I’m a teen who works at a daycare after school until like eight at night. If your kids know about something, I do too. I AM your kids parent until dinner time. I experience the craziest thing that these dozens of kids do in a room together for hours. And I know all the family drama.
I work at a daycare and hear ALL the tea AMA
r/AMA
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You are NOT the kids parent until dinner.. what an awful / twisted way to look at it.
Why would anyone want to know about strangers family dramas?
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What’s the craziest thing you’ve heard?
Okay, an honest question. Do most parents realize their kiddos are out spilling the tea all day, or are they oblivious?
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No questions, but this is a rare reddit post I came across that made me chuckle. Well done!
post: i hear ALL the tea. i know all the family drama
answer: i don’t hear TOO much family drama, the worst was bad words
which is it? what did you expect to be asked?
Used to be a lead teacher and can confirm lol. They are tattle tales for sure lol
It makes me sad to know so many parents don’t care about their kids. I absolutely adore my kids.
I imagine that’s a really hard part of the job.
My husband and I always joke, “ah crap, I bet he’s about to go tell all this to his teacher.” And he always does 😂
I guess my question is, is it weird when the parents ever bring up things their kid has told you? Like my son comes home and says, “I told Mrs. L BLAH BLAH BLAH” and it is some kid weird version of what happened. I always have to fight my knee jerk reaction to apologize to her and explain what really happened.
I usually ask him what she said. He will tell me. Then I’ll kind talk with him about it some. Then he of course goes and tells her all of that too lol!
Is it weird if they follow up on through crazy story? Or do you just assume it’s kid’s versions of events?
I’d love this job lol
>And I know all the family drama.
What is the biggest piece of drama you’ve heard? Did the kids hear the their parents talking? Or did they just know?
I always wondered how many of my kids daycare teachers knew “my mommy has earrings on her boobies” 😂
My very important question though is, how the fuck do I find a daycare that will keep my kids until 8?!?! I could ACTUALLY get shit done if I left them late once a week haha
They’re toddlers. They make up stories constantly. The “tea” you’re hearing is either made up or your excited brain filling in the blanks that aren’t there.
I know, I have a toddler in daycare
As someone who is still relatively close to your younger years, can you give some examples of things kids need from their parents, that older people like myself might forget as we get farther away from remembering what it’s like to be a kid? Something that would make you think “that’s something I would never do as a parent.”
I remember having so many of those moments growing up, but now that I’m almost 30 I’ve forgotten what they were. I don’t have kids
Why do you think you’re the kids parents when you’re just the daycare worker?
I used to work with kids and am very familiar with this phenomenon. Hell one time we had to call the social services because a kid casually told us he and his siblings got punished over the weekend by being kept in the basement with just bread and water as a punishment. What’s the worst secret you’ve heard?
A daycare that is open until 8pm what kind of glorious operation are they running?!?
i don’t really have a question, just wanted to say that as another teen working at a daycare after school, i 100% agree with you about the parent until dinner thing. we have about 60 kids from 3 to 12 between 3 or 4 of us, and the number of kids who don’t do their homework or study at home. i’m actively teaching half my kindergartners how to read and tie their shoes because they said their parents won’t. it’s definitely like a little family, but i also cant imagine doing anything else.
My favorite memory from working with kids – was playing chess with a kindergartener that was learning to play. He stops, looks at me really genuinely and says “is the Queen stronger than Jesus?”
So I’ll go ahead and take some downvotes along with everyone else calling you out.
As an early childhood educator with relevant higher education and years more experience than you, I feel qualified to say that you sound totally unprofessional. Firstly, you’re extremely judgemental saying that so many parents couldn’t care less about their children. That’s just plain ridiculous. I don’t know where you’re getting that idea.
Second, just cool it with the self importance. Teaching them life lessons? You want to shape the future generations? Come on. Anyone who’s worked in the field for a meaningful amount of time will tell you that it doesn’t matter what we teach if the opposite is going on at home. You wish your job didn’t exist? Also ridiculous. There are pros and cons to childcare. Socialisation is important.
I think you’re still new to this so you’re still learning, which is fine. Try to be less judgemental toward families – it has negative implications for the children.
To everyone fiercely defending OP, please know they’re actually incorrect about their assessments of parents and I assume this comes from a place of naive arrogance. The connection between a parent and their child is so beautiful. A parent who truly doesn’t care is rare. I’m sorry if that fact doesn’t play into the stereotypes of modern day parents you have in your mind.
Oh yeah, questions: what education and training do you have in this field? What are your current personal goals in terms of improving your own practise? Have you got a mentor?
Just wanna say all of this back and forth reminds me of how mad my mother got when I was a kid and said once that my grandma raised me when I was asked. She constantly cared for me, taught me all the things I needed to learn as a kid in a calm and supportive manner, and took me to and picked me up from school everyday and helped me with my homework. She taught me how to tie my shoes because my mother got so frustrated with it she would yell at me till I cried. In my heart I KNOW she was the real parent that raised me.
People say “it takes a village” but get so mad when the village is given credit for what they contribute. 🙄 You are in no way claiming to take the place of their actual parent. There’s a reason young kids tend to slip up and call their teachers mom and dad occasionally!
My God, the people who know they aren’t good parents are out to get ya!
I’m going to chalk this up to inexperience. It’s okay—most of us had no idea what it truly takes to be a parent at your age either.
You mentioned the hours you’re working, so I assume many of the children you care for have parents who are working full time. That means you’re seeing those parents during the most stressful parts of their day: in the morning, when they’re rushing after being up for hours already, and in the evening, when their workday may be over but their parenting duties are just beginning.
Evenings are especially tough—it’s often the “witching hour,” when kids finally let out all the emotions they’ve held in throughout the day. Parents are juggling dinner, bath time, stories, snuggles, and bedtime routines—only to then clean up, prep for the next day, and maybe find five minutes to themselves before collapsing into bed.
Are all parents amazing? Of course not. There are bad parents out there. But to assume most parents don’t think about or care for their kids is naive. Many are doing their best under enormous pressure. Some are even better parents because they work and model responsibility and resilience for their children.
The reality is, you’re not a parent or in the role of a parent. You’re a temporary caregiver, paid to help watch children. That doesn’t mean your presence isn’t valuable, but it is limited. No matter how much impact you feel you’re making, most of those kids won’t remember you in ten years unless something emotionally significant happens.
That’s not to downplay the importance of caring adults in a child’s life—but it is important to remember the difference between being part of a child’s support system and being their parent
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Kids also scramble memories and create new memories which are far from real
I worked in a daycare as an ece for 15 years. I never once felt I was any of those kids ‘dad’. I was their educator and nothing more. Once I had kids I stopped working with other people’s kids cause I felt burnt out at the end of the day and didn’t give my kids the attention they needed.
when you say teen, are you over 18? im curious as ive worked at preschools and daycares, and nobody under 18 is hired
I know kids spill the tea but kids also say wild shit. Are you aware that kids also make stuff up, some of it very believable? My kid started to say I threw him when he was in trouble and he was believed a little until he embellished by adding it was via a ceiling fan rope that launched him out the window.
Was it easy to get hired?
These comments are crazy. People will jump all over themselves for the opportunity to put who they perceive as a “dumb teen girl” “in their place”. They seem to get some sort of enjoyment out of it. It’s borderline concerning.
OP please don’t worry about these idiots lmao
The kids stay until after dinner time? I thought daycare usually closes like 6 the latest