Is it okay to suspend a toddler from daycare? | BabyCenter Blog

by Stacy-Ann Gooden

It?s one thing to get a call about my daughter being injured at daycare. But it?s a whole other story when she?s the one doing the hurting.

The first time I was told that Princess scratched another child I figured it was just a one-time thing. I chalked it up to the terrible twos. But, I was completely shocked upon hearing that she had to be picked up.

?What do you mean pick her up?? I asked.
?If a child breaks the skin of another friend that child has to be picked up. I?m sorry,? the administrator said.
?So you mean she?s suspended for the day?? I asked.
?Yeah, I?m really sorry.? She replied.

What I thought would be an isolated incident almost turned into a routine. Princess has been sent home a total of three times for ?breaking skin.? We?d arrive to find our child in small room that we?ve now dubbed the ?holding cell.? When I told boss lady I couldn?t make it in to work one day, she laughed at the news. I guess it?s little funny when you think about it.

But, this situation shouldn?t be taken lightly.

I refuse to be the kind of mom who sweeps her child?s misconduct under the rug and forgets about it. For the record, my hubby and I explain to her that it?s not okay to scratch.

We encourage her to use her words, not her hands. ?We give hugs,? I?d say when dropping her off. We even read children?s books about bullying. With all that said, I do have mixed emotions about the whole suspension thing.

On one hand sending her home teaches her the lesson that if you do something bad, you?ll suffer the consequences. But, I also feel that sending a two-year-old home for a scratch is little too extreme. Okay, there was blood involved. I get it. But there were no hospital visits.

Besides, I wouldn?t want Princess trying to weasel her way out of going to school by digging her claws into another friend. My hubby and I can?t afford to keep taking days off.

Has your toddler ever been suspended?

Photo: Stacy-Ann Gooden

Stacy-Ann Gooden (aka Weather Anchor Mama) can be seen delivering the weather on the news week nights in New York City. But her most important role is being a wife and mom. She writes about balancing career and motherhood in her blog, Weather Anchor Mama

Source: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/is-it-ok-to-suspend-a-toddler-from-daycare/

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