I don't want to be a tattletale but.....
By dopey22girl
@dopey22girl (3319)
United States
October 14, 2007 9:51pm CST
I am going to have to talk to my boss this week about a girl I work with. First of all, you should know we work in a drop-in childcare service, and this girl I work with is a year younger than me (she's 17) and she has a 6 month old son. I have been hesitant about talking to my boss about her, but now I realize I have to for many reasons, including the safety of her own child! Here's why:
Among many things, she is just lazy. She doesn't interact with the other kids, only her son. And I mean that she sits on the couch and holds him the whole time. She will pull out her cell phone and text people right where parents can see her. 2 Friday's ago a little girl peed her pants and this coworker wouldn't change her because "it was gross." So I ended up doing it. Which I really didn't care as I've done it tons of times anyways.
She also is not safe with her own son whom I mentioned is 6 months old. The other night she laid him on the mat at the bottom of the slide! She will also lay him on the floor, and then yell at kids when they run right past him and almost run over him!
Along with these things, she never greets parents. This is a very important thing in our facility, and is always stressed at staff meetings. We HAVE to be greeting parents, for understandable reasons. She never does this. And on top of all these things, she also swears in front of children.
This is embarrassing to me and to our service in general. I am blaming myself for not talking to my boss earlier, but a part of me feels bad for her because she's a young mom and everything. But seeing her lay her baby by the bottom of the slide was sort of the last straw for me. She needs to be told that this is not safe for her baby, something you think she would already know.
Sorry for venting, but my frustrations have been continuing to grow and I needed to discuss them somehow! Thanks for reading!
3 people like this
9 responses
@pilbara (1436)
• Australia
15 Oct 07
Sorry to hear all of that. It is one thing to be sympathetic with her and that is understandable. However, both of you are responsible for the safety of all of the children in your care and if she isn't doing her part then it is potentially putting those children at risk.
I would maybe document a day so you can demonstrate to your boss what you are talking about.
Good luck
3 people like this
@BlueStarMom1 (931)
• United States
15 Oct 07
Good response. I think you might be right.
2 people like this
@tanjam420 (228)
• United States
15 Oct 07
i would not call yourself a tattletale, you are just voiceing your concerns for the safty of her child as of those in the child care. i would be going to the boss as well, maybe your boss will have a talk with her or just watch her while she is working and when the boss sees what she is doing then it will be brought up. i totally understand where you are coming from greeting parents is very important, as well as interacting with the other children besides her own is also just as important, she may not think she is doing anything wrong, so yes i would be talking to the boss that is the best thing you can do at this point.. good luck
3 people like this
@jmcafam (2890)
• United States
15 Oct 07
For the sake of the children you should say something. Maybe if the things she is doing are pointed out she will make a turn for the better if she is given a second chance. Then again there are just some people that are not cut out to work with children. It is not as easy a job as some may think. I hope that is all works out in the end.
3 people like this
@OURDEW (4809)
• United States
15 Oct 07
I think it would be a good idea to tell your boss about this young girl. I know you don't want any of the children in harm from her neglect including her own child and I think you will feel better telling your boss so at least they know whats going on.
2 people like this
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
15 Oct 07
oh my goodness...your boss definitely needs to be told about this young girl. Not only is she endangering her own child's life, but she is not doing her job to the other children as well. She should not have taken the job if she didn't want to change diapers or clothes when children have accidents. The whole slide inccident absolutely floors me! I had my first baby at 18, but never in a million years would i have done something so dangerous. The swearing around the children and not greeting the parents is not good at all either. it sounds like to me, she should not be in this position and i think you are doing the right thing by telling your boss. I feel for her child though...after she leaves, if she leaves no one will know what is going on with her child and that is very sad, but your boss definitely needs to be aware of the situation at hand. good luck and let me know how things turn out
3 people like this
@BlueStarMom1 (931)
• United States
15 Oct 07
Hi dopey. I just sent you a friend request. Hope you except.
I understand your frustration about the co-worker. But I do have a question. Is your boss not around during her duty hours to see some of these things herself? Be careful if you value your job. Some employers dislike tattle tales more than they do the ones you are talking about. I would try to make sure there is not special connection between your boss and her before you talk to your boss.
Had a personnal experience one time and ended up the boss was kinda sweet on her. He ended up mad at me.
Let me know what happens
2 people like this
@BlueStarMom1 (931)
• United States
15 Oct 07
I think all of the others are right. The safety of the children comes first. I would definately try to document some of the things. But again, I have to ask the question - Where is you boss that he or she is not seeing this for themselves?
2 people like this
@southernpixie (741)
• United States
15 Oct 07
I don't think you would be "tattling" on her. She's not doing her job and obviously has no business working with children.
@smiley20903 (495)
• United States
15 Oct 07
Hi Dopey,
Omg, you need to go to your boss immediately. If something where to happen to one of the children in her care think of what could happen legally. Now is the time for u to step up and say something because if u don't u will be just as negligent if something where to happen with those children..because u are aware of what is happening and how this woman is with the children. It is not tattling it is being a caring employee and parent..
1 person likes this
@sweetgirl_k1 (3972)
• United States
15 Oct 07
I'm sorry she is acting like that. You definitely need to talk to your boss about her. Is your boss there to see how she acts? I take care of children in my home and you have to interact with the children and the parents. And you are going to have accidents like the peeing in the pants but if you work in daycare then you need to know that is something you are going to have to deal with and she shouldn't have made you change it just because she thought it was gross. If that was her baby would she just let him lay in it? And I can't believe she laid her baby at the bottom of the slide. Kids don't understand that they can hurt the baby so she should have been the responsible one there and not yelled at the other kids for running past him. And I don't like people swearing in front of my child and I would never do it in front of the kids that I care for. Please let your boss now what is going on.
