Moms and dads on Reddit, a popular social media and discussion website, recently shared their worst experiences after leaving their kids at a daycare or leaving them with a nanny.
One user, named Cassiopeia1280, wrote:
‘When my little guy was 5 months old we had him with an older lady who was a nurse and had experience with child care and she seemed pretty down-to-earth.
‘He was with her for about 4 months and then one day she mentioned how he’d been crying for a long time and wouldn’t sleep and I said that sometimes just picking him up for a few minutes until he calmed down helped a lot. Her response? “Oh, I never hold him.”
I suddenly realised that my baby had been going without physical comfort, only being touched when she took him to the crib or moved him from the floor to the stroller, and had been for months!’
Her story started a flurry of responses from other parents who have experienced something similar.
Another user, named Packersfanjll, said:
‘One day I got off early, about 2pm, and picked up my son early. To my surprise, the entire class of 2-year-olds were on that same wall, waiting like always, even though it was 3 hours earlier. After asking a few questions I learned that it was the normal routine, to have 15 2-year-olds sit along a wall for up to 4 hours at a time (center closed at 6). They weren’t allowed to move or even speak.’
More alarmingly, another user named NurseNesbitt described an instance when she came home to discover that her childminder had been having sexual relations with her partner in the house.
‘I had an overnight babysitter when I worked nights. Got sent home early one night and through a series of almost comical events, found out my teenaged babysitter was f***ing her boyfriend in my bed every night she babysat for me.
‘I only found this out because when I came home early, the boyfriend escaped, but left his car in the garage!’
These alarming stories emphasise the importance of being careful who you leave alone to take care of your kids. Nowadays, it pays to be extra careful especially when it comes to your children, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and trust your instincts when it comes to hiring people to take care of your children.
Be sure to check out theAsianparent Community for more insightful stories, questions, and answers from parents and experts alike. If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below.