marker stains etc all over them as well. (they have been cleaned of course) My children's daycare uses supposed stain-free markers etc but they still stain.
I have laughed at a couple of mothers that have told their toddlers to stay clean...pleeese... daycare should be fun, fun, fun and lots of lovely messy play, painting, drawing and good times since mom can't be there.

[swd]

We don't do daycare, but I'd be mad, too. Yes, I agree with greenbottles that it's a fact of daycare life, but have they never heard of smocks? I remember getting to pick out one of my mom's old blouses to use for a smock in kindergarten -- it was my first homework assignment! I know it's hard to wrestle kids in and out of those things, but really, during art time I don't think that's too much to ask.

[mrskt]

I'm not talking so much about markers - I get that, and thankfully DD is not to that age yet. Ours is primarily food and dirt/mud/grass. They put 15-16 month olds at little tables with little chairs with no bibs/smocks and hand them their food bowls/plates with silverwear, and let them go at it, spilling it all over the tables, the floor, and themselves, then they get up and wander around and walk all in it, and it even ends up caked in DD's shoes (inside, outside, and soles - to the point of staining them oftentimes). EWWWWW

The other day they gave them bright red popsicles... she was wearing a WHITE shirt with little flowers on it... she has other back-up clothes, but they didn't even bother to change her or clean her up afterwards. Often times I have to run to the store or some other errand after I pick her up, and she looks like a refugee! It's pathetic!

I understand that kids get dirty - I don't expect her to be pristine when I pick her up, but when she's repeatedly ruining clothes EVERY SINGLE DAY - yes, I get testy!!!

Food stains have been an issue, too, it's like they let them loose like cattle at the trough <------ THIS is what I'm referring to!

[BethanyB]

My children got messy every day when they were smaller too. Why don't you send a bib? Bibs don't totally do the job but they help! Getting messy at daycare is a fact of life.

[BZmom7]

Ok....I GET the "daycare" thing....BUT...what about TRYING to dress the child nice so when he/she is suppose to go to his "mommy visit" that he/she isn't al stained up!! I can't tell you how many time i'd make sure "skippy" was all dressed up with nice new clothes...only to have him dropped off with some "extra daycare" clothes on! And I KNOW they came from the daycare and not mommy, cause when I'd pick up my other kids at the same daycare there would be his yucky clothes in a bag waiting for me to pick up and TRY to get cleaned.

Yes, daycare is a fun fun fun place to be, but I agree with the other posters who asked why they can't put some kind of smocks on them for painting or even eating for that matter.

I took a lot of pride picking out nicer clothes for "skippy" to wear when he went for his visits and really didn't like it when he didn't wear them to see mom.

Try talking to someone about it...thats what I did. It helped some (except when he wet his pants before a visit)...they just put an older shirt on backwards on him when he ate and did any messy playtime.

Good Luck. I Feel your pain!

[greenbottles]

I get you on having to take them all messy to the supermarket or whereever after daycare and they look a fright - sometimes my kids have had pen all over their faces and legs too! But if anyone comments I tell them they've had a fantastic day at daycare exploring their artistic side.
The other good thing about secondhand clothes is that they don't get "kept" by the other parents when they accidently get put in the wrong bag.

[binkybear]

I sorry to giggle, but I'm trying to figure out the money maker in this...like the million dollar idea all mommies wish they thought of. How 'bout standardized rainbow splatter camo uniforms?

on the serious side I'm totally grossed out at the idea of a table full of 15 month old babies in a free for all for food and table manners. I mean gross. Here you are probably instilling all of these basic manner ideas at home and daycare becomes a barn yard for your baby?? wth, that's not cute or "fun" its counterproductive to what every parent tries to teach their kids, that we respect our food and the others eating around us.
How are they even ensuring that these little ones are "eating" enough before the spills and mess.

Sounds like a whole lotta mess. I'd be worried about the messes you can't see on the kids...like basic sanitation practices. ick-o

Now who wants to go in with me on those mess friendly uniforms??

[musemoon]

I run a small daycare, my kids (including my own) are all 3 and under and guess what, they get very dirty and I am a neat freak, but they get messy. They wear full body bibs and still they get messy. So here is the daycare provider's dilemma.

If you have one kid, you can keep them clean....pristine in fact, perfect.

Two...well you'll see a crumb or two

Three...one is gonna be covered in something.

Four...mostly all four are a mess. Why? We don't have 8 arms, when one is getting messy the others are NOT staying clean...so you get to them as fast as you can, but well...mess happens.

Our daycare/parent options are:

Hand feed each one. Okay...that's an option, but well....that teaches them to rely on you. Letting them self feed teaches them independence...but watch out...it's messy.

Make sure they only do clean orderly things....that teaches them cleanliness and order, vital lessons...only um....not fun. Letting them explore texture, color and mess...fun.

Today my daycare (and own) kids were covered in cupcake batter (2) 1.5 year olds, 1) 9 month old 1) 3.5 year old) to my shock...they made the cupcakes all by themselves, to my horror each was caked in...well cupcake. So, the daycare provider's options are...deprive the child of the experience, or make it so limited they feel trapped and unable to succeed...or let them get dirty. Yesterday it was pumpkin guts and seeds...but today we ate yummy pumpkin seeds they cooked and the pride on those kids faces was priceless.

I tell my parents DON'T dress your kid in anything too nice, they are not going to see anyone but other little kids, save the nice stuff for parties. Or decide...do you want your kid to experience life/get messy or do you want your kid clean, if you want a clean kid....go somewhere else. I don't let them look a fright, but seriously they get dirty....but they are happy happy happy. We end each day with a kiss and begin it with a hug, my kids are the happiest kids on the planet, but they get messy.

That being said, I spend over $50 a month on wipes/paper towels and cleaning products, I clean EVERY MINUTE of the day, I am always cleaning, I am a neat freak, so when I am not parenting, teaching or writing (I am also a novelist) I am CLEANING. I hate mess....but mess happens. Kids are messy. If you want them to be clean, bring a change of clothes.

My solution to all things messy OXY CLEAN! It cleans everything.

[greenbottles]

Musemom, I'd enrol my kids in your daycare!
BTW Daycare teachers should be born with 8 arms.

[sugarmuffin]

I have had several issues with daycare....... its just tuff to find a really good one. Right now i am pretty happy with where she is at but i sure have had my ups and downs.

I had one that wouldn't change her diaper and kept overfeeding her so she could "sleep". Aggggggggggg

[loveajax]

I dress dd in a lot of really nice designer stuff. We gets lots of compliments on her clothes. They come home "trashed" from preschool and I have managed to get them clean with the oxiclean spray. I actually am "concerned" if dd is not a mess when she comes home. My favorite pic of her is painting in chocolate pudding. (Oh, and they do provide smocks for art projects...can you send in something like that with ds...I think it helps a lot!).

[Sleeplvr]

The first daycare that my kids went to never had issues with clothes being messed up. The kids usually ended up looking pretty much the same way they left the house. I was amazed. During certain activities they put large t-shirts or smocks over their clothing. So we never had paint or food stains on their clothing.

Now the preschool that my kids currently attend is another story. The kids have to wear uniforms... the school uses bleach to clean the bathrooms. The bathrooms should be clean and dry prior to the kids arriving. They should not be using those chemicals and leaving it wet in places that the children will go. Some of my DD's scooter skirts and DS's pants have been ruined from bleach because the bathroom floor was still wet. The school is supposed to pay for replacing them but I think they should schedule the cleaning at a more appropriate time.

[mommytoEli]

more than anything, i hated when they washed his clothes. that's when they were ruined....they didn't sort laundry and so a practically new sweater would have towel lint all over it and it was ruined....they also wouldn't be sure to get the stain out, and then they dried it...essentially making the stain permanent. i did end up telling them just toss the dirty clothing into his bag, put on his spare outfit, and i'd take care of the mess myself. i saved a lot of clothing that way.

i will say, i tried my best to dress him in dark colors and prints with denim constantly as that seemed to stand up to daycare, but still allowed him to look nice and neat in newish clothing.