Daycare Diaries: Sydney daycare worker reveals 'craziest' requests made by parents
By 9Honey Parenting|
Our new series, Daycare Diaries, gives you an inside look at what it's really like being a daycare educator - the highs, the lows, the hilarious and the shocking; it's the truth about childcare revealed.
Are you a childcare worker who wants to share a story anonymously? Get in touch at9honey@nine.com.au
This week, early childhood educator Lisa* reveals some of the strangest and most ridiculous requests she's had from parents.
"I've been working in the early childhood industry for over 20 years, mostly in the babies' room. And during that time I've had some very weird and unrealistic requests thrown at me by parents.
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One parent asked if they could? bring in their own cot because they didn't like ours. I couldn't believe it when they first asked.
So off they went to buy another cot.?
At the end of the day, I was okay with that one and we were able to accommodate them quite easily.
However, other parents can be completely unreasonable when it comes to their demands and expectations.
I had one mum scream at me and demand their child be asleep by exactly midday, not a minute later. Once I had recorded 12.05 on the sleep sheet and she lost it at me.
I mean come on - this is group care. We can't stick to exactly the same rigid routines that you might follow at home. ?
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Sleep is clearly a huge issue with parents and I understand that, but please be nice.
We try our absolute best to be respectful of every parents' wishes but we aren't miracle workers.
There are also a lot of parents who expect us to keep a minute-by-minute breakdown of their child's day... and track their every move and every millimetre of water they drink."
Meanwhile, other childcare workers have opened up about their weirdest requests online.
"I have had parents tell me not to feed the kids for the entire day, so they will eat better when the grandparents take them to dinner that evening," said one.
"I often get a request to break my no-outside-food rule, which protects the kids with nut and egg allergies ('Oh, he's just finishing his breakfast; can't he eat it here?')," commented another.
"The worst is 'please don't let my child sleep, I want them to go to bed early'," said another.
Then this outrageous confession from a daycare worker on TikTok?: "Can you please make sure the expensive branded clothes I put on doesn't get ruined by messy play please?"
*not her real name
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