At the moment I am looking into preschool options for Baby T. Luckily with the preschools in my neighbourhood I can do this when my child is 18 months, where I used to work (before Baby T) the wait list was 3 years! Which meant you had to put your name down when the baby was in utero! Crazy but maybe I am now starting to understand why. My expectations are high as a preschool teacher and it appears my choices are slim.
But what really got me today at a preschool information session was an archaic policy that if a child soils themselves with a bowl movement the teachers will call a parent to come clean up said child. Sadly this is a common policy in my area and there is so much that is wrong with it!
Firstly a preschool is a place of learning. Toilet training is a part of that learning. The school I visited claimed that the teachers are great in helping with toilet training, which is great. I am confused how leaving a child in their faecal mess is helping? To me leaving them in their mess for a family member would pass on the message that they did something wrong. That a person they should trust, their teacher, will not HELP them in a time of need! I can only imagine that after an incident like that a child could possibly fear going number two or even school for making that mistake again. The last thing we need is to have children hold in there bowl movements and/or not want to go to school! Now I am sure the schools who practice this would say they treat the situation tenderly however there is no getting around the message that the child has done something wrong, that they are being isolated in this situation and only their parents can help them. Maybe many children who deal with this won't be effected but some children, perhaps the sensitive ones could be and those might be the ones who have the accidents more often?
Secondly if you have basic human decency I don't see how you can stand next to a child, or person who can't help themselves letting them stand or sit there with soiled underwear and not help! Alright I am sure some preschool teachers would say they are a 'teacher' and don't do that. Umm ok maybe you should not be a teacher to young children then - young children have accidents - wear some latex gloves deal with it as if it's nothing (which it is people, its just poop!!) and get on with it.
Lastly why would children be having accidents? They are still learning it takes a few tries and sometimes months. Lets not forget the medical profession does say that often full control of urination and bowl movements does not happen till 4 or older. There could be a medical reason that is not yet known or diagnosed. This happened to a child at the preschool where my niece attends in the states (they deal with bowel movements, it's not a problem for this preschool) a boy had frequent accidents which turned out to be a benign polyp. They could be sick, they could be overwhelmed at the new environment, not comfortable yet to ask the teacher for assistance or just plain busy and ooops an accident.
The early educators (preschool and daycare teachers) in British Columbia reference a code of ethics and in my opinion leaving a child to sit/stand in their faecal matter violates the following codes of ethics:
Early Childhood educators promote the health and well-being of all children.
- enhance each child's feelings of competence, independence and self-esteem
- refrain from in any way degrading, endangering, frightening or harming children
Early Childhood educators use developmentally appropriate practices when working with children
- apply the knowledge that the stages of physical, social, emotional, moral and cognitive development within each child may be different
Early Childhood educators demonstrate caring for all children in all aspects of their practice
- respond appropriately to each child's expression of need.
- provide children with experiences that build trust
- express warmth, appropriate affection and consideration for children both verbally and nonverbally (like changing a poop filled pair of pants?)
When we held open houses at the preschool I taught in toilet training was a major question. When we said no we DO NOT require the children to be toilet trained their was huge relief from the parent asking the question. We stated that is was all part of learning at this age, that the environment of preschool was a great source of positive peer pressure. That we randomly call out during the class 'does anyone need to go to the bathrooooom??' and four or five kids would pop up and say ' oh yes I do' which helps the others who are learning. Though we did have accidents, mostly at the beginning of the school year - no problem, we deal with it.
And when their was accident it was dealt with minimum fuss and with discretion but most of all with respect. Some may put out the argument that they don't have enough teachers to support that. That is a load of hog wash! If a child needs first aid attention are you not going to clean their wound and bandage it but call their parents? No you attend to it. Others might say 'oh but we don't have a change table' nether did we at our preschool but we managed just fine. Some like to bend the truth and say that 'regulations' prevent them from performing the task - well here in BC that is BS.
So please if you visit a preschool and they have this policy, please ask them about it and mention the above. There should be no place for this type of policy in a preschool setting please pass on the message.
update: after I posted this blog post I spoke with the licensing officer for preschools and daycares in my area and she informed me this practice is against licensing regulations therefore is reportable offence. If you know of a centre that does this or have heard of one please inform them. You can also report them anonymously.
End Rant
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