I was not sure where to post this one, but we picked up the kids from daycare today and they each made something from the dads.

Ben made a shirt with a flip up tie. On the back of the tie was this poem...

Perhaps we'll never understand each other.
Loving doesn't mean that we agree.
If that were so, then I would say, why bother?
But there are things I know I'll never see.
I'm sure your heart knows what I don't yet know:
The pain of loving a reluctant son;
The anger, coming fast and building slow,
Of being helpless to control someone.
You want only that I grow up right,
But you know what right is, and I still don't.
I have to learn to wield my inner light,
And if I follow yours, well, then I won't.
I'm sorry for the anger in the air;
Though we fight, my love is always there.

What do you all think of that???

I'll post my opinions in a bit.

Seems a bit of a downer for a father's day poem :dunno: I get the message of it, but it seems more appropriate for a teenager to give :nod:


This is the poem that was on our daycare stuff:
"Walk a little slower, Daddy."
Said a little child so small.
"I'm following in your footsteps,
And I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast.
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up.
Your're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child,
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."

~Author Unknown

Um...what the hell??? I guess I can see it from an older kid as one option in the right situation, but it seems totally inappropriate to use for something a kid who can barely say "Daddy" is handing over.

Lette... that's a very odd poem and personally, I would approach the daycare teacher and tell her that I find it to be inappropriate for a Fathers Day poem. Just by simply looking online you can find alot of GREAT cutesie poems... Sounds like that person was in a card shop reading some Hallmark the day before doing that craft. Sorry :(

I just re-read it and I am TOTALLY baffled about why a daycare would use that!!

That's a totally bizarre choice of a poem. I'd be a bit annoyed if I got that.

Dennis

I don't understand why they'd use it either!!

:wtf: that sounds like a teenager at least and only if they were having problems.

Poems from little kids should be like daddy, I love you, you're the best type things.

Hmmmm..... I don't like it either.

I love the second one! I think I'll use it for dh.

Um...what the hell??? I guess I can see it from an older kid as one option in the right situation, but it seems totally inappropriate to use for something a kid who can barely say "Daddy" is handing over.

My thoughts exactly! I was talking with one of the other mommies today at the BBQ and she brought it to my attention. I hadn't seen it yet. She was planning on having her son give his to his grandfather. Not NOW!

I don't know WHO's idea it was, but I'm flabbergasted! :errr: (there's 3 teachers in Ben's room)

I think it's horrible coming from kids aged 1 to 2. :down: I read it as negative. I mean, how do they know if my son and his father will never understand each other??? Or if he'll be a reluctant son! SHEESH!

I don't know if I should say anything next week, or just stay quiet about it.

I'm really dissapointed. They usually have such good stuff for the holidays!

Seems a bit of a downer for a father's day poem :dunno: I get the message of it, but it seems more appropriate for a teenager to give :nod:


This is the poem that was on our daycare stuff:
"Walk a little slower, Daddy."
Said a little child so small.
"I'm following in your footsteps,
And I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast.
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up.
Your're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child,
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."

~Author Unknown

Shanna! Thanks so much for this. I just printed it and I'm going to cover the other one! :up:

:jawdrop: I would ABSOLUTELY say something! I think that is AWFUL and ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE!!

Glad I could help :)

Shanna! Thanks so much for this. I just printed it and I'm going to cover the other one! :up:

What a SMART idea!! Glad you thought of it! :aok: (BTW...Shanna, I'll be hijacking that, too! Thanks! :lol: )

:lol: No problem :) Its an Andrea Bocelli song :nod:

I'd defintely say something to the director about it.

I think the first poem is totally inappropriate for younger kids. I'd be mad, too.

I think it is a totally weird poem to use as well! :wtf:

I agree! That's not appropriate for a 1-2 year old at all! :no:

I would say something about it. That poem just does not make sense coming from a 1-2 year old.

Wow, that's very odd and totally inappropriate. Goodness, their relationship may NEVER be like that, even when Ben's an adolescent/adult. I would definitely say something. Like Chantal said, there's TONS of appropriate stuff out there on the net.

:eek: How wierd! Maybe one of the carers is having problems with their teenage son and that was on her mind :dunno: I'd say something. Maybe give them a copy of the one Shanna posted and suggest they use that next time.

That poem is horrible....just horrible for young kids to give to their daddies. Totally inapporopriate. And with this part:


I'm sorry for the anger in the air;
Though we fight, my love is always there.


WTF? Sounds more for an older child giving it to his dad who, quite frankly, aren't getting along and are trying to mend things. Anger is mentioned a couple times in this poem....and I'm just stunned that this poem was used. And then "Though we fight.....". Fight? What 1 or 2 yr. old 'fights' with their dad or visa versa? :scratch: Unbelievable! :disbelief:

Sounds like the dad beats his kid black and blue every night. It's sick. I would definitely say something to the teachers and bring along Shanna's example and a couple of others too if you have some.

Lette I would ABSOLUTELY say something to the director about this, I find this to be completely inappropriate! how the hell does any of that apply to toddlers???? who the hell wants to receive something on fathers day that is all about anger and fighting??? what where they thinking!.. IDIOTS! let us know if you say something what there explanation is, I would love to hear this one!

WOW! That's totally inappropriate for anyone to chose for someone else. It's totally from a teen or adult son. When I was teaching we I picked the one Shanna posted to have my kids give their father's.

You definitely need to say something, Lette. Either one of the teachers is a frustrated poet and wrote this herself, or has no clue about what is appropriate for young kids!

I would absolutely say something to the director, first thing Monday morning. That is absolutely innappropriate and unbelievable! :thumbsdow

Just wanted to agree with most of the others that I would absolutely say something to the director on Monday!! And please let us know the reaction!

Weird! Let us know what the director says. Joan

OMG! How inappropriate! Please do talk to the director and let us know what she/he says. :bighug:

Wow! That poem is completely inappropriate, IMO! I can't believe they would use that for a 1-2 year old class!

I agree that it is a very inappropriate poem from a toddler to his daddy.

YIKES! What an awful awful "poem". WTF?! I would definatley say something. I think it was completely inappropriate!

curious to hear what the director had to say.

curious to hear what the director had to say.

Me too!

Me three! Did you talk to her, Lette?

Absolutly 100% Innapropriate! I Cant Believe This Is What They Sent! I Would Defnitaly Be Raising Heck In Their Office First Thing!

Joining late, but echo what everyone else says. What is up w/ that poem? I thought it was awful. I don't think there was ever a time in my life that I would have given something like that to my dad????

Sandy

Thanks everyone :hug99: , I thought I was crazy there for a minute. :disbelief

Me three! Did you talk to her, Lette?

We've been out of town since Friday, so we haven't had the chance to say anything. Wednesday will be the kids first day back. Do you think too much time will have passed?

No! Say something!!

Heck no, not at all Lette! I would definitely say something. Maybe it can at least possibly prevent it from being used next year!!!!

Not at all! Definitely say something!

DEFINATELY say something :nod:

It's not too late. They'll know it's the kids first day back and your first opportunity to say something.

I say NO WAY.. even if it was 2 weeks I would still bring it up!!! let us know how it goes!

:wtf: That was totally inappropriate!!! I would of been shocked. I think that you should still mention it.

No. Not too late at all, especially since you've been away.

I'm in agreement.. you have to say something. (And it isn't just because we are nosy and want to know what they say. :biggrin:)

did you talk to the director today?

Hey, thanks for the reminder. My husband drops the kids off in the morning, and I asked him if he'd say something. He said, "Are you kidding me?? Just forget about it." Then I was going to leave their poem that I extracted in Ben's bag for them to see :devil: and he got all ticked at me!

So, I do pickup after 5 PM and I'm going to say something tonight.
Any tips on how I should bring it up with tact?

Just be straight forward. Tell them that you found the poem unappropriate and negative and that you hope in the future that something like that isn't used. Then smack the teacher who did it upside the head. What an ugly poem...I hope he liked the Father's day present that you made for him. I used the footsteps poem last year and put it with a picture of the two and David's footprints..it turned out great!

Are you going to talk to his teacher or the director?

oh no no :nono: Don't just drop it!! That is TOTALLY age-inappropriate!!! I would just ask to speak to the director when you walk in. Tell her that something has been really bothering you since (whatever day the poem was sent home) and you'd like to speak to her(him) about it. Show them the poem and tell 'em that you find it to be TOTALLY inappropriate for a toddler to give and that you don't think Ben fits (any or all the parts you want to bring up). Tell her that you didn't even want to give it to DH because you found it to be a very negative poem.

I think as long as you're calm, you'll get the point across. Good Luck!

I'll be talking to the director. I don't think it'd be appropriate to say anything to any of the teachers. Especially since I don't know who's idea it was. It could have been any of 3 of them.. or even another teacher.

Thanks for your advice! :hug99:

Tell her that something has been really bothering you since (whatever day the poem was sent home) and you'd like to speak to her about it.

I really like this approach Andrea! Thanks so much!

Good luck. I think Andrea's advice is perfect.

I wonder what poem they used for the girls, since this one was so obviously father-son.

Then smack the teacher who did it upside the head. !

:lol:

Oh, if I only knew who's idea it was!!! :fryingpan :angrywife I tell YA!

PS. Jim loved the poem! He heard me ranting about the poem last Friday since someone at the picnic brought it up. So, he was very surprised when he started reading and saw something different! I'm good! Heh heh!

just bumping up because I'm nosey....errrr....CURIOUS, yeah that's it :blush1:

Me too - what'd they say?

Okay, I got to daycare yesterday and went upstairs to see the director, before I got the kids.

I told her we'd been away for a few days and that Friday I got home and found the poem from Ben's class. I said that the tone of it really bothered me and that's why I was bringing it up now. I said I thought it was negative and definitely not a poem that should come from a todder. I also said, "I don't know who's idea it was, but what were they thinking??? "

I brought the poem in with me, but no need as she'd seen it already. (I could tell as soon as I started talking, that it was not a new issue to her. ) She was really nice about it and stated that on Monday they'd heard about it from 2 other parents. She mentioned no names, but said they had a talk with the teachers and ....

.... now here's the unbelievable part....

... that it was all a big mistake! :wtf: Supposedly the perpetrator copied a page from some poem book and there were 4 poems on the page. When they were cut out, some of the wrong poems were pasted on a few of the kids projects! :disbelief

She apologized for their mistake and assured me that they'd be more cognizant of things like that in the future. That was it!

So what do you think? Mistake or not?

I guess you kinda have to go with your gut on this one. If you trust your DC provider (which obviously you do or your kids wouldn't be there) I'd take her word for it as I can see how 1/4 page papers COULD get mixed up. At the same time, that just demonstrates that the teachers are not really paying very close attention and to me, it would be a strike against them (with only one more to follow before I found other DC arrangements). If the teachers are that careless/oblivious to the poem that you KNOW they had to glue on the page for your son...what else are they careless/oblivious to?? Big fat red flag, IMO.

I guess you kinda have to go with your gut on this one. If you trust your DC provider (which obviously you do or your kids wouldn't be there) I'd take her word for it as I can see how 1/4 page papers COULD get mixed up. At the same time, that just demonstrates that the teachers are not really paying very close attention and to me, it would be a strike against them (with only one more to follow before I found other DC arrangements). If the teachers are that careless/oblivious to the poem that you KNOW they had to glue on the page for your son...what else are they careless/oblivious to?? Big fat red flag, IMO.I have to agree with Suzi. :sad:

I don't think it was a mistake..it's just easier for the parent to hear that than to tell the parent "Oh we thought it was a good poem. Sorry." If this is the only negative thing that has happened let it slide. Just keep your eyes open. I wouldn't worry to much about it.

Late to the party, but just had to add that I was shocked about this, as well :jawdrop: What a horrible poem!!

Anyway...I also think I agree with Suzi. While I know that they do have more than your child to care for, I think I would have noticed some different words on the poem while I was glueing it on? :scratch:

Good for you for saying something, Lette! ;)

It's definitely a red flag to me. At the same time, if you are happy with the daycare otherwise (and it sounds like you are from other posts) then I would give them the benefit of the doubt. You can make the argument that the poem slipped by because they were paying more attention to the kids. I think the fact that you were the third parent to complain about it should be a wake up call that they need to pay much more attention to this kind of stuff.

Dennis

I'd let this one go. I mean, doing a craft with a room full of 1-yr-olds could get pretty hectic and things can get mixed up. I wouldn't take this as a sign of their inability to care for your child.

If you're otherwise happy with the center, then I'd just let it slide and feel better knowing that you did say something and they'll pay more attention next time.

Now, if this is just one more thing in a long list of issues you've been having with them, then maybe I'd give it more weight.

I totally agree with Brooke. I think it would be very easy to paste the wrong poem on if there was a stack of 1/4 pages. I agree they should be paying attention to what they are doing, but if they are paying attention to the kids then something else is going to get less attention.

Thanks everyone! :hug99:

I have been very satisfied with the daycare aside from a few minor things. Funny though, those minor things all stem from the 1's room where Ben is. :rolleyes:

Anyway, it's not enough to make me pull them out. They only go 3 days a week. Ben will be moving up in a few months and the teachers in the 2's and 3's room are excellent! I can't say enough good things about them!

As for what really happened, who knows?
Maybe it was someone's really dumb idea and they made up that story to the director.
Or maybe they really did make a mistake in pasting it on. I would think they would have noticed, but I guess anyone can get easily distracted with a room full of kids under age 2. Heck, it was probably MY little monster they had to tend to. :lol:

Well, I'm so glad you spoke to the director about this, Lette. :)

I guess you will never know the truth, but she mentioned to you that 'SOME' of the wrong poems were pasted on there. I would have liked for her to give me a copy of the supposedly 'REAL' poem that should have been glued on there. I would have been curious, but that's just me. What if you wanted to replace that awful poem with the poem that 'was suppose to go on there?' Personally, I think it's a cover-up. They could have been more sincere about it, by at least sending a little memo out apologizing to whomever got the wrong poem stating it was an oversight, etc., no? If this was no news to her when you came up to her, then how does she know exactly how many of these 'wrong' poems were issued out. ?? You can't really go by the # of parents who came up to her, because maybe there are some parents who 'let it slide' this time. Anyway....regardless, I'm glad overrall your happy with the daycare and I'm sure they will be 110% more careful of the next project they send out.

I'd believe them that it was a mistake. but I agree with Dawn, I think they should've given you a copy of the right poem so you could fix it. Hopefully they'll pay more attention next time!

I agree with Brooke! I can't even imagine being a room full of 1 year olds all day! I'm sure I'd make a few mistakes, too. :lol: (If I even lasted a full day! :lol2: )

I'm a pre-school teacher and there's no way any teacher in my center would have done that poem for their Fathers Day gift. It's very strange. My son's class had the same poem as Shanna's on a card and they painted his Footprints on it and laminated it. My DH loved it.

I'm with JessPearl! I taught preschool for 4 years before Gab was born and I really can't see what she said happened being true. I honestly think she was just BSing you (and the other parents) because she was covering for her teachers.